Many people buy Halloween candy and then end up eating it all before the holiday even arrives. Every year I swear I’m not going to eat the Halloween candy I’ve bought for trick-or-treating and then have to buy more because hubby and I have given in!
Looking for more great Halloween ideas? Be sure to check out my collection of Halloween tips, ideas, activities, recipes and more for the entire family.
Instead of giving to the dark side, make it easier to avoid temptation and keep your calorie consumption down. After all, candy is fine in moderation, but it can be tough to not over-snack. Here are 5 tips to help you make smart food choices this Halloween.
1. Buy Halloween candy you don’t like. If you’re not a fan of what you buy, you’ll be less tempted to have a taste or two or three. I just can’t resist Snickers but Mounds candy I could easily skip. Guess what I bought last year.
2. Buy Halloween candy at the last minute. If you don’t have candy sitting around the house, you’re much less likely to dig into it. Keep temptation out and wait to buy your trick or treat candy. A couple of years ago I bought two weeks before Halloween, which proved just too close to the holiday! Wait means wait. The stores will still have candy just before Halloween, so don’t worry that they will be out of stock.
3. Don’t buy Halloween candy at all. Instead, give out a candy alternative. Read my 50+ candy alternatives for ideas.
4. Giveaway leftover candy. Participate in the Halloween Candy Buy Back program where dentists all over the U.S. purchase candy back from kids for prizes. Or you can directly mail your leftover candy to OperationGratitude to be used in care packages to U.S. military troops. Use this as a chance for your kids to learn about giving to others and the important way our troops support our country. They could even put on a candy drive with the other kids on their block to pool candy before mailing.
5. Have an accountability buddy. Make a contract with a friend. If you know someone else will know what you ate (because you’ll tell them) and is supporting your efforts, you’ll be more likely to reach for a piece of fruit rather than a Snickers. If you don’t have a friend you feel comfortable telling, make a contract with yourself. If you cheat, you’ll know you’re cheating on yourself.
I’m looking for accountability buddies! I’m trying to get back to a healthy weight, and Halloween is a tough time. Help support me, and I’ll support you! Friend me on My Fitness Pal at http://www.myfitnesspal.com/thejennyevolution.
Halloween doesn’t have to derail you from a healthy diet. Even having a piece of candy doesn’t mean the game is over. Have a taste of chocolate but don’t let it take over your diet.
This post is part of the Sharing is Caring Halloween Blog Hop hosted by Life With Lovebugs, Pam’s Party & Practical Tips, and A Spectacled Owl!
All of the blogs listed below are sharing Halloween themed posts as part of this event, so click on one or all of the links below to find some great recipes, tutorials, crafts and more!
Looking for more great Halloween ideas? Be sure to check out my collection of Halloween tips, ideas, activities, recipes and more for the entire family.
I love #3 I don’t ever buy it—my kids have parties at school and we go to a few others–they get enough for them, and we’re out when the trick-or-treaters come so ITS WONDERFUL!! =) Going to check out your 50 alternative ideas now
The not buying is it KEY for me and my husband. Otherwise you have bags of candy staring you down. This year we’re handing out glow sticks and vampire teeth. Should be fun!
Great tips although since my boys are now out on their own as young adults, we skip trick or treating. Just our preference at this time in our lives. Thanks for linking up at My Favorite Posts Show Off Weekend Party! Hope to see you again tomorrow.
Michelle @ On A Wing And A Prayer
I love this, Jenny. I do a lot of these things! I would like to substitute something else for the candy, but my teens are mortified every time I suggest it. I probably should’ve started it long ago, so they would just think it’s normal now! 😉
We’re substituting candy for the first time this year. We’re handing out glow sticks and vampire teeth instead. Thankfully, all of the men of the house (including hubby) approved 🙂
Jenny, Thanks for hosting! My favorite feature is the Valencia Orange Refresher from Sunglasses and Starbucks.
I like buying the candy that I don’t really like. I’m not a huge chocolate person but I ADORE Starbursts & Skittles so if I buy those, I’m gonna eat them all!
Yep. The past years we’ve bought candy I wasn’t a big fan of. This year we’re skipping candy all together and handing out glow sticks and vampire teeth. 🙂
Great tips! I buy things I don’t like and I hide it in the closet until Halloween night. I’m visiting from the It’s Overflowing link party.
Christy @ Creating a Beautiful Life
Thanks for visiting! Buying candy I don’t like was the first thing I’ve tried. I’ve added other tricks as other candy somehow sneaks into the house (aka hubby).
Great ideas! I am a fan of candy-alternatives when possible, too!
My husband is a little sad we won’t be handing out candy — but he hasn’t seen the stack of vampire teeth I have waiting to hand out 😉
Great inspiration to stay on track through the Halloween season! All of the tips were awesome, but I especially like #1. Works for me every time. 🙂 Thanks…
Halloween always seems to be the kick off of a slippery slope — and before I know it, eating healthy has all but left the building. These tips have been tried and true for me 🙂
Hi Jenny,
What a great post. I love #4. Amazingly enough, we don’t really have issues here with Halloween candy. The kids are happy with a piece or two of candy and move on. Thank you for sharing on the Thumping Thursdays Blog Hop.
Sincerely,
Karina
http://www.momintheusa.net
I love that your kids are done with just a couple of pieces of candy. I think my oldest would fill up the bathtub and take a swim in chocolate if he could. Just better not to have it in the house at all!
Great tips! Every year we buy candy and then we take the kids out trick or treating with no one home to give out candy. This year I think we will just no buy any at all! Thanks for sharing! Monika
Kids who come to our door are getting vampire teeth along with other trinkets. The kids will bring enough candy home from trick or treating.
Awesome post! Great ideas, love the #1 tip. 🙂
#1 is the first trick I tried and it really does work…. well, until my hubby breaks our code and brings in the Snickers!
It seems so obvious but buying candy I wasn’t excited about made it easy to stay away. Good luck on the sugar rush this Halloween. Let me know how it goes!
I think my husband would cry or declare war if I said no Halloween candy. While I try to avoid eating it, it is just so tempting since he always buys the good stuff. Last time I bought cheap candy I wouldn’t eat he banned me from buying more 😉
My husband did declare war — until I pointed out that he gets to pillage the kids candy (as he does every year) and that I’m getting vampire teeth along with others for the mix. She shoots. She scores!
Really good tips, especially about buying the candy late. We tend to buy it the day of Halloween; otherwise, some little “hands” will be into the bag.
Buying candy late keeps my hubby out of the bags. One year he actually consumed it all so I had to go buy more at the last minute anyway.
Excellent tips. I like numbers two and four best. Thanks for the tips.
The last-minute thing can be tough. But it’s a surefire way to keep from eating it all before the trick or treaters come. And giving it away is pretty darn easy once you’ve OD’d on sugar.
Ha! Awesome strategies, am going to try some. I hate candy corns and peep-related stuff, so maybe I’ll buy those in bulk and torture all of the kids with it. Doesn’t everyone hate that stuff? Visiting from the #LOBS party by the way : )
Jessica — I like the idea of torturing the neighborhood kids with peeps. Someone’s gotta eat them, right?
Too late. The bag of Hershey Mini’s is now gone. The good news is we haven’t bought another. The bad news is it’s quite a ways until Halloween. The good news is we don’t have kids at home anymore. The bad news is we don’t have to be an example to anyone. The good news is we are actually responsible adults and rarely buy candy… I am happy to say I did not bring in that bag that I scarfed down while he was ill with the flu and not eating anything. The bad news is he lost 6 lbs with the flu and I am not going any further with this.
Oh! Well, stay away from the Mini Hershey’s 🙂 You’re cracking me up, Jeannie.
Buying the kind I don’t like is the trick that works best for me! Thanks for linking up to #LOBS!
Angela — A lot of people are saying buying the candy they don’t like is the trick for them. No Snickers or Butterfingers in my house!
I have no willpower so now I wait till the last minute. But we don’t get many trick or treaters so we always have leftovers. I steal candy from the kids too though. All I am going to say is it is a good thing I run. LOL
LOL! I wish I did run. But alas, I’m going to stick with the tips — I’ve used them in the past and they’ve always served me well.
Great tips! I love the buy candy you don’t like (makes sense); that would work for me :o)
Thank you so much for linking up to The PINcentive Blog Hop! Happy Friday and I hope you have a wonderful weekend!
croppedstories@gmail.com
http://www.croppedstories.blogspot.com
You are so good. See I don’t think my will power is strong enough! I look forward to sneaking the good stuff out of my kids Halloween spoils. Yes I am that Mom… Don’t judge, my youngest doesn’t like chocolate… But these are seriously really good tips. I SHOULD use each of them. The are very doable and great ideas!
It’s too late. I’ve already bought Halloween candy and pigged out on it. I can’t help it. The stuff is good.
Definitely all good advice. The last few years held out for getting candy until Halloween Day (it gets that bad). The only problem is that one year, I almost couldn’t find anything to hand out. The bonus: all that’s usually left is stuff I hate. Definitely going to check out your Halloween candy alternatives, though!
Hi Jenny,
This post will be Featured on tomorrow’s Thumping Thursdays Blog Hop. I look forward to seeing what you have for us this week.
Sincerely,
Karina
http://www.momintheusa.net
We’re in the country so we don’t get t-o-treater’s. BEST prevention method for eating candy evah!! hehehe
I like your alternatives. I’m visiting today from Thumping Thursdays. 🙂
I buy candy at the last minute to hand out – zero tempation then!
Thank you so much for sharing these with me on #CraftyOctober at The Purple Pumpkin Blog! ^_^