Your Guide to a Healthier Halloween

Oct 1, 2021 | Parenting

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‘Tis the season for spooky celebrations and outrageous outfits. Candy is abundant, parties abound, and trick or treating invites your little adventurers out for a night on the town. To help your children enjoy the Halloween festivities to the fullest, take time to establish safety guidelines for everyone to follow. A little preparation can go a long way.

Top Tips for a Spirit of Safety

As your crew prepares for Halloween celebrations, keep the following best practices in mind:

Dress for success. Choose flame-retardant costumes that fit properly, are easy to see and don’t trip your children while walking. Avoid dark colors and put reflective tape on costumes and bags for after-dark trick or treating. Flashlights and glowsticks are also great accessories.

Stick together. If you have kids who are 12 or younger, make sure that they trick or treat with a trusted parent. If your kids are older and don’t want to be seen with mom and dad, make sure they trick or treat in groups and are home at a reasonable time.

Map out a safety plan. Designate a trick or treating area with which your family is familiar. Choose a neighborhood that is safe and well lit with sidewalks. Better yet, attend a trunk or treat at a local church or school. No matter what, remind kids to steer clear of houses where the lights are off and to never go inside anyone’s home.

Indulge with awareness. When you get your treats home from trick or treating or a party, look through candy with your child. Toss anything already open. If your child has a food allergy, such as a peanut allergy, carefully monitor their candy and get rid of candies that contain the ingredient they’re allergic to. Also, set limits on how much candy your child can consume and when.

Recipe: Roasted Pumpkin Seed Snack Mix

Pumpkin seeds are a fun and seasonal way to introduce important nutrients, such as calcium and potassium, into your child’s diet.

Ingredients

2 cups crispy rice or wheat cereal squares
1/2 cup roasted whole pumpkin seeds
1/3 cup slivered almonds
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup raisins

Directions

Mix all ingredients together and serve.

Nutrition information per serving

Makes eight servings

Calories: 199

Fat: 11g

Cholesterol: 0mg

Sodium: 121mg

Protein: 6g

Dietary Fiber: 2g

Recipe courtesy of “What’s Cooking? USDA Mixing Bowl.”

Don’t miss our Halloween safety infographic, A Snapshot of Halloween Safety, which highlights how you can keep your kids’ trick-or-treating experience as safe as possible.