The Scary Truth About Halloween Candy Calories
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Halloween is almost here and that means fun costumes, pumpkins and, of course, candy! It is also a lesson in self-control when trying to limit your intake as well as your children’s candy consumption.
There are some things that you can do to prepare yourself for this pound-packed holiday. For one, don’t buy your candy until that day and only buy enough to give out and not to pig out.
Choose wisely when purchasing candy. The Center for Disease Control, (CDC) recommends these guidelines when expecting trick-or-treaters or party guests, “Provide healthier treats for trick-or-treaters such as low-calorie treats and drinks. For party guests, offer a variety of fruits, vegetables, and cheeses.”
Raisins, Craisins and small bags of trailmix are excellent candy alternatives. There are also mini-granola bars or protein bars which can be found in bulk at many warehouse stores.
The good news about trick-or-treating is that while you and the kids cover the neighborhood, you are also burning calories walking. If indoors hosting a party, KidsHealth.org suggests to, “use party games and trick-or-treat time as an opportunity for kids to get their daily dose of 60 minutes of physical activity.” My suggestion is to play games like mini-pumpkin relays in the backyard or pumpkin bowling, knocking down plastic cups.
According to KidsHealth.org, “Consider being somewhat lenient about candy eating on Halloween, within reason, and talk about how the rest of the candy will be handled. Candy and snacks shouldn't get in the way of kids eating healthy meals.”
Limit your portions by buying the miniature, snack size. Each one of them weighs in at approximately 38 calories and five grams of carbs.
From miniature to fun or snack size which is the Halloween staple, Fitsugar.com has broken down the calories of some trick-or-treat favorites:
One fun size Babe Ruth bars has about 85 calories and ten grams of carbs.
A fun size Kit Kat has 73 calories and nearly 7 grams of carbs, while a Milky Way has 76 calories and 11 grams of carbs.
Keep your fingers off of those Butterfingers at 100 calories and 10 grams of carbs.
We value and respect the experiences of all of our HERWriters, but everyone is different. Many of our writers are speaking from personal experience, and what's worked for them may not work for you. Their articles are not a substitute for medical advice although we hope you can gain knowledge from their insight.
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