Discussion Board

Our kids went trick or treating yesterday, and we let them eat whatever candy they wanted. Today I am taking the rest to a friend.

Do you not let your kids eat the candy? Do you just not do Halloween? We watched the JN DVD last night on fat, so I think that got the boys thinking about the fat in the candy. Ds12 came to me and asked about the type of fat in one of the candy bars, so I know the DVD had an impact.

Just curious as to anyone's thoughts on how to handle this holiday . . .

No kids young enough to T-or-T. I "handle" Halloween by shutting off the lights and playing dead. Before I started McDougalling, I used to hand out string cheese in lieu of candy. Nowadays there really isn't much available that I would feel good about handing out, so I skip it.

I do what blondie used to. They forget about it pretty quickly, and then I take it to work. Honestly, I tried to not buy "junk" at all, and it backfired on me. I'd see my kids bingeing on crap whenever we were at someone else's house. They are healthy, active, and slender, and they know what foods are healthy and what aren't. They are also pretty intuitive eaters who will leave dessert behind if they're full.

I figure that once they start school and start going to friends' houses, you can only control so much of their diet. I give them the information, and hope that as they grow older, they'll make healthy choices when I'm not around.

Lol, Gweithgar, on shutting off the lights and playing dead!

I just didn't have it in my heart to not let them t or t and not have any candy. I loved t or t ing as a kid. And I loved eating all the candy! But I have spent over a thousand (!) dollars this fall on cavities in the boys, and so there were some limits yesterday.

I'm really hoping that as they learn about good nutrition from Jeff Novick and Dr. McD, they'll start policing themselves with candy. But the little ones (ds6 and ds3) are clearly a ways away from being able to do that.

Thanks again, ladies, for your replies.

I used to do the same as Blondie - LOL I remember one summer doing a deep cleaning of one of my kids room - and we found their stash of Halloween candy - LOL DD2 had forgotten about it a week or so after Halloween - and she was happy to throw out the stale candy.

I had fond memories of T&T as a child too - but I'm committed to this way of eating - so I handed out Halloween decorated pencils and stickers. I just can't bring myself to hand out candy.

I used this halloween to explain the idea of "feast day." I told the kids they could eat whatever they wanted and that feast days fit into our plan as long as they are only on holidays. I really want the kids to have a good attitude about eating this way and I think letting the "feast days" be a part of that helps.

Since I've raised my son on this way of eating, its all he's ever known. We've always made a costume for him and given out non-food treats to the trick-or-treaters. He chose to go trick or treating one year when he was around 8 or 9 just for the experience but we gave the candy away. He "trick or treats" by knocking on our bedroom doors, and we give him small gifts or compliant snacks, or very occasionally he'll get an enjoy life chocolate bar (vegan, gluten-free, soy-free!). He gets some good loot which keeps him happy!