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October 31, 2008

Halloween treats!

You know the scariest thing about Halloween? The bagful of candy bars that kids tote home after trick-or-treating or spending a few hours at a costume party. Sure, those miniature packets may look harmless--until children bring home 500 of them! Banded together, those tiny, tasty terrors can wreak havoc on little ones' healthy bodies and teeth.

Since we can't go for a total bonbon ban--it's called trick or treat, remember?--parents need a solid candy-land plan to battle those mini monsters. You may not be able to control what your neighbors hand out, but you can determine what you give trick-or-treaters who ring your bell!

OUTSIDE THE BOX
The candy box, that is! If you hand out just healthier treats such as fruit snacks or mini rice cakes, you may be considered a "dry" house this Halloween. Keep the holiday spirit by putting a few coupons or gift cards to a "sweet" place, like Dunkin Donuts or Cold Stone Creamery, in your basket of goodies. This way, parents get to decide which treats are suitable for their children. That'll be a surprise among the granola bars!

STOCK OPTIONS
Variety is the spice of life! Serve up individual-sized bags of pretzels and popcorn. Toss a few of these healthier alternatives into kids' trick-or-treat bags, and there will be less room for the candy--and cavity!--collection.

SUPER SUBSTITUTES
Throw an at-home Halloween bash for the neighborhood kids, with your children playing host. Just sprinkle healthy snacks amid the costumes and festive decorations! Replace cookies with Chex Mix, or try a fun recipe like this Crunchy Spider!

Have a safe, healthy Halloween!

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