Set trick-or-treating curfews. Limit the number of hours your child is out trick-or-treating to help cut down on the amount of candy your child collects.
Serve lunch or dinner before your child goes out trick or treating. Eating a balanced meal before hand (one that includes veggies, protein, and complex carbohydrates) will help your kids fill up before they head out.
Negotiate how long the candy will remain in the house. Decide, for instance, that all candy is thrown out after one week. Once the novelty of eating the candy wears off, it often loses its appeal.
Keep candy out of sight (and out of mind). Store the candy in out-of-reach places like high cupboards or the freezer. Chances are your child (and maybe even you) will forget about it.
Get the kids moving. Make sure your child gets a little extra physical activity such as riding a bike or jumping rope to help compensate for all those Halloween Treats.
Before they are allowed to eat anything, sort through kid’s candy together. Then throw away any candy that’s not wrapped or has broken seals.
Be a role model by consuming Halloween treats in moderation yourself. Also, it's a good idea to buy candy at the last minute and get rid of leftovers to avoid temptation.
Allow kids to enjoy their candy. Studies have shown that forbidding foods makes them more desirable.
Just remember: Halloween only comes once a year!
10 Candy Alternatives
Small bag of pretzels
Fruit cups
Mini bags of microwave popcorn
100% Fruit-Roll Ups or Fruit leather
Mini granola bars
Boxes of raisins
100 % fruit juices or flavored water
Small package of nuts or sunflower seeds
100 calorie snacks
Mini dark chocolate bars with nuts