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5 Ways to Avoid Eating the Halloween Candy

October 12, 2020 by Mommy Evolution 42 Comments

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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!

Be sure to check out this spooky collection of Halloween ideas, activities and recipes for the entire family. 

5 Ways to Avoid Eating the Halloween Candy

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.

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Filed Under: Halloween, Holidays

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Comments

  1. Pamela R says

    September 19, 2013 at 11:43 am

    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

    Reply
    • Jennifer says

      September 20, 2013 at 1:18 pm

      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!

      Reply
  2. Michelle says

    September 19, 2013 at 4:37 pm

    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

    Reply
  3. Kim says

    September 19, 2013 at 7:06 pm

    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! 😉

    Reply
    • Jennifer says

      September 20, 2013 at 1:26 pm

      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 🙂

      Reply
  4. Babs says

    September 19, 2013 at 7:07 pm

    Jenny, Thanks for hosting! My favorite feature is the Valencia Orange Refresher from Sunglasses and Starbucks.

    Reply
  5. Tara says

    September 20, 2013 at 12:23 pm

    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!

    Reply
    • Jennifer says

      September 20, 2013 at 1:20 pm

      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. 🙂

      Reply
  6. Christy @ Creating a Beautiful Life says

    September 21, 2013 at 2:26 pm

    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

    Reply
    • Jennifer says

      September 27, 2013 at 5:49 pm

      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).

      Reply
  7. Janell says

    September 21, 2013 at 2:33 pm

    Great ideas! I am a fan of candy-alternatives when possible, too!

    Reply
    • Jennifer says

      September 27, 2013 at 5:50 pm

      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 😉

      Reply
  8. Rhonda - A Born Unique Mom says

    September 21, 2013 at 4:23 pm

    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…

    Reply
    • Jennifer says

      September 27, 2013 at 5:51 pm

      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 🙂

      Reply
  9. Karina - Mom in the USA says

    September 21, 2013 at 11:51 pm

    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

    Reply
    • Jennifer says

      September 27, 2013 at 5:54 pm

      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!

      Reply
  10. Monika {Life With Lovebugs} says

    September 22, 2013 at 1:56 pm

    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

    Reply
    • Jennifer says

      September 27, 2013 at 5:55 pm

      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.

      Reply
  11. Pinoy Recipe by trina says

    September 22, 2013 at 10:36 pm

    Awesome post! Great ideas, love the #1 tip. 🙂

    Reply
    • Jennifer says

      September 27, 2013 at 5:56 pm

      #1 is the first trick I tried and it really does work…. well, until my hubby breaks our code and brings in the Snickers!

      Reply
    • Jennifer says

      September 27, 2013 at 6:20 pm

      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!

      Reply
  12. Susan Bewley says

    September 23, 2013 at 7:27 am

    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 😉

    Reply
    • Jennifer says

      September 27, 2013 at 5:57 pm

      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!

      Reply
  13. Karen says

    September 25, 2013 at 10:29 am

    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.

    Reply
    • Jennifer says

      September 27, 2013 at 6:18 pm

      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.

      Reply
  14. Michelle Kafka says

    September 26, 2013 at 4:37 pm

    Excellent tips. I like numbers two and four best. Thanks for the tips.

    Reply
    • Jennifer says

      September 27, 2013 at 6:15 pm

      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.

      Reply
  15. Jessica @ Feed me dearly says

    September 26, 2013 at 5:39 pm

    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 : )

    Reply
    • Jennifer says

      September 27, 2013 at 6:14 pm

      Jessica — I like the idea of torturing the neighborhood kids with peeps. Someone’s gotta eat them, right?

      Reply
  16. Jeannie Marie & Company says

    September 26, 2013 at 9:44 pm

    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.

    Reply
    • Jennifer says

      September 27, 2013 at 6:12 pm

      Oh! Well, stay away from the Mini Hershey’s 🙂 You’re cracking me up, Jeannie.

      Reply
  17. Angela says

    September 27, 2013 at 10:26 am

    Buying the kind I don’t like is the trick that works best for me! Thanks for linking up to #LOBS!

    Reply
    • Jennifer says

      September 27, 2013 at 6:11 pm

      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!

      Reply
  18. Michelle says

    September 27, 2013 at 12:17 pm

    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

    Reply
    • Jennifer says

      September 27, 2013 at 6:07 pm

      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.

      Reply
  19. Elena says

    September 27, 2013 at 7:43 pm

    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

    Reply
  20. Krista Low says

    September 28, 2013 at 10:44 am

    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!

    Reply
  21. Amber says

    September 29, 2013 at 10:01 pm

    It’s too late. I’ve already bought Halloween candy and pigged out on it. I can’t help it. The stuff is good.

    Reply
  22. Leslie says

    October 1, 2013 at 12:17 pm

    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!

    Reply
  23. Karina says

    October 2, 2013 at 11:07 am

    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

    Reply
  24. Rosey says

    October 4, 2013 at 8:59 am

    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. 🙂

    Reply
  25. Michelle says

    October 28, 2013 at 1:09 pm

    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! ^_^

    Reply

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