Tips for a healthier Halloween & a healthier holiday season

Halloween treats, pumpkin-flavored sweets, Dia de los Muertos candy skulls, and sweet breads galore. And it’s just the start of the “holiday” season!

Holiday activities may revolve around foods, and yet the celebrations and traditions are about MORE than just the food. By taking your child trick or treating, baking holiday foods together, and preparing cultural dishes, you create memories and build connections. That IS part of a healthy family lifestyle. 

Building healthy habits is not an all-or-nothing venture, so there’s room for balancing healthy choices AND enjoying the season.Here are some strategies that will help you and your family navigate the season: 

• Focus on the traditional foods: is there a special sweet bread, a family recipe soup or stew, a dessert that’s part of your cultural tradition? Find recipes, and prepare some of these foods and dishes as a family project. You might find that you create a new family tradition, and expose kids to a new food or a new way of preparing food.

• Skip the stuff you can have anytime: pre-made cookies, chips, and other processed foods that you can get any time of year, then you can enjoy the seasonal foods- even if they aren’t all that healthy-  and not feel guilty.

• Plan ahead: Going to a restaurant? Check the menu in advance and decide what you might order. Headed to a party or potluck? Bring a healthy dish or drinks with you.

• Lastly, stay active! As the days get shorter and colder, it’s easy to slip into couch potato mode. But it’s important to keep moving. Find ways to include physical activity or physical games at parties. Maintain a regular routine of movement on your own and with the family. Think about gifts and rewards that encourage movement.