halloween-08-related stories
Halloween hoarding - do you pinch your kids' candy?
As a parent, it's your duty to make sure the candy your child picked up from the neighbours is safe for consumption. But all that candy can be mighty tempting, and I'm willing to bet that a few of you have a tendency to label some of the candy 'unsafe' -- and promptly stash it in your super-secret parental hiding spot so you can enjoy after the kiddies have gone to bed. Last week, I asked if you did this -- let's see what you had to say?
The best Halloween advice came from reader Tim. He says, "We dump everything into one large bowl and each person in the house can take one piece a day unless they exercise with me, then they can have two a day. I always have more company in November." Great suggestion!
- 48% of you said yes, with 17% saying you only pinched a couple of pieces, while 12% say they can't help gorging.
- 6% of you don't pinch any candy. Wow -- that's willpower.
- 10% of you don't like candy.
- 33% of you don't have kids so you have no candy to pinch.
The best Halloween advice came from reader Tim. He says, "We dump everything into one large bowl and each person in the house can take one piece a day unless they exercise with me, then they can have two a day. I always have more company in November." Great suggestion!
Halloween - a time for healthy habits? Or letting loose?

Halloween is a frightening time of year -- and I'm not just talking ghouls, ghosts and goblins here. No, even more frightening is the thousands of potential empty calories lurking inside tiny, irresistible, snack-sized candy wrappers scattered throughout your house. Oh, the horrors!
For obvious reasons, Halloween is not the optimal time to be dieting but if you stick to your guns, you can have a healthy Halloween. So last week, I asked you if you were going to try to have a healthy Halloween, and here's what you had to say:- 43% of you said no way -- it's only once a year, so why bother?
- 21% of you are avoiding all candy -- good for you!
- 16% of you are boycotting the whole thing. Fair enough.
- 7% of you are rationing candy to your kids.
- 5% of you planned on giving out healthy treats instead of the usual sugar-filled junk.
Daily Fit Tip - Forgive Halloween indiscretions
Halloween candy is hard to resist, so don't beat yourself up if you had a few ... or a few too many.
Halloween is over - how to survive candy fallout
Healthy Kids, Nutrition & Supplements
After the Halloween bomb detonates, it's the candy fallout that kills your nutritional goals. Unless you consider these ideas from SimpleMom. The Payoff: Pay your kids a quarter for every five pieces they relinquish, then go toy shopping. This idea doesn't sit right with me. I wouldn't want my kids to associate neighborhood trick-or-treating and treat moderation with cash payouts.
The Gorge: Let 'em eat all they want on Halloween, after that one piece a day. This was my mom's philosophy, except for the one piece a day part. No kidding, we took our plastic pumpkins to bed with us -- yuck.
Crafty: Save small pieces to decorate the ginger bread house. Cute.
Philanthropy: Donate the candy to a children's shelter. Nice.
Homemade Blizzard Night: Save it for a cool ice cream blizzard later. But this won't put a dent in a serious pile of candy, make that a neighborhood block party Blizzard Night instead.
Dentist Buy-Back: 150 dentists nationwide are buying kids' candy back for $1/pound. Dr. Pain then ships it to soldiers in Iraq. Best idea yet, especially if you donate the money back to cover shipping.
Typically I secretly raid my kids' haul, and my husband takes it to work to feed the co-worker candy jar vultures. But this becomes less of an option as kids get older and start counting their loot. How do you find shelter from candy fallout?
Your Turn: Trick or treat?
Here at That's Fit, we're constantly telling you what we think about things, but sometimes it's nice to know what you think. So from time to time, we'll ask you a question. Don't be afraid to speak up -- we love feedback.It's that time of year again -- when tempting little tasty bits of candy dance around in front of you like a red flag in front of a bull. Yes, it's Halloween, and I'm willing to guess that it won't just be your kids who are suffering from sugar hangovers on November 1. You say you're rationing the treats so they don't eat them all at once, but who's keeping you from bingeing on all that chocolatey goodness? Maybe you are your own diet police, or maybe you let your stomach guide you. That's the question this week ...
Daily Fit Tip: Pick the candy of most resistance
Scared you'll binge on Halloween candy? Here's a little trick that can keep you from overdoing it.
How Many Calories ... in a few stolen sweets from your child's Halloween loot?
There was a time in my life when Halloween was my favourite day of the year -- besides my birthday, of course. It was the rare day my anti-sugar parents would permit me to gorge on sweets. Well, mostly. After returning from trick-or-treating, I was permitted 10 minutes to scarf down as much as I could before my folks hid my plastic trick-or-treating pumpkin -- then I was rationed two sweets a day with my lunch until the candy was gone (unless I found the secret hiding spot). Ahh, the good old days. These days, I have the opposite problem -- instead of wanting to be surrounded by candy, I'm trying to stay away from it. It's not that hard, considering I don't have kids yet and am therefore not tempted by what they bring home. But you parents out there might not be so lucky. A bite of this and a nibble of that can really add up. Don't believe me?
Daily Fit Tip: For once, leave it to the last minute
Got your Halloween candy already? If not, wait until the last minute.
Your Turn: Healthy Halloween?
Here at That's Fit, we're constantly telling you what we think about things, but sometimes it's nice to know what you think. So from time to time, we'll ask you a question. Don't be afraid to speak up -- we love feedback.Halloween is a notoriously unhealthy time of year -- not only for the kids but also for the parents who have a tendency to dip into the trick or treating goodies. Over the past little while, we've been giving you tips on how to have the healthiest Halloween possible, and we hope you're listening.
So we're asking ...
5 healthy harvest party treats
Diet & Weight Loss, Nutrition & Supplements
Instead of dressing up in costumes and bringing candy to school on Halloween, my son's teachers have opted for a harvest party instead. At first, I was wondering if he was going to be disappointed -- he's so thrilled about his "army guy" costume. But he's really excited about the party. So am I. I see it as an opportunity to send him to school with a healthier treat to pass instead of miniature candies. Some ideas:
- Fall Harvest Sandwiches. This recipe is from Kate Gosselin of Jon and Kate Plus 8. Cut the sandwiches into bite-sized treats with fall-shaped cookie cutters.
- Make a homemade harvest trail mix with almonds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, dried cranberries, dried apples, and candy corn.
- Modify the standard Rice Krispie treat and use whole-grain cereal (like Cheerios) instead. (This still isn't very healthy ... but at least it's an improvement.)
- Ants on a log or apple ladybugs are a fun and healthy snack.
- Make these healthy pumpkin muffins in a mini-muffin tray so they're bite-sized.
A trick to get a fitness treat this Halloween
My son has been vacillating back and forth between a few Halloween costume ideas. He's not sure if he should be an army guy, a rapper, or the Dark Knight. Can you tell he's 11-years-old? He's way past the cute costume stage. Not only is he past the cute costume stage, he's way past the walk-with-your-mom on Halloween stage. For safety's sake, however, I still go trick or treating with him. I just make sure to give him his space. That way, we're both happy.If your kids are a little older, like my son, you can get your own treat while you're walking with them this Halloween. While you're out, try to get as many steps in as you can. When your children run up to the next house, pace in front of the house while keeping your kids in your line of sight. That way, you'll keep moving the whole time. And what better treat is there than squeezing in a little extra fitness time while having some family fun? (Well ... peanut butter cups would run a close second.)
To track your progress, you can wear a pedometer. Check out the gallery for some of About.com's top pedometer picks.
Get a tight end in time for Halloween
It's that time of year ... Monday night football, parties for cheering on your favorite teams, tailgating, and Friday night football games at the local high school. Instead of letting football inspire you to eat more nachos and drink more beer, let it inspire you to get a tight end.
Katrina and Sarah from Diet.com share some football-inspired exercise tips to help you get your own tight end just in time for Halloween. After all, you want to look good in your Halloween costume, don't you?
The exercises can all be done in the convenience of your own living room. So clear some space and get moving. (The cute football costumes and black smudges under the eyes are optional.) Want some more tight end tips? Check out AOL Health.
How about these healthy tricks and treats?
Healthy Kids, Nutrition & Supplements
Halloween is always full of thrills and surprises, but that fun shouldn't include health risks. Here are some tips, adapted from the Sierra Club website, for having a happy and healthy October 31st.Healthy Treats. It's OK to be the person on the block who hands out fruits, organic chocolate, or other healthier options. Nontoxic crayons, coloring books, stickers, and even pocket change can also be great alternatives to sugar- and fat-laden candy.
Eco-Friendly Costumes. Avoid costume jewelry, especially glossy, fake painted pearls and toys from vending machines, which may contain lead. To be sure, use a lead check kit, available at LeadCheck.com. Also, whether going glam or ghoul, use natural makeup to avoid chemical exposure.
Try some pumpkin in a pint
Jacki recently told us why we should all be picking pumpkin. They're rich in beta-carotene and many other vitamins and minerals. They're also a great source of fiber. The seeds, a tasty snack, are rich in manganese and magnesium.But Great Lakes Brewery has come out with a new way to enjoy the seasonal treat -- pumpkin-flavored beer. Beer connoisseurs report that you can taste the nutmeg, cinnamon, and cloves that are in the brew along with the pureed pumpkin.
Flavored beer isn't the healthiest way to enjoy pumpkin (though it would be a tasty treat at an Oktoberfest celebration). But there are plenty of healthy pumpkin recipes to try.
Get ready for your dare-to-wear Halloween costume
Since becoming a mom, October 31st revolves around my son. But I fondly remember all the Halloweens in my college and post-college years -- times when the celebration was decidedly not for children. If you've got a rip-roaring party to attend this year, it's time to start thinking about your costume. If you look at the Halloween stores, some of the costumes don't offer much more coverage than a swimsuit. So, while you're thinking about your upcoming disguise, start thinking about exercises to help get you in dare-to-wear costume shape. AOL Health has some great exercises for any problem area.

























