Help, I'm Eating the Halloween Candy!
After perfecting the costumes, enjoying the spooky parties, and trick-or-treating around the neighborhood half the night…what are you supposed to do with all this candy?
If you’re like me, there’s a bucket of candy on top of the fridge s t a r i n g a t y o u.
I don’t want to eat it, I don’t want my kids to eat it, but here I am unwrapping another Tootsie Roll. Now what?
Limit the Pile—and Toss the Rest
What’s your method for deciding how much candy the kids get? I have mine choose 10 pieces that they really want. Some families trade the whole pile out for a present. Some put a time limit on it—as much candy as they want for a day, then no more.
Whatever method you choose, carve that pile down to a reasonable amount for the kids, maybe choose some for yourself, then THROW THE REST AWAY. If you don’t want to eat it, make it easy on yourself!
I think one of the tricky things about candy around the holidays is my adult brain still tries to treat it with the reverence my kid brain gave it. It feels precious and special, even though I could buy it for a couple bucks any time I want because I’m a grownup. Take a minute to redefine it for yourself (and hopefully for your kids!)—candy is fun, but it’s not really valuable.
Fruit is your Friend!
With treats constantly around, my sweet tooth goes bananas. Being prepared with alternatives helps me stop snacking on the options my grown-up brain would prefer to avoid. Rely on fruit to satisfy your sweet-snack-itch. Fruit comes with fiber, a necessary part of our diet that also slows down absorption of sugar, and lots of water, which takes up space and trips the stomach’s fullness sensors. BONUS: Increase your sense of satisfaction by incorporating some fat into your treat. Nuts, nut butters, olives, butter, cream, avocado, and coconut milk all help you feel ‘done’.
Knock Out your Sweet Sensors
What if you just can’t leave the sweets alone, even though you want to? There is an incredible plant called Gymnema sylvestre whose magic trick is to block all your sweet taste receptors. If you swish a dropperful of Gymenema extract in your mouth, for about half an hour, all you’ll taste in chocolate are the bitter alklaoids and the most luscious orange will be unbearably tart.
As always, check in with a doctor before starting a new medicine (even plant medicine), especially if you take any meds.
At the end of the day, the holidays are just a season and it will be over before we know it. Try to find some balance with all the sweets, but don’t be too hard on yourself! And when you decide to eat that Tootsie Roll—please—enjoy the heck out of it.