A Mindful Approach To Halloween

Halloween is an exciting time of year for children. It's a time to dress up in costumes and trick-or-treat with friends, enjoy frightening games and movies, and be scared senseless by the ghost stories told around the fire. But it can also be a scary time for adults too! 

Many parents become overwhelmed about how to manage all of the candy their children bring home, but no need to fear, you might be surprised that Halloween treats are not spooky after all. 

What is usually your response when your children ask for their Halloween candy after they’re done trick-or-treating? 

“Only one piece.”

“Eat all you want tonight, because tomorrow it’s GONE.”

“Don’t have a lot… candy is bad for you.”

Although you might be in the habit of restricting and micromanaging your kid’s candy stash (with the best intentions), this approach usually backfires in the long-run. Sure, it might mean that your children consume less sweets on Halloween, but that doesn't teach them how to listen to their body in the long-term. 

This year, I'd like us to consider a different strategy built on the foundation of intuitive eating (also known as "mindful eating"). After all, as parents, don't we wish for our kids to become "normal" eaters who feel in control of their food rather than having food control them?

Here are 3 evidenced-based tips to help your ghouls enjoy Halloween, eat mindfully, and also reinforce a healthy message around Halloween to your children: 

1. Treat Candy Like Any Other Food. Allow children to have candy alongside their regular balanced meals. When kids see candy alongside other foods they’re used to eating, it creates an emotionally equal playing field for them… in other words, it takes candy off of a pedestal. Remember, anything that feels forbidden instantly becomes more desirable. So if you tell your child, “you can only have one piece of candy” or “you can only have candy when you finish your vegetables”, this makes them feel that this food is a “special food” which causes them to obsess over it. 
2. Use the Division of Responsibility. The Division of Responsibility in feeding model, was developed more than 30 years ago by Ellyn Satter, a dietitian and family therapist. It is a term coined by feeding expert Ellyn Satter. It acknowledges what both child and parent are responsible for when it comes to mealtimes. It states that the parent is responsible for what to eat, when to eat, and where to eat. While the child is responsible for how much and whether to eat or not. While this theory sounds simple enough, it can be tough to put into practice. You can start by trying this theory on (and after) Halloween. You can use this model as an opportunity to learn! You can read more about it here!
3. Have Your Children Get Curious. Many parents fear that their children will eat too much candy, but this is a great time for them to learn about their hunger and fullness cues! If they feel sick after indulging, talk to them about it from a place of curiosity instead of judgment. For example you could say, “I am sorry that your tummy hurts. Why do you think that happened? Is there anything you could do differently next time so you don’t get another tummy ache?”

With a little practice and trust, your children can learn how to become intuitive eaters and make food choices that not only taste good, but feel good as well. Try out the tricks above and hopefully you’ll discover that treats aren’t so scary after all. Happy Halloween!