Halloween is here!

Halloween is certainly the champion ‘holiday of candy’. Did you know that research shows that around 96% of people plan to buy candy for Halloween? Halloween also marks the start of the holiday run through the rest of the year, meaning that candy, good food, treats, desserts, and get-togethers will be a regular occurrence for the next few months. None of us are saying ‘No, thanks!’ to the holidays, but, for many of us, these treats come with some drawbacks. Not all is lost for this Halloween weekend as there are many healthy alternatives for Halloween treats.

For those trying to eat healthily, stick to weight loss diets and achieve goals, you may find yourself dreading the next few months. The good news is, you CAN stick to your goals and maintain the healthy lifestyle choices you’ve sacrificed so hard for already. There are many healthy alternatives to Halloween candy and party food that not only taste good but will leave you feeling like you’ve had a great time AND that you’re still on the path to hitting those goals. With a few tips and pre-planning, you’ll be able to enjoy the holidays and stick to your goals.

Eating healthily and sticking to your goals are important for many people. It is generally accepted that healthy eating is a lifestyle and something that needs to be followed daily for best results. A healthy lifestyle is not just a ‘quick diet’ or fad you follow for a few months. That being said, it is usually not a concern to take time off from this healthy lifestyle for an occasion. A birthday, holiday, or vacation are times when people choose to treat themselves and have a cheat day/week. According to Healthy.com, experts say that the occasional treat is not problematic for most people. While having a cheat day and treating yourself is usually not a big problem, the risk stands that eating unhealthily for a few weeks due to multiple holidays will begin a pattern of unhealthy eating. Thus, making healthy choices over Halloween goes a long way in helping you maintain your long-term goals.

But this is easier said than done! When Halloween is here, and the candy is all around, it can be hard to know what to do. Our key tips for healthy Halloween eating are:

• Treat yourself once in a while!
  • Everyone deserves their favorite treat once in a while!
• Decide what is worth it as your treat
  • Are you willing to have extra carbs and go for that sugary treat? Or are you willing to eat a more fatty treat and enjoy that peanut butter cup? Usually picking between either a carb or fat will be less harmful to your overall health and diet goals. (In other words, try not to have both!) Sugar tends to be addictive, so avoiding it altogether or only having a small amount is helpful if you have important health goals you are working towards.
• Make a plan beforehand
  • A good plan of action is to look at the upcoming holidays, and preplan when you’ll stick strictly to your healthy eating, and when you’ll allow yourself that treat. Plan what treat you will allow (mentioned above)
• Switch out traditionally unhealthy choices for healthy choices
  • Fruit and fruit leather roll-up instead of candy
  • Dark chocolate instead of sugary, candy based chocolates

Some people, however, do not have the choice of eating a treat even every now and then and must eat strictly healthily due to medical or allergen concerns. Others, such as people with diabetes need to maintain their sugar levels strictly. Making use of alternatives to candy (see below) is a great option in these cases.

Here are a few great suggestions for healthy alternatives to Halloween candy that can suit everyone’s needs:

1. Swap out candy choices for healthy items:

For both adults and kids, there are great healthy options and alternatives for Halloween candy!

• Use items from your pantry that are tasty and healthy such as raisin boxes, pretzels, popcorn, granola bars, little bags of Teddy Grahams, juice boxes
• Create fun and healthy Halloween themed food for your quests:
  • Bananas cut in half with chocolate chip eyes (little ghost)
  • Draw faces on an orange/mandarin to look like a Jac-o-lantern
• Purchase healthy allergen/dye-free candy options:
  • WholeFoods has a great article with some healthier candy options
    • opt for the chocolate-based items to avoid high levels of sugar and dyes

2. Swap out candy for a fun and inexpensive toys/party favors:

Giving out small, fun and inexpensive toys is a great way to create candy alternatives to Halloween. Not only will your house be a little different from everyone else giving out similar candy, but you’ll know that the kids you’re treating will be going home without extra sugar!

InShape provides some great examples of items you could find at your local Dollar Store, Target dollar section, or grocery store. These include temporary tattoos, stickers, glow sticks, slime, playdough for younger kids, mini flashlights, silly sunglasses, and much more.

As you can see, with a little planning ahead, there are still many great ways that you and your family can thoroughly enjoy Halloween without missing out or compromising on your health goals. And the same can apply to the upcoming holidays over the next 2 months. At Natural Bio Health, we are passionate about health and helping people maintain a healthy weight to avoid health concerns related to weight issues. We know that weight loss is different for everyone, and we offer customized medical weight loss plans for individuals. Our goal is to help you lose weight and keep it off. If you’re concerned about your weight especially in light of the upcoming holiday season, contact us today! Our plans include 30-, 60-, and 90-day options, helping you reach your goals in a defined time frame!

Contact Natural Bio Health Today

Our team is dedicated to helping you understand the numerous factors that may be preventing optimal health. Learn more about taking control of your well-being with Natural Bio Health. Join the wellness journey to achieve optimal health, fight disease and boost immune health to combat viruses.

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