Halloween is two weeks away, but grocery store aisles are already flowing with the smell of sugar.
In my experience, Halloween is a gateway to the rest of the holiday season. Once it passes, we start to plan our Thanksgiving feasts, which are soon followed by Christmas parties and treats galore.
Is there any way to survive Halloween without “tanking” before the real fun begins?
The candy bowl is the biggest Halloween culprit, so today I’m sharing practical tips to avoid it. Some of these tips will help you avoid candy altogether, but a couple will share how to enjoy a few treats without going overboard.
Here they are…
1. Give away something other than candy. I promise the kids in your neighborhood get plenty of the sweet stuff. Why not add something different to their treat bags? This post from 100 Days of Real Food has loads of great ideas, including play-dough, glow sticks, and healthy snacks like popcorn or natural fruit leather.
2. If you insist on giving out candy, don’t buy it until the day before Halloween at the earliest. Here’s a little secret: The more last-minute you buy your candy, the more likely it will be on sale! I think we can all cheer for less dollars and calories, right? 🙂
Another solution if you want to hand out candy…
3. Buy a type of candy you don’t like. You’re less likely to sneak it from the basket while handing it out.
4. After trick-or-treating is over, look for local dentists doing a candy swap program. A lot of dentists will take your candy in exchange for prizes–sometimes cold, hard cash!
Another post-Halloween idea…
5. Donate your candy to a good cause. Treats for Troops programs are offered in almost any area of the country. Or get creative and explore the local causes near you. The sooner you get it out of your house, the better.
Bottom line: Know what your personal goal is when it comes to the candy basket, and set your strategy accordingly. It is possible to make it through without touching a bite of candy. But if you’re not quite ready to go that extreme, be sneaky in how and when you stock it.
You can survive with your goals intact!
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ONE SIMPLE STEP: Decide now what your Halloween strategy will be. By thinking ahead of time, you’re more likely to follow through and stick with your goals.
ONE STEP FURTHER: Try at least one of the tips in today’s post. Better yet, choose one to do before Halloween and another to do after.
*bowl photo by Ivory Mix/CreativeMarket.com
