“Healthy Halloween alternatives” seems like an oxymoron given that Halloween is the greatest yearly candy night for children of all ages. No child wants to be different than any other child. So, the question is “how do we make Halloween healthy or at least at best, less toxic, and not have our children look at us and say, ‘seriously mom?'”

Health-conscious parents have some concerns about the amount of sugar being consumed in one night of the year that can extend over a few weeks or maybe more depending how long the candy lasts. Do we keep our kids home Halloween night, or do we justify one night of excessive sugar because it is Halloween? Another concern is also about the amount of trans fats, artificial food dyes, artificial flavorings and whatever other chemicals are found in candy. What is this doing to our children, and what do we do about it?

Sugar and the American Diet

Historically, the increase of sugar in the American diet began after World War II with the surge of packaged foods flooding the American market. This transition eventually skyrocketed to unhealthy eating, fast foods, a carbohydrate-heavy diet, and the beginning of chemicals, dyes and other toxic artificial ingredients being added to our foods.

Sugar is probably the most pervasive ingredient in the American diet. In fact, the classic book Sugar Blues by William Duffy exposes how sugar is the greatest medical killer. Sugar is an inflammatory food that leads to compulsive overeating and obesity, which is a problem for many American children. Sugar also has many other deleterious effects on the body, brain and especially a child’s behavior. In fact, many chronic health conditions have their early beginnings associated with the inflammatory effects of sugar.

The Negative Effects of Unstable Blood Sugar Levels

Sugar is a simple carbohydrate that is high in calories but very low in nutritional value. It has many negative effects on the body because it causes an inflammatory response. One of the most common effects is the hypoglycemic effect which can occur within a couple of hours after eating sugar-laden foods and high-carbohydrate foods without enough fat, fiber and protein to balance out the effect.

Sugar causes blood sugar to rise quickly, giving an immediate effect of instant energy. However, this energy is a false energy and does not last very long. When a person’s energy drops, they usually experience fatigue and sluggishness, craving more sugar to get that instant high and false feeling of energy only to then drop again in a continued vicious cycle. What unfortunately happens is that people feed sugar cravings with more sugar, which of course, leads to continuing the vicious cycle of feeding constant sugar cravings with sugar and the up and down volatile energy spurts and mood swings that develop. This is the effect of simple carbohydrates (sugar) and what it does to our bodies.

Another important negative effect from sugar is the rising numbers of childhood obesity. The childhood obesity rate is around 17% in the United States, which is quite high compared to other countries.

How to Stabilize Blood Sugar

One way of stabilizing unstable blood sugar levels and controlling the hypoglycemic effect from sugar cravings is to eat protein, fat and fiber when you have a sugar craving instead of eating more sugar. Fat does not affect blood sugar but can keep a lid on insulin, and very little protein gets converted into sugar.

Complex carbohydrates do not break down as quickly as simple carbohydrates do and typically also contain fiber. These carbohydrates are slower to burn and do not create that effect on instant energy which drops out quickly. They release their energy slowly and so can sustain a person’s energy much longer. The combination of fat, fiber and protein in every meal and snack can stop sugar cravings and lessen the compulsive, moody and hyperactive behaviors in children.

The Negative Effects of Artificial Colors and Flavorings

Artificial Colors

Parents are always the frontrunners in protecting their children. One couple, Brandon and Whitney Cawood, found their son’s impulsivity and aggressive behavior led to his being kicked out of a Mother’s Morning Out program at the local church for toddlers. The mother researched foods that cause behavioral problems, and she subsequently removed wheat, dairy and artificial colors. After 30 days, she reintroduced the wheat and dairy with no effects, but when she reintroduced the dyes, the old behaviors returned with a vengeance. She discovered for herself that artificial colors can negatively affect children’s behavior.

Whitney Cawood researched the risks associated with the use of artificial colors. She was shocked to learn that dyes are on the permanently approved list for foods in the United States. The FDA said they would eventually get around to removing it. That was decades ago. Europe requires warning labels for dyes in food; the United States does not. The Cawoods created a documentary film called To Dye For about the potential effects of synthetic dyes and the need for advocacy to effectuate policy change.

Artificial Flavors

Most artificial and even natural flavors contain high amounts of free glutamate, which can cause brain inflammation and immunotoxicity. This excitatory neurotransmitter can contribute to symptoms of autism, ADHD, anxiety and other neurological disorders. Be sure to avoid artificial and natural flavors in store-bought foods, as well as foods and ingredients listed in the Avoid High Free-Glutamate Foods section of this page if your child has a chronic health condition.

Moderation and Balance

So the question is, what can we do to have a healthy Halloween and help keep candy consumption under control? Halloween can be a challenge for health-conscious parents but, with some planning, it can be a great opportunity to teach kids about healthy choices and the importance of moderation and balance, which are two key important factors to healthy behavior. Some ideas for moderating the effects of Halloween candy are:

• Host your own Halloween party, where you can provide healthier options. Ask other parents to do the same. This is especially true if your child has food allergies or sensitivities.
• Hand out small toys or costume pieces such as vampire teeth or witch hats instead of candy. (See Halloween Non-Food Items, below).
• Feed your kids a meal full of fat, fiber and protein before festivities begin.
• Offer to exchange Halloween candy for a non-candy treat. This idea is known as the Switch Witch.
• Focus on healthy Halloween alternatives (see below).

Healthy Halloween Alternative Food Choices

What are some healthy food choices? Your kids do not have to feel left out by not eating the regular sugar-laden, all-dye candy. There are alternative food choices for a healthy Halloween. Here are some treats that are easy to find that kids may love just the same:

• Low-sugar, dark-chocolate peanut butter cups
• Low-sugar, dark-chocolate bites
• Grain-free crackers and chips
• Almond or sunflower cups (like peanut butter cups)
• Low-sugar, organic chewy fruit and hard candy
• Low-sugar, organic lollipops
• Low-sugar, organic gummy bears
• Mini water bottles
• Snack-size pretzel and cracker packages
• Oranges decorated like pumpkin faces (with nontoxic ink)

Check the Resources section below for ideas on healthy Halloweeen alternatives as well as for creative ideas for Halloween parties.

Halloween Non-Food Items

Halloween is also about fun. Below are some ideas for Halloween non-food items that all kids can enjoy, especially kids with food allergies and food sensitivities. These items can be stocked up year-round for the big day ahead of time. Hand out fun, small toys such as:

• Halloween toys
• Halloween decorations
• Halloween jewelry
• Key chains

Healthy Halloween Recipes

Making your own homemade treats is a way to ensure that allergenic and other unhealthful ingredients don’t sneak in. Pumpkin can be made in a variety of ways that can be fun and exciting to eat for all children. However, don’t sweat it if you are looking to buy store-bought candy and not make your own because there are now plenty of companies that make allergen-free, low-sugar, artificial-color-free candies. See the Resources section below for recipe and product ideas.

Conclusion

The Feingold diet, the Paleo diet and the elimination diet can help address the issue of artificial colors, artificial flavors, chemicals and salicylate compounds in our foods and products. Buy organic if possible. Choose real foods in their whole form. Make sure your personal care products are safe.

Halloween is for kids. It’s our job as adults to make it safe and healthy for them, and there is no reason why this can’t be achieved. Halloween shouldn’t be about candy. It should be about your child dressing up, the imagination about who they are for the night, the fun in going door to door, the scary decorations from house to house, and the night we get to believe in the ghosts and goblins.

About Teresa Badillo

She won a court case in 1995 against the Rockland County School District in New York to enable ARC Prime Time for Kids to be the first school using Applied Behavioral Analysis teaching method for autism that was paid for by the Rockland County School District. The following year she was instrumental in getting the New York Minister of Education to approve an extension of the ARC license from 5 to 21 years.

She has worked over the years in a number of alternative medical practices with doctors and practitioners organizing various biomedical intervention options for children with autism. Since the mid 1990s, Teresa has served on several boards:

• Foundation for Children with Developmental Disabilities
• The Autoimmunity Project
• Developmental Delayed Resources
• Epidemic Answers

She continues to consult and advise parents on all different areas of autism especially nutritional protocols. Since 2006 she has worked with NutraOrgana, LLC and BioCellular Analysis Testing. She currently researches, writes the newsletter and blogs Teresa’s Corner for The Autism Exchange (AEX). She also writes blog posts and pages for Documenting Hope.

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