While the scariest, spookiest, and sometimes the sweetest day of the year is almost here, parents can breathe a small sigh of relief that kids can still have healthy treats this Halloween. So parents – brace yourselves! The Great Sugar Rush is coming in every way, shape and form this Halloween. While you love watching your kids join the parade of ghouls, ghosts, and goblins, the candy crash that often follows the festivities can sour an otherwise fantastical & silly evening. Although candy may be the goal of every little sweet tooth fanatic, there are some fun & healthy ideas to manage your little witches and monsters’ annual sugar binge while still allowing them to make the most of their Halloween haul! With these tips, not only will you be ready to make great Halloween memories, you will still be able to encourage healthy eating habits that can be impactful.
A healthy start to the school day – Breakfast is the most important meal of the day and the best way to start a day filled with adventure. As the excitement winds up, make sure your kids are fueled for fun by preparing a healthy, Halloween-themed breakfast. Begin the celebrations early with a spooky twist on breakfast sandwiches that are sure to make your kids scream with excitement!
- Start by slicing a Pure Flavor® Sweet Bell Pepper into ½ inch rings, then slice Long English Cucumbers in to thin pieces
- Lay the Sweet Bell Pepper rings inside an olive oil coated frying pan, turned up to medium heat
- Crack a fresh Egg inside each ring
- When cooked to your liking, place each Egg on a toasted English Muffin topped with fresh Pure Flavor® Cucumber slices (or Red Beefsteak Tomatoes)
- To complete your ‘Scary Eyeball Sandwiches’, paint veins on the Egg whites with Ketchup!
Keep Your Little Monsters Fueled! Be sure to pack a healthy helping of veggie snacks, ranging from bite sized grape tomatoes to mini sweet peppers and even fresh cucumber slices and some fresh fruit. Eating a balanced diet is important every day of the year, but it’s particularly helpful on Halloween when you know that candy is on the horizon. An upset stomach and an even worse sugar crash can be expected when kids eat candy on an empty stomach. Snacking vegetables like sweet Pure Flavor® Juno Bites Red Grape Tomatoes & refreshing Poco Bites® Cocktail Cucumbers are tasty and healthy ready-to-go options.
Want to take your Halloween game up a notch? Surprise your kids at lunch by packing them cool Cucumber Mummies!! A crowd pleaser for sure, you not only get the appeal of a cool Halloween snack but a dose of healthy goodness in Cucumbers that are made up of 95% water which will help keep your little ones hydrated through the day and get them ready for the post-school activities with their friends. Here are the quick and easy steps to mummify your Cucumbers:
- Slice two (2) Pure Flavor Mini Cucumbers, in half, length wise
- Slice Cheddar Cheese into thin strips, then layer them, overlapping, on a top of the Mini Cucumber pieces
- To create eyes, you can use peppercorns, raisins, or even chocolate chips!
This quick & easy snack only takes a few minutes to prepare, they’re sure to make an impression in your child’s classroom.
Grab A Mini Cucumber & Get Snacking! Want to keep your kids hydrated on the big night as they go from house to house in your neighborhood? Have them snack on cucumbers while Trick-or-Treating!
When your kids are bouncing around from door to door, all while hauling their overflowing bag of treats, it’s easy for them to get exhausted & dehydrated. Short of carrying a reusable water bottle & sports drinks contain a lot of sugar, bring along some of those Cucumber Mummies you made earlier for everyone to snack on. Cucumbers have been shown to hydrate twice as effectively as a glass of water!
Be Scary but Snack Responsibly! Halloween is an opportunity for kids to express their independence; to dress up in character, be someone (or something!!) they are not, it’s also an occasion for lively, and spooky family bonding before the night begins!
Before your rambunctious family (yes, parents too this evening!) starts to transform into werewolves and princesses, it’s a great idea to turn dinner into an activity for the whole family. Explore fun Halloween recipes like personal pizzas that include fresh vegetables. Encourage everyone around the table to be creative with a contest to see who can design the scariest (or goofiest!) pizza topped with ingredients from the produce aisle!
Here are a few quick fresh veggie Pizza tips that will get your family engaged!
- Instead of pizza dough, use pita or wraps as the base; evenly spread your favorite tomato sauce
- Sprinkle mixed, shredded cheese on top
- Slice Pure Flavor® Sweet Red Peppers to make crisp and flavorful monster teeth
- Pure Flavor® Oriana Orange Grape Tomatoes make perfect glow-in-the-dark eyes and add natural sweetness to your saucy bite
- Bake until the cheese melts and dig in!
At night, when all that Halloween candy is spread across the living room floor, put out a veggie tray for everyone. Make sure to treat yourself to some candy, but occasionally reach for the veggies and encourage your kids too! Chances are, your little ones will follow your lead. You might be surprised at how often they choose the healthier option, even when surrounded by so much candy! With these tips, we hope you’ll be able to fend off the Halloween sugar rush and crash to make the most out of this fun family evening! Halloween is just one day, but the healthy habits you encourage could make a difference for the other 364 days of the year.
