With childhood obesity on the rise, Blythedale Registered Dietitian Marie Roth offers parents the following tips on how to have a healthier Halloween.
 
* Before your children head out for trick-or-treating, start off the evening with a healthy snack such as a peanut butter sandwich and fruit, or a bowl of soup. If kids aren't hungry, they will be less likely to overdo it on the candy throughout the night.  

 

* Be a healthy Halloween role model by handing out fun alternatives to candy such as stickers, punching balloons, yo-yo's, or any party favor that will entertain the crowd of kids in your neighborhood.  

* Offer individually wrapped low-sugar snacks such as raisins, pumpkin seeds, sugar-free gum, pretzels, animal crackers, or whole grain gold fish.  

* Let your children enjoy some of their Halloween candy in moderation only after you have thoroughly inspected it. Anything unwrapped, including fresh fruit, should be thrown away. Without a wrapper there is no way to know if the food has been tampered with. If you find anything suspicious in your child's bag, call the police!  

* For younger children, remember to take away any choking hazards including gum, peanuts, and hard candy.  

Ms. Roth notes that while most of the candy kids get on Halloween night is small in size, the calories can be shockingly high. For example, one fun size Milky Way bar is 150 calories while only 9 Hershey Kisses are a whopping 230 calories. A caramel apple may seem harmless but it contains 243 calories.  "Give your kids a day or two to enjoy the candy and then let them trade it in for a non-food gift or toy. 
 
Another idea is to divide the leftover candy to be eaten a little bit at a time. Store one or two treats in a small Ziploc bag and then place the Ziplocs in a larger paper bag. Allow your child to occasionally choose a treat from the bag, but remember to keep the large bag in a high cabinet.