Posted on Tuesday, October 23, 2018
Halloween is serious business for the little ones. After they don the perfect costume, they are ready to hit the neighborhood in search of some tasty treats. Since Halloween only happens once a year, it's fun to indulge a little and eat some of that hard-earned candy. Help your little ones avoid a tummy ache by taking advantage of kids' innate ability to regulate their appetites. One of the easiest ways is a well-timed and nutritious snack before heading out to trick-or-treat. Young children tend to naturally regulate their appetites, so they will usually slow down on eating sweets if they begin to feel overly full. Here are some of my favorite snack ideas to help!
- Turkey and cheese roll-ups (Turkey mummies, if you will!)
- Fruit of any kind, but especially easy finger foods like grapes, oranges, apple slices, or bananas
- Yogurt cups
- Cheese sticks of all kinds (There are tons of different flavors to choose from at your local Brookshire Brothers!)
- Cucumber slices with a little vinegar, salt, and pepper
- Cinnamon toast with butter on whole wheat bread
- Or see some of my favorite grab-and-go snack options here!
And if you're looking for some unique options with a healthy twist to pass out in your neighborhood this Halloween, try some of these ideas.
- Fruit snacks and gummies, especially with natural flavors and colors (These fruit-filled recipes are frightfully good—and healthy!)
- Inexpensive trinkets such as stickers, temporary tattoos, or bouncy balls
- Simple chocolates
- 100% fruit juice in small boxes or pouches
- Snack-sized bags of freeze dried fruit, raisins, or pretzels (Another wicked-good snack to try: Rice Krispies Treats with fall flavors and fun topping ideas!)
- Small bags of pre-popped popcorn (Make your scary movie night really pop with these three fun popcorn recipes!)
Read more: Don't miss Angela's other nine tips for keeping Halloween healthy
Angela Larson is a registered dietitian (RD) who works with Brookshire Brothers promoting real fresh, real delicious foods and nutrition education to the community. She is also a clinical dietitian representing Woodland Heights Medical Center in Lufkin where she does outreach education on food and nutrition. Food is her passion, so Angela loves trying new recipes and exploring the more holistic side of nutrition. Angela loves to cook, garden, and spend time outdoors. In addition to the Brookshire Brothers blog, look for Angela's monthly articles in Charm East Texas.