Is it possible to have a healthy Halloween? It sure is!
Dr. Patricia has some tips to help your family have a healthy and fun Halloween:
- Let children know ahead of time about the healthy Halloween plan
- Increase family exercise the week of Halloween
- Serve healthy family meals all week, especially on the day of Halloween
- Instead of focusing on candy, focus on Halloween history, pumpkin patches, and fun activities
- Inspect all treats for safety
- Allow children to enjoy their treats that day
- The day after Halloween, let them choose two of their favorites and get rid of the rest
Hand out alternatives to candy to avoid having leftover candy at home:
- Pencils
- Stickers
- Play-Doh
- Trading cards
- Non-sugary treats such as bags of plain popcorn, nuts, seeds, or raisins
Halloween party tips:
- Get everyone moving with music and games
- Serve healthy foods: raw fruits and veggies, whole grain crackers, cheese, lean meats
- Have lots of water available (no soda, fruit juice or sugary drinks)
- Have Halloween-themed cookie cutters to make sandwiches and fruits more festive and fun
Check out this healthy and delicious Halloween recipe:
Butternut Squash and Granny Smith Apple Soup
Ingredients:
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 2 medium carrots, diced
- 1 small butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and choppe
- 1 large Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and cut into pieces
- 1 quart, low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
Preparation
- Sauté onions and carrots until onions are softened, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add chopped squash and apple and cook for 2 minutes. Add broth
- Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 20 minutes
- Transfer to a blender and puree until smooth, working in two batches if necessary.
Nutrition Facts: Per Serving: Calories 119, Calories from Fat 17, Total Fat 1.9g (sat 0.2g), Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 38mg, Carbohydrate 23g, Fiber 3.2g, Protein 2.5g
