Halloween Loot: One Dietitian's Perspective

Now that the Trick-or-Treating is over, the real temptation begins (both for you and your kids)! Do you eat eat eat it all up tonight? Do you hoard it for the next month or so? Or do you (*gulp*) throw it away?

To be honest, I can only tell you what I would have done in this case since my son is too little to have accumulated anything significant this year. Our Halloween booty consists of a fun-size kit-kat and a jolly rancher. And yes, it's gone. Mommy ate it. What? He's only 1.

Handling leftover Halloween candy is (in my opinion) a matter of knowing yourself and your child. Are you or your child the type that has to have it all or nothing? Then enjoy a bit on Halloween and throw the rest away. Are you or your child able to have just one piece? Then have one piece and put the rest away.

Eating a healthy diet isn't just about fruits and vegetables, it's about understanding yourself and the art of knowing how to enjoy less healthy foods in moderation.

In other words, if the majority of your diet is balanced and nutritious and you have an occasional treat, don't sweat it. Enjoy it, savor it, and move on. Teaching your kids how to enjoy an occasional treat without overindulging will likely help them become healthier eaters in the long run.