Researchers from Yale University’s Center for Eating and Weight Disorders investigated whether children would choose toys over sweet treats or candy when offered both on Halloween.  They found evaluated 284 kids ages 3 – 14 and guess what?  Children were just as likely to choose toys as candy, regardless of gender.

You can be a neighborhood hero by offering some fun, non-candy items to kids trick or treating!  Use stickers and gummy worms to decorate “fun fruit” for Halloween.  Distribute party favors – you can usually find them in the clearance section at your favorite discount store.  Other things you could offer in place of candy and sweet treats are: stickers, pencils, crayons, markers, stamps, notepads, erasers, balloons, bouncy balls, and beads. 

When purchasing candy to distribute, don’t over-buy; avoid jumbo size bags.  Buy at the last minute so you don’t have those high-calorie treats hanging around the house.  Choose non-fat candies such as Smarties, Tootsie Rolls, and jelly beans. 

Happy Healthy Halloween!