Halloween “Tricks" to Save your Diet

Americans spend $1 billion on Halloween candy! Little Goblins will be out soon collecting all their “treats.”  The weeks' prior to and after Halloween, parents will be at home dealing with the temptation of candy around the house. What do you do to minimize the temptation?

Consider these tricks:

Buy Halloween candy the day before Halloween so it’s not sitting around to taunt you. Store it places where you are not constantly exposed to it.

Buy sweet items that you don’t particularly enjoy. Consider giving non-food treats to the kids.
 
Allow yourself a moderate amount of candy. Try Dana's healthier treat on Halloween night so when the big bag of candy comes in from your child you won’t feel deprived. Account for it in your food plan for the day.

Emphasize the fun part of Halloween.  Make a contest with pumpkin carving. Bob for apples.

Halloween night is so hectic a healthy meal is not even a consideration sometimes. This year plan on leftovers, have a healthy frozen meal, or assemble a meal similar to Dana's recipe in her Cutting Corners blog.

Plan on eating dinner a bit earlier so you get that evening meal in. If you miss dinner because you are so busy you are going to be even more tempted to overeat later.

Have some fruit around to snack on.

Offer to buy your kid's candy when it comes in so the leftovers aren't "haunting" you.  Or keep the extra candy in a spot where you aren't constantly tempted to eat it.

Enlist your spouse or friend to support you (NOT be the food police).

Stay on track! Remember that Halloween is the kick off season for weight gain. Don’t be tricked into gaining weight!