Let the sugar comas begin—indeed, it may be better for your kids in the long run.
Abbey Sharp, a Toronto-based registered dietitian, advises giving kids “unlimited access” to Halloween candy, insisting it’s actually a great way to form good habits.
Sharp explained on TikTok that she’s more focused on her kids developing healthy relationships with food than letting them eat too much sugar for a few days a year.
To that end, her first tip is to allow your kids—and yourself—“unfettered access” to candy on Halloween night.
“If you or your children usually limit sugar, they will probably overeat. And that’s perfectly fine. This is a teachable moment for them to feel that sensation in their body,” she told her 864,000 followers on TikTok last year.
Talk about overeating: Research published by Coupon Follow in 2020 found that the average American eats 3.4 pounds of candy around Halloween each year, with kids consuming 7,000 calories and 3 cups of sugar during the holiday.
But the Snickers and M&Ms party doesn’t have to end on November 1st. Sharp said you can continue to let kids enjoy unlimited candy for a few days after the party.
“The first night is an experiment, but we really need to continue with some consistency so that our children are really able to trust that the good is not gone forever and their body signals can be trusted,” she said.
This will teach kids that the candy “isn’t that special or new” — and may reduce the need to stuff their faces every time they see it in the future.
After that, Sharp said to go back to exercising moderation, like eating one treat a day.
At least one viewer vouched for her advice, saying she and her siblings had unlimited access to sweets — and learned to practice moderation.
Alison Graziano, a registered dietitian at Massachusetts General Hospital, also said that going trick or treating free rein is the way to go.
“While your kids (or you) may be more excited about candy, Halloween is a great opportunity to teach them that there are no ‘good’ or ‘bad’ foods, so candy doesn’t have to it becomes a big deal. she said in 2022.
“Hiding or rationing their sweets can make it seem like candy is a ‘bad’ or ‘off limits’ food,” Graziano continued. “If you find yourself scolding your children for eating too much candy, they will likely continue to do so, often in secret to avoid being scolded or out of fear that it will be taken away. Unfortunately, binge eating can manifest as binge eating disorder later in life.”
She suggested letting children go at their own pace so they can learn to self-regulate.
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