For a few years there I got away with buying little bags of whole grain pretzels, boxes of raisins, and packets of sugarless gum to give away on Halloween. No more. Apparently, it’s embarrassing to have the mom who doles out anything less than pure, unapologetically junkie candy. I get it. Halloween is just once a year. And let’s be honest, I like my Milk Duds just as much as the next gal.
More challenging for health-minded moms is what comes after Halloween. We live in a city with dense housing, which enables the kids to amass a mountain of sweets in a few short blocks. It makes for pretty efficient trick-or-treating.
In our house, we deal with the giant haul by letting the kids have at it for a week or so, during which time I follow them around with toothbrushes. Then the remaining loot gets squirreled away in a cupboard and dipped into on occasion. Ultimately, the kids lose interest and we donate the sweets to the communal candy bowl at either my husband’s office or the charity where I volunteer.
How do you manage the post-Halloween candy in your house? Is it a “fun size” free for all? Do you take control of the goods? Feel free to chime in by leaving a comment below! You might also be interested to read what child feeding expert Dr. Dina Rose has to say on the subject. You’ll find her very sound food for thought here.