Healthy Treats for Halloween

With Halloween exactly one week away, check out this article in the Post and Courier on healthy Halloween ideas for your students and families! Local parents, physicians, and Coleen Martin with the MUSC Boeing Center for Children's Wellness were featured in the article, "Obesity and diabetes epidemics call for a check on Halloween candy."    

Dr. Bowlby with MUSC stated, “For Halloween, make more focus on costumes, games, fun with your friends, and for the other holidays make it fun with family and not be so food-focused or, at least when you’re focusing on food, make smart, healthy choices."

Some of the healthy tips and tricks for Halloween listed in the article include:

• Celebrate Halloween at school with 'Pumpkin Dashes' and costume parades instead of candy
• Hand out temporary tattoos, stickers, and vampire teeth!
• Before trick-or-treating have a healthy family dinner so children's stomachs are full 
• Weigh your children's candy when they bring it home
• Sort out the candy and store some in the freezer to eat later in the year
• Have the 'Halloween candy fairy' come visit and exchange some candy with books or toys

Remember, candy on Halloween is okay as long as it is in moderation! Teach your students and families about balance and that the holidays are about more than just sweet treats!

We hope everyone has a healthy and safe Halloween!