Fall has arrived, and with it colorful leaves, fresh apples, pumpkin spice, and of course Halloween and the temptation of endless “fun sized” candy and sweets!
In my latest article in Health and Wellness Magazine I discuss how to enjoy the magic that is Halloween season without sacrificing the healthy habits you’ve hard to keep up all year.
My top tips? Focus on:
- Non-Food Items
Don’t underestimate how fun non-food treats are on Halloween. Think about fidget spinners, bouncy balls, bubbles, friendship bracelets, crayons or colored pencils/pens, balloons, water bottles, etc.
- Healthier (but fun) Alternatives
No need to banish all the candy that defines Halloween, but there are plenty of fun Fall-themed treats that can become part of your tradition. Toasting pumpkin seeds, decorating and eating clementines/tangerines, baking whole grain pumpkin bread and pancakes, making popcorn balls, and munching on pretzels, and graham crackers are just a few ideas.
- The Power of Movement
The beautiful Fall weather is the perfect setting to spend more time outdoors. Start some active Halloween traditions like heading to a corn maze, going on a hike at the local nature conservation, raking leaves, spending time at the farmer’s market, and going apple and peach picking.
- Setting Limits
Some families find that limiting the time Halloween candy stays in the house (pre and post-holiday) is a great strategy to control sweet consumption, for kids and grown-ups alike. Limiting the amount of candy and donating the extra to organizations like Operation Shoebox or “buy-back” programs at dental offices and local businesses can also make setting limits a whole lot easier.
Water: Drink to Your Health!
This week brings us both National Public Health Week and World Health Day. In honor of this week focused on health, let's talk about water: an essential nutrient which too many of us often do [...]
Debunking the “High Cost of Healthy” Myth with Monique Richard, MS, RDN
Healthy Food: More bang for your buck! Today I'm devoting some time to do a bit of myth busting about the cost of healthy eating. You've probably frequently heard that eating well is [...]
Keeping Up with Your Commitments: Maintaining your Healthy Habits with Monique Richard, MS, RDN
It is almost March of 2016, and you may be noticing that those healthy habits and lifestyle changes you resolved to make for the New Year (like eating more plants!) may quickly be falling by [...]
National Eating Disorders Awareness Week with Monique Richard, MS, RDN
Tomorrow marks the start of National Eating Disorders Awareness Week. In honor of this, I'd like to take a moment to highlight the work of the Tri-Cities’ first and only Eating Disorder Resource Center, A [...]
A Closer Look at the 2015 Dietary Guidelines with Monique Richard, RDN
Have you been keeping up with all the buzz about the newly released 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans? (Click image to enlarge) The Dietary Guidelines for Americans (8th edition) are developed every five [...]
Kickstart Your Health for the New Year
This year we have heard a lot of news about the downsides of eating meat, and the health benefits of moving towards a plant-based diet. In October, the World Health Organization (WHO) published a report [...]
Post a comment:
Related Articles
Energy and Excercise, Food and Nutrition
