Is a Halloween food plan a scary thought? At NAO, we understand that not only do your kids go nuts over all the candy, so can you!
This Halloween, create a plan and let the ghosts do the scaring.
Opt for a healthier version
Try recreating your favorite treats from home this year. This is a great idea if you are hosting or want to spend some time with friends or family. Not to mention, you will know exactly what ingredients you are using. Here's how to DIY with mouth watering Cookie Dough Truffles, Cinnamon Roll Cookies, and Date Snickers!
Eat beforehand and stabilize blood sugar
Although you might feel like cutting your portions to make up for eating one too many treats last night, today is a new day. Serve your body with the right amount of whole, real foods and drink plenty of water during the day to limit overindulging at night.
In fact, if you feel you've eaten a bit too much sugar, drink 1 glass of water with 1 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar! It can help re-stabilize your blood sugar. Then lace up your sneakers and go out for a brisk walk or jog with someone you love! This is not to "burn calories." It's to help your body digest the sugar and get right back on track so it doesn't derail your immune system, your sleep, or your energy!
Opt for healthier candy alternatives
Yum Earth Organic lollipops are one option. These have no artificial food colorings, use minimal ingredients, and there's only 4g (1 tsp) of sugar per pop! Lollipops also take a longer time to eat and usually after one, you or your kids are done! Mini chocolates, on the other hand, are much easier to eat quickly and feel sick 20 minutes later.
A couple other good options for trick-or-treaters are Unreal Dark Chocolate Coconut Bars, or Lesser Evil Halloween Themed Popcorn Snack Packs!
Set Healthy Boundaries with yourself and your kids!
Setting loving boundaries with yourself and others isn't setting hard restrictions and rules, or being militant with yourself. Truly, no one likes to be told what to do. So establishing healthy options and autonomy is so important, both for you and your littles!
What you are doing is setting intentions and prioritizing your wellbeing and theirs. Healthy boundaries allow both your inner child (and your outer children if have them) to feel heard and creates a sense of security.
We do this already with bedtime, nap time, and certain types of television or entertainment. We should absolutely do this with sugar and any foods we know wreak havoc on our health!
Here's an example. Treat Halloween as a special occasion and set a healthy boundary for how many candies you and/or your kids can eat within that time frame. Also, teach them what Halloween can really be about: a time for super fun costumes, Halloween themed movies, Pumpkin carving, Haunted Houses, Hayrides, and so many fun activities!
After the holiday is over, get rid of the extra treats
When November 1st rolls around it’s time to get rid of the remaining candy and treats. If the treats are out of sight, they will be out of mind. Try to be mindful of this tip when shopping or making treats beforehand to limit your food waste!
You can also utilize the DIY home made treats to help kids ween off of sugar and get back to their normal lifestyle. This helps eliminate cravings, mood and energy dips, and crying spells from sugar withdrawal. Stabilize that blood sugar!!
Have an accountability buddy
Talk to a family member, friend, or co-worker about keeping each other accountable during the holiday. You will be far more motivated when doing it together, plus it’s a fun way to challenge yourself!
If you have kids, it's the perfect time to connect with other like-minded parents and support each other if there are tantrums and growing pains. You are not alone!
Need more support and fun tips to navigate all the holidays? Reach out! Let us take care of the details and make you a custom game plan so you feel fully prepared, and fully rewarded. These are habits that will last you a lifetime. 🙂
