When you think of Halloween, trick-or-treating is often the first thought that comes to mind. With trick-or-treating comes candy, and the temptation to gobble it all down along with it. Avoiding the temptation can be tough, but so is working off the calories from those fun-sized candies.
That’s why we’re happy to share some tips that’ll make this Halloween season a little less horrifying for your waistline!
Before Halloween
First up, there are a few things you can do in preparation for trick-or-treating that’ll set you on the right path.
Don’t Buy Candy Until Trick-or-Treat Night
Most people will buy candy in the days leading up to Halloween. This makes sense since four days before Halloween is the cheapest pre-Halloween day to buy candy. Resist the temptation to buy candy early, though! Wait until as close to trick-or-treat night as possible. This limits the amount of time that candy spends in your home, reducing the risk of splurging.
And don’t worry about the savings. Traditionally, the best day to buy Halloween candy isn’t before the holiday, but after.
Buy Candy You Don’t Like
Whether you’re stocking up the day of or several days before trick-or-treat night, there’s one thing you can do that’ll cut down on the lure of snacking. Pick up a candy that you don’t particularly like. Now, that’s not an excuse to hand out toothbrushes or pennies. Nobody likes that house.
No, instead, try handing out Snickers if you’re not fond of peanuts or Mounds bars if you don’t like coconut. Using your own personal taste is a smart way to prevent unnecessary snacking.
On Trick-or-Treat Night
Trick-or-treat night can offer its own snacking risks. As you take the kids or grandkids from house to house, you may grab a piece of candy or two. After all, you can burn a good amount of calories while trick-or-treating. Even a few fun-sized bars can completely derail all the good work you put in. So, how can you prevent this?
Keep Yourself Feeling Full
Make sure you don’t skip dinner before heading out. Eating a complete, hearty meal will keep you full throughout the evening, cutting your candy cravings. The healthier the meal you make, the better, but as long as it’s filling, you’ll be better off.
Another strategy to stop yourself from snacking on sweets is to bring a bottle of water. Sipping throughout the evening will keep you feeling full without adding calories.
Afterward
Candy is even more difficult to avoid in the days following Halloween. Not only do you have leftover candy from trick-or-treating, stores will be having sales! How can you stop yourself from overeating all the remaining candy?
Remove Leftover Candy
One of the easiest ways to avoid candy is to just get rid of it. There are plenty of ways you can relieve yourself of unwanted candy. Besides throwing the candy away, you can also give it to the Halloween Candy Buy Back program, which partners with Operation Shoebox to send candy to soldiers abroad.
When the candy isn’t yours, but your kids’ or grandkids’, you can invite the Switch Witch to stay. The Switch Witch is like Christmas’s Elf on the Shelf. You bring your witch or goblin into the house. Over the course of the month, the witch and goblin may “hide,” playing tricks on the family.
Then, once trick-or-treating is over, kids will give their candy to the guest. In the morning, to thank the kids for their candy, the Switch Witch or Sugar Goblin will have left a gift for the child. This is a fun way to convince the kids to trade their candy, ridding the house of a sugary temptation!
Hide and Manage Your Candy
If you don’t want to get rid of the candy, you’ll want to get it out of sight. Studies have shown that you’re much more likely to snack if the treats are readily available.
Dr. Brian Wansink, the author of those studies, also found that you are less likely to snack if the candy is out of sight. By putting the candy in the cupboard or closet, you’re creating a barrier that can stop you from overeating.
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Halloween is a celebration of what scares and delights us. If you’re watching what you eat, candy can do both. With the overabundance of sweets, it’s very easy to indulge too much. By following these tips, you can save your diet, at least until Thanksgiving and Christmas roll around! Happy Halloween!
