Tricks to a Healthy Halloween

Halloween is a holiday usually associated with candy.  According to a San Francisco Chronicle article entitled “Halloween Adds Up to $5 Billion,” Americans spent about $1.4 billion dollars in Halloween candy just last year alone, leaving trick-or-treaters with plenty of sweets to eat.  In fact, children are not just getting one small bag of candy nowadays; they’re receiving pillow-cases worth of sweets laden with fat, sugar and calories.  An average-size Jack-O-Lantern bucket, for example, fits about 250 pieces of small chocolate bars and candy that could easily add up to nine thousand calories (4.5 times the recommended daily amount for a grown person!), 200 grams of fat and 1500 grams of sugar.   To keep sweets in moderation, the California Milk Processor Board (CMPB) - the creators of GOT MILK? -  has partnered with the California Dietetic Association (CDA) to share strategies with parents on how to save kids from candy overload.

“The trick is to plan ahead, making sure that children do not overindulge in sweets,” say Kara Freeman DrPH, Registered Dietitian and President of the California Dietetic Association.  “While we do not want to take the fun of candy out of the festivities, parents also need to be aware that Halloween kicks off the holiday season which is usually filled with sweets and other indulgences.  Parents and kids alike need to keep treats in moderation.”

            To help parents cope, GOT MILK? along with the CDA have developed a top 10 list of strategies on www.gotmilk.com.  Registered dietitians say it’s important to set the boundaries beforehand on how many pieces of candy kids can eat on Halloween day.   Experts say negotiating with your kids and following some of the tips below could help reduce the consumption of sweets, while ensuring that children still have a fun Halloween.  Tips include:

1)       Dinner First.  On Halloween night, give children a nutritious dinner with vegetables, whole grains and protein-rich foods topped off with a glass of low fat or nonfat milk.  Having a complete meal, registered dieticians say, will reduce children’s appetites for sweets as they trick-or-treat.

2)       GOT CHOCOLATE  MILK? Serving chocolate milk after trick or treating is a great, healthy treat.  It doesn’t deprive kids of the chocolate closely associated with Halloween, while still providing nutrition and reducing the craving for additional Halloween candy.

3)       Non-Food Treats.  Consider handing out themed school supplies like pencils and erasers to school-age children as they will come in handy for class.  Small toys are also appropriate in reducing the amount of candy children eat during Halloween.  Plus, they’re fun!

 

            “I am thrilled to partner with the California Dietetic Association,” says Steve James, executive director of the California Milk Processor Board.  “GOT MILK? has the same goal as the CDA and that is to keep children healthy.  With the rise of obesity and type 2 diabetes among kids, parents must take precautions to prevent these diseases at home.”

            A Mayo Clinic article published last year reports that one-third of children in this country are overweight or at-risk of becoming overweight, totaling to about 25 million kids.  That number has doubled for children between the ages of six to 11 and has tripled for teenagers over the last two decades. In the Hispanic community, a 2006 National Council of La Raza Fact Sheet reports that 39.3% of Mexican-American children (the largest Hispanic group in the US ) ages 6 to 11 are overweight and 23.7% are obese – outnumbering African-Americans and Whites.

“The temptation is great during Halloween to overindulge in sweets but these statistics show why maintaining a healthy diet is key all-year-round,” says Freeman.  "Drinking nonfat or low fat milk coupled with green leafy vegetables, fruits and whole grains are key to improving a child’s overall health and that’s the best treat parents could give their kids.

To obtain the top 10 tips and strategies for a healthy Halloween, visit www.gotmilk.com.