Happy Halloween, everyone! I grew up loving Halloween. I have fond memories of using a large pillow case for Trick-or-treating because of the massive amount of candy that fit inside. I would come home and sort the loot–anything chocolate was my favorite. The houses that gave out full-sized bars were mentally noted as top-of-the-list houses for the next year. For the weeks following, candy was a part of my breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Whether or not eating all that candy was good for me or not never even entered my mind. That’s not really something a child should have to think about, right? Right?
I’ll admit that I’m completely torn on how to handle Halloween. The nostalgic side of me wants my children to have the whole Halloween experience, high-fructose corn syrup and all. But the smart, logical side of me realizes that I don’t want Meghan’s body to be polluted with all the sugar and other harmful ingredients in Halloween candy. I need to figure out a balance. While I don’t want my daughter to end up being the kid who stashes junk food in her closet because she has a crazy, health-obsessed mother, I also don’t want her to put the sugary treats on a pedestal like I did growing up.
Where we live they schedule Halloween trick-or-treating like it’s a doctor’s appointment, so last night was our “Beggar’s Night”. My plan was to take Meghan trick-or-treating, but only give her a piece of candy if she asked. She’s never had a piece of candy and since she probably had no idea what was inside the brightly colored pint-sized packages she was receiving, she didn’t ask. Crisis averted. For this year. I know that at two, she doesn’t quite have the awareness to realize what she’s missing. I am not naive enough to think as she gets older and interacts with her peers more, she will start to understand that other kids are eating something and it seems they like it quite a bit. I know that this year is probably the last year that it’s going to be easy. At least I have a whole year to figure out how to handle the Halloween candy dilemma.
Here’s our little elephant before trick-or-treating:
And after:
This year, she was more interested in the pumpkins than the candy. 🙂
All the other mamas out there, I need your help! How do you handle the Halloween candy dilemma?
Thanks, everyone, for the ideas. I’m glad I have another year to figure it out!
I didn’t realise it was you! Hello! What a sweet little one you have there.
Guppy had never had any candy until she was 3 – even at Christmas. Granted Halloween isn’t really celebrated in France.
Now at 5, I admit I pick my battles. People send us candy from the U.S. at the holidays, and I do let her have a few. Being vegan really helps because it exculdes a lot, but not all the scary chemicals. I think moderation is key, but sometimes easier said than done!
No kids yet, but this is an interesting dilemma! I can’t say I ever thought about it, espeically since, like you, I grew up getitng to eat all my candy. We had to ration it though – we could have one piece after lunch and one piece after dinner each day. I used to make mine last for months!
We do the 1 crazy night rule. First- we only go to a few houses- that’s plenty of candy. Then I let them dump it out and just go for it. Surprisingly they never eat as much as they think they will! The rest “seems” to spread out over the next few days though when they go to bed the candy bowl has a huge mysterious letting they haven’t caught onto yet. So they just accept that it’s all gone in about 3 days. Then I send the rest to work with my husband- his crew loves it! I think I may try the buy back program and let them trade candy. Right now my 4 year old earns coupons (activity or money, she gets to choose). I could let her “sell” me her candy at maybe 10 a coupon? Hmmm….love that idea! Would much rather she get an extra story at bedtime than candy!
I have also heard that a lot of dentists’ offices have a buy back program- they will give you cash for your candy and they send it to the troops overseas. You can probably google it to find a participating dentist…I thought that was a good idea.
I have the same dilemma!! Someone gave me the idea that you can let them wear their costume all around, trick or treat all the houses, get as much candy as they want. Then on Halloween night let them go to town, eat all they want. Then for their “hard work” collecting all the candy around the neighborhood, you can buy the candy (by the piece or pound, however you want) and let them take the money and buy a toy or something like that. And you can donate the candy (if you don’t want to eat it!) somewhere like the firestation where the firefighters will really appreciate it!
I’m interested to hear what other suggestions you receive. My daughter is a sweet tooth like me, but sugar makes her crazy!!
At 2 I gave them nothing and they didn’t care. At 3 we went to 2 houses and I slipped the people organic lollipops to give the kids. This year, at 4 we are going to those 2 houses and they can have the chocolate or whatever. I’m in that dilemma as well for the future. One person told me she lets her kids go to town on the candy that day and the following and then it “disappears”…