Halloween is upon us, and with it, the tempting abundance of candy in all shapes, sizes and flavors. If you want to keep the same pant size, you might need to have a strategy or two in place to deal with the excess. Here are some of the ways a slew of registered dietitians tame the candy beast in their world:
“I pick out the ones I absolutely love and throw away the others. On Halloween, I’ll have a couple pieces and put the remaining candies in the freezer. That way, I don’t overdo it because I have to wait for it to thaw!” — Jamila Rene, MS, RDN, Tampa, Florida
“I avoid buying chocolate to hand out because I know I’ll be tempted to eat the leftover goodies. Instead, I get hard candies and suckers — treats that kids enjoy, but won’t tempt me.” — Gillean Barkyoumb, MS, RD, Gilbert, Arizona
“When the kids were small and wouldn’t be able to tell, I would take out a bunch of their candy and then use it for Christmas stocking stuffers (hey, don’t judge, I’m a sucker for saving money!). Now they’re old enough to tell that the pumpkin wrappers don’t really fit with the Christmas motif!” — Jen Brewer, RD, Rochester, Minnesota
“I put the candy into brown bags [lunch sacks] in the pantry (not easily visible — to keep my hands out of it, too!). I try not to emphasize it at all — it’s candy, we have it and it will be eaten occasionally.” — Kim Beavers, MS, RDN, North Augusta, South Carolina
“At my house, the ‘out of sight, out of mind’ strategy works really well — for my kids, at least! Not so well for me.” — Melissa Joy Dobbins, MS, RDN, CDE, Chicago, Illinois
“I take out any candy I might be able to use in holiday baking and put it in the freezer. That way, it’s out of sight and can be used for tasty baked goods during the holidays.” — Kayle Skorpuski, MS, RDN, Tucson, Arizona
“I find that by enjoying a high-quality treat mindfully (without distractions, taking the time to really savor it), I’m satisfied with smaller portions.” — Jessica Serdikoff, RDN, CPT, Bloomfield, New Jersey
“I make trail mix! Combine leftover candy, whole-grain cereal, nuts and dried fruit to make a sweet treat trail mix that contributes protein and fiber.” — Jessica Cox, RD, Birmingham, Alabama
“I like to use extra candy by making arts and crafts with them. You can take the hard candies like sweeties and sweet tarts and make a funky, colorful picture frame. You can also use different colored candies and pieces to make a mosaic-like puzzle or picture with your kids.” — Lauren Maddahi, MS, RDN, Los Angeles, California
“I leave the wrappers out on the counter after I eat a candy bar or tootsie roll. My eyes are better than my stomach at telling me how much I ate!” — Chere Bork, MS, RDN, Minneapolis, Minnesota
“I ignore all the special deals and bargain prices before, during and after Halloween. I love deals, and it’s way too tempting when I see the ‘Buy One, Get One Free’ sales — you end up with loads of candy you just don’t need. It always seems like a ‘good deal’ upfront, but definitely not in the long run.” — Lea Crosetti Andes, RD, CSSD, Santa Monica, California
“I save it for long runs! The sugary stuff tastes better than some gels. Many runners like candy corn and red licorice over the commercial products that are just sugar by another name. My cast-iron stomach and I happen to love the mini-Milky Ways and Whoppers! ” — Nancy Clark, MS, RD, Boston, Massachusetts
“I get a treat each day — I love it! Mindful eating comes into play for me, and I’m even more diligent about slowing down and enjoying that treat.” — Joanie Rogucki, RDN, Tucson, Arizona
“I buy minis and fun-size candies only. With anything that’s leftover, I simply put it in an opaque container out of sight in my pantry. I then allow myself to enjoy a couple pieces of candy every weekend or after my really hard workouts, as a treat. If I keep candy front-and-center in my kitchen, I have a hard time controlling how much I eat. But by keeping it out of sight, it’s really out of mind.” — Julie Upton, MS, RD, San Francisco, California
“We collect all the candy, and I allow the kids to pick a few of their favorites. Then, we take whatever candy is left and weigh it on a scale. I give them a dollar a pound. The rest of the candy goes to an old age home, and they use it for their weekly parties.” — Diane Terzi, MS, RD, Brooklyn, New York
“My dentist has a promotion running that allows children to bring in leftover candy in exchange for money — $1 for every pound. The candy is then shipped to troops overseas.” — Heather Goesch, MPH, RDN, Holly Ridge, North Carolina
“I eat a couple pieces of hard candy and dark chocolate every day. Thus, I treat myself every day and Halloween is no threat to me. To others, however, caveat emptor!” — Marsha Stieber, MSA, RD, Phoenix, Arizona
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How Dietitians Handle Halloween Candy Overload originally appeared on usnews.com
