7 Ways to Have a Healthy…But Still Happy Halloween!

Are you loving the warm colors but cool weather of October? I enjoy October for several reasons…lots of fun trade shows to attend, collecting leaves with the kids, my older daughter’s birthday…and Halloween. Yes…I still love Halloween even though I don’t advocate a sugar-filled extravaganza. I’m all about having a healthier Halloween that you and the kids will love.

I know Halloween is just one day, but many families choose to celebrate it all month long by decorating with jack-o-lanterns, spiderwebs, and skeletons, having parties, and telling stories. That’s why I decided to share my two cents on how to enjoy Halloween festivities in a healthy but still FUN way–and I’m not just referring to cutting down on sweets!

5 Tips for a Healthy and Happy Halloween

1. Buy candy that you don’t like. This eliminates the possibility of eating the leftovers after the parties are done and trick-or-treaters have passed.

2. Don’t go to a Halloween party on an empty stomach. This applies to kids and adults–if you know your kids are going to have a party at school with candy and other sugary treats, send them to school with a fully tummy of a healthy breakfast. Some ideas are green or fresh fruit smoothies, brown rice cereal or rolled oats with fresh fruit, or farm fresh eggs from pasture-raised chickens. If it’s an after school or after work party, fill up at home with a healthy snack or early dinner. You’ll be much less likely to want to scarf down the candy!

3. Plan traditional games for parties. Did you know that in the days of celebrating Halloween of yore, apples played a big part of the festivities? Try adding fun games like bobbing for apples or “apple on a string.” It’s fun for kids but even more fun watching adults join in…especially after enjoying some home-brewed hard spiced apple cider!

4. Choose wigs and natural/organic makeup for dressing up. Those multi-colored face paints and hair sprays are full of toxic chemicals like heavy metals, coal tar dyes, parabens, and noxious fumes that get absorbed into the skin and also into the body via inhalation. My kids wear wigs and we use my natural mineral makeup for all our dressing up needs. Check out my spooky Halloween makeup from a few years back.

5. Give out non-candy goodies like stickers, Halloween-colored Rainbow Loom bands, or Halloween-themed pencils and erasers to trick or treaters and for school parties. These will go over way better than handing out boxes of raisins or small change–trust me.

6. Make treats for parties from scratch. Try making pies from fresh, real seasonal ingredients like apples, pumpkins, hazelnuts, and pure maple syrup. Candy apples are as delicious dipped in pure honey or organic dark chocolate as they are dipped in caramel. Homemade applesauce, apple butter, spiced apple cider tea, or even apple wine are other delicious and somewhat healthier Halloween treats. You can also make smoothies or ice pops out of seasonal fruits like apples, pears, cranberries, and pomegranates to balance out your menu in a refreshing, colorful, and antioxidant-rich way.

7. Add extra fermented foods to your diet–this will add more good guys (probiotics) to your system to boost digestion, immunity, and your body’s ability to detox. I’m currently brewing an apple cider-flavored kombucha–my favorite way to take my probiotics 🙂