Halloween y’all!!!
It is comical that we started this program so close to Halloween, but you don’t have to let it ruin your progress! I encourage you to approach it as one day and nothing more!!!
We love Halloween at our house. Every year SM and I make some sort of yummy, sugary treat prior to trick or treating. We usually eat pizza for dinner because it is fast and will get us out of the door quickly (you could do a small salad and less slices like I do if that makes you feel better). Jess and I will usually make a drink and drink as we walk and enjoy the neighbors. This year we are attending a Halloween party with friends so we are sure to indulge a little more.
Are we all on a sugar high way past our bedtime on Halloween night? Absolutely. But it is one day of the year. One day that SM is beginning to remember and get SO EXCITED for. I cannot ruin that day for her… Plus, one day is not going to ruin everything! It is the days before and the lingering days after that cause such a hit to our waistline!
Here are some tips to surviving Halloween!
- Let yourself and your kids enjoy the day. Have some candy as you go house to house. Enjoy making fun, scary treats for snacks or school parties. Log it or don’t log it and just promise that you will start fresh tomorrow. I don’t care! You will never get these memories back with your kids. You do not want to think back to Halloween as the time you were “dieting” and made everyone eat kale salad and you didn’t enjoy any candy while your mouth watered the whole time.
- After trick or treating is over, encourage your kids to pour out their candy, enjoy a few pieces and then choose their top 20 treats to keep. It is such a fun time to see all of their goodies, and it also teaches our kiddos about limiting and sharing. Decide how these top 20 treats will be consumed- One per day in their lunch box or at snack time? Kept around as treats for special occasions? Your choice. But you and your kids need to decide ASAP so everyone knows the plan.
- After the kids go to bed, mom and dad can choose a few pieces for themselves as special treats, too!
- DO NOT KEEP THE REST OF THE CANDY AROUND!! If it is in the house, on your desk at work, or in your eye sight at all, you are more likely to eat it. The remainder of the candy can be given to a buy back program (check with your dentist), given to coworkers, or donated! This Is huge for me y’all! On November 2nd that extra candy has to be gone from my house!!!
- Don’t forget to provide your trick or treaters with non-candy treat options, as well! The Dollar Tree has a great selection! Also, if you do this you can put out a teal pumpkin to support the Teal Pumpkin Project for kids with food allergies.
My biggest tip here is out of sight, out of mind. Buy the candy as last minute as possible so it isn’t sitting on your counter for you to pass by grabbing a few pieces each day that aren’t worth it. Also, the longer you wait, the more chance you have of getting a sale. And then, once Halloween is over, GET RID OF IT. Even your kids’ top 20 treats that you kept should be put out of eye sight so that they don’t sit there as a constant reminder. I hide ours so well that oftentimes I find myself throwing most of it out when I randomly come across it in December. After a few days we tend to forget about it if we don’t see it, and this goes for our kiddos as well!
Enjoy this holiday with your family and remember, it is only ONE day!