Here are some common techniques to consider. 

1.  Avoid the candy like the plague.  Seems like a good idea, but can often backfire and ultimately make you want the delicious bite size treats even more and set you up for a future binge.   But this can be a positive way to handle the situation as well, completely avoiding the sweet taste as well as all the calories, sugar, and fat that follow. 
2. Switch-a-roo.  Instead of diving into the candy, find a healthy alternative to satisfy that craving, such as a chocolate pudding or frozen yogurt.
3. Just one piece and savor every second.  This can be a nice compromise, but it requires tremendous willpower.  The single taste of sweetness can often open a box of worms leaving you craving more.  Remember, the enjoyment of candy is often a short-lived pleasure.  If you have tried the old saying, “I’ll just have one” and in turn had more, you may want to consider technique 1 or 2 instead, otherwise be sure to adjust your diet and exercise plan to even it out!
4. Eat your favorite candy until you get your fix.  This technique can be dangerous as even with bite size pieces the calories, sugar, and fat can add up fast!  If this is the route you chose, be sure to balance out the candy with exercise (maybe more than usual) and modify your food choices several meals before and after. 

No matter how you handle the candy overload that Halloween brings to your door, it is good to know the facts.   This Halloween, keep these nutritional values in mind:

Fun size Kit Kat (2 small bars)                 

• 104 calories                         5 grams sugar                    3 grams fat

Fun size Snicker                                            

•   71 calories                           8 grams sugar                    4 grams fat

Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup (1 cup)         

• 88 calories                           8 grams sugar                    5 grams fat         

Fun size Skittles                                             

•   81 calories                           15 grams sugar                  1 gram fat

Starburst (2)                                                     

• 40 calories                           6 grams sugar                    0 grams fat

M&M’s

•  103 calories                         13 grams sugar                  4 grams fat

Milky Way                                                          

• 77 calories                           10 grams sugar                  3 grams fat

Tootsie Roll                                                       

•   25 calories                           4 grams sugar                    0 grams fat

Looking for healthy alternatives to the Halloween candy binge?

• Trade out your children’s candy for a toy or money.
• Handout Halloween stickers, pencils, yo-yos, spider rings, crayons, or other small toys.
• Substitute candy for pretzels, popcorn, granola bars, or fruit snacks.
• Pick out a few favorite pieces and then freeze the rest, it will last for months.

Have a safe and happy Halloween from our Skinny Gene family to yours.  Oh one last thing… when the costumes are replaced with jammies and the make-up is washed off, don’t forget to brush those teeth!

By Emily Barr, MS, RD, CNSC

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