7 tricks to avoid the treats

If I were granted one wish for Halloween, I'd wish all the candy would disappear on November 1. Halloween is my favorite holiday, but I hate the pile of candy that lingers past Thanksgiving. Those mini-candy bars whisper my name daily from their plastic pumpkin house.

So I headed over to see what the successful pound-droppage operation, Weight Watchers, had to say on the matter. In their Halloween Help Guide, WW members offer seven tricks to avoid the treats -- here are my favorites:

• Resist the sales: Don't toss those giant five-lb bags of candy in your cart during the pre-Halloween sales. You may save $2.00 buying in bulk, but you're still walking out of the store with 10 lbs of sugar and a likely pile of leftovers. Spend more and you'll gain less.
  
• Buy candy you don't like: Circus peanuts make me gag, how about you?
  
• Buy late, open later: Even though offerings are slim, you'll stay thinner if you shop for candy a few days before Halloween, then refrain from opening 'til the doorbell chimes.
• Walk with a hot drink and a full belly: Trick-or-treat with your kids on a full stomach and bring along a mug of hot tea or coffee. You're less likely to skim off the top or yell "Trick or treat!" yourself.