With Halloween just around the corner, it’s a great time to think about how to manage the amount of added sugars in your kids’ diets. Limiting sugary foods and beverages can make a big difference in their overall health and well-being. If you don’t stock up on these items at home, your kids won’t have access to them as often. It’s important to remember that sweet treats and sugary drinks typically contain a lot of empty calories and very few essential nutrients. Common sources of added sugars include sodas, sports drinks, energy drinks, juice drinks, cakes, cookies, ice cream, candy, and other desserts.

Here are nine practical tips to help you maintain balance with sweet treats during the festive season.

1. Pay Attention to Portion Sizes: Candy comes in various sizes and forms. If you decide to let your kids indulge, steer clear of full-size candy bars, as they can lead to overeating—one full-size candy bar can be equivalent to three to four servings! Instead, choose mini or snack-sized options. Remember, controlling portion sizes is crucial when it comes to high-calorie desserts.2
2. Use a Candy-Free Check-Out Lane: Most grocery stores offer check-out lanes that don’t display candy. Choosing these lanes can help minimize temptation for your children, who may otherwise be inclined to ask for treats while waiting in line.3
3. Avoid Using Sweets as Rewards: When you use food as a reward for good behavior, children can start to associate certain foods with feelings of success or comfort. Instead, celebrate their achievements with kind words, hugs, or non-food rewards like stickers or small toys.
4. Make Treats Special Occasions: Treats can certainly be enjoyable but try to limit them to special occasions. This way, your kids won’t expect sweets every day and will learn to appreciate them when they do have them.
5. Opt for Fruit as the Everyday Dessert: Instead of high-calorie desserts, consider serving fruits like baked apples or pears, or a refreshing fruit salad. You might also try delicious frozen juice bars made from 100 percent juice as a healthier alternative.
6. Encourage Kids to Create New Snacks: Get your kids involved in snack-making by allowing them to invent their own mixes using dry whole-grain cereal, dried fruit, and unsalted nuts or seeds. Providing a variety of healthy ingredients can spark their creativity and make snacking fun.
7. Plan Ahead: Stock your kitchen with healthy snack options like cut-up vegetables with hummus, cottage cheese paired with fruit, protein shakes, or slices of cheese with grapes. Having these nutritious options readily available can help your kids resist the temptation to reach for candy.
8. Be a Last-Minute Buyer: Try to avoid buying candy or sweets in the weeks leading up to Halloween. The longer they’re in your home, the more likely you are to indulge. Instead, purchase candy closer to October 31st and only buy what you think you will truly need. This strategy can help reduce the number of sweet temptations around the house during the lead-up to holidays and celebrations.
9. Sort Out the Kids’ Favorites: After trick-or-treating, help your child sort through their candy haul. Encourage them to pick their favorite treats to keep and consider discarding or donating the rest. Remember, if it’s out of sight, it’s out of mind, which can help reduce the urge to snack on those sweets.

By following these tips, you can help your kids enjoy Halloween while also making healthier choices. Balancing treats with nutritious foods sets a positive example and fosters better habits in the long run!

Shakera Williams, DrHSc, MPH, Assistant Extension Agent, Nutrition & Community Health, (Flavors of Health, SNAP-Ed, CDC-HOP/Healthy Communities), Webster and Claiborne parishes.