What to Eat on Halloween | Trick-or-Treating Tips for Parents

Posted on September 23, 2024 in Kid's Health

*Updated October 2024 

For many, Halloween is the highlight of the year—a day filled with festive, sometimes frightful costumes, spine-chilling horror movies, and an abundance of sugary treats. But for parents, the thrill of trick-or-treating also comes with its challenges.

Balancing the day’s fun with your child’s health and safety can be tricky. If you're looking for ways to protect their health while still making the holiday a blast, we've got you covered.

Eat before trick-or-treating to keep everyone full

Eat before you treat! This tip applies to both kids and adults, especially those with a sweet tooth.

Before heading out for trick-or-treating, enjoy a solid meal full of nutritious options. Eating will help curb the urge to snack on candy and stimulate saliva production, which aids in cavity prevention.

Lay the ground rules before trick-or-treating

It’s tempting to indulge in a few sweet treats while going door-to-door on Halloween night. To protect your child’s teeth, set clear ground rules on how many candies they can enjoy during the neighborhood rounds.

Establishing a limit beforehand and saving the treats until you’re back home will help avoid going overboard in the night’s excitement. If your child does snack on candy while trick-or-treating, steer them away from sticky treats that cling to teeth or hard candies that take time to dissolve. Any prolonged exposure to sugar can lead to cavities.

Stick to water while trick-or-treating

Since Halloween is already filled with sugary treats, consider skipping sodas, sports drinks, and juices. Adding more sugar to the mix only increases the risk of tooth decay, so keep it simple and stick to water to help protect your child's smile.

Brush and floss after trick-or-treating

Once your trick-or-treaters are in for the night, make sure they take the time to brush and floss their teeth. After a long night, it can be easy to make an excuse to skip this important bedtime step. However, failing to do so can expose your children’s teeth to sugar overnight. 

Hand out tooth-friendly items 

Let’s be honest—no child is thrilled to be handed an apple while trick-or-treating. However, offering healthier alternatives can help to prevent cavities and harmful bacteria.

If fruit isn’t your go-to, consider handing out a food-free option like bouncy balls, stickers, temporary tattoos, vampire teeth, or rubber bracelets.

Have fun trick-or-treating

With a little planning and these simple strategies, you can make Halloween fun and healthy for your child. Set boundaries around candy consumption, encourage water over sugary drinks, and ensure proper oral hygiene after the festivities to protect your kids’ teeth while still letting them enjoy the holiday spirit.

Remember, Halloween is about creating joyful memories, and with these tips, you can ensure those memories are as sweet as the treats—without the toothaches!