Do you find yourself dreading Halloween because of all the candy your kids collect? You’re not alone! Many parents struggle with how to handle Halloween candy without turning it into a sugar fest. The good news? There are strategies that can make it easier—and healthier! As a Certified Nutritionist and mom of three, I know how tempting it is to say “no” to candy altogether.  After all, sugar is at the top of the list of foods to avoid in virtually every health article you read.  Not to mention all the research pointing fingers at sugar for contributing to health concerns.

• In 2017-18, 4.8 million kids ages 10 to 17 had obesity, according to the National Survey of Children’s Health.
• The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey found 18.5% of kids ages 2 to 19 had obesity.
• The incidence of type 2 diabetes in youth has increased dramatically over the past 20 years. In the U.S., estimates are as high as 5,000 new cases per year according to the ADA.

The impact of sugar doesn’t stop there. It’s associated with other health concerns including behavourial issues among children. So naturally, my instinct was to keep all sugar out of the hands of my kids. However, having also studied how food/feeding approaches affect children in the long term (i.e. eating disorders, emotional eating, and yes even obesity), I chose to handle treats a little differently the past few years. 

In a world where we have easy access to sugar (and kids get exposure at school, playdates, etc) it’s really hard to avoid.  Of course, I would be hands-off if I lived on an island with no other humans.  But that’s not reality (and it would be pretty lonely!). Deprivation can present challenges down the road if a child feels they have restricted access to certain foods (like sweets).  That then backfires when they have the freedom to make their own food choices.  So restriction can fuel picky eating.

Setting up a healthy relationship with food starts now.

And even on Halloween.

In this post, I’ll share five practical tips to manage Halloween candy while encouraging healthier eating habits.  Before I dive in, know that there’s no judgement for how you decide to handle Halloween candy.  You know your child best, so do what feels right for your family.  If you need guidance, feel free to check out the Sugar Survival Kit. 

How to Manage Halloween Candy: 5 Tricks

1. Let Them Have a Candy Feast (Really!)

2. Limit the Number of Houses

Instead of making endless rounds to every house in the neighbourhood, try visiting fewer houses. Especially with younger kids who get tired (or cold) quickly.  This naturally limits the amount of candy your child collects while still letting them enjoy the fun of trick-or-treating. Fewer houses = less candy, and they still get to show off their awesome costumes!  For older kids this is obviously a little more difficult – let them safely soak up the experience.  It’s just one night.

3. Out of Sight, Out of Mind

Depending on how much Halloween candy my kids come home with, I’ll pack some of it away in the cupboard. Out of sight out of mind – for adults and kids!  After a week or two they tend to forget about the candy, so the rest goes to work (or gets eaten in the car on his way there!). #Iwillneverknow.  Others might not agree with this approach, but I also ditch some of the candies I prefer we avoid. For instance, we have a kid with braces and soft teeth (read: easily gets cavities) so I toss or donate the hard and chewy candies that are easy to choke on or will destroy their teeth. (e.g. tootsie rolls, caramel chews, larger hard candy).

4. Surprise them with Sweets!

Ever notice that your child is the one that has to ask for the Halloween candy?  Instead of making candy a forbidden fruit, I offer a piece or three when they least expect it.  I might add Kit Kat bars to the table at dinner, offer a Twix bar after lunch, or bring some gummies to their soccer game. It removes the mystery and excitement around candy.  I also include 1-2 Halloween treats in their lunch box every day for the next week. Or put it out for when they get home from school as part of their after-school snack.  Here’s the key.  I offer it before they ask me.  This helps kids learn that sweets can be part of a balanced approach to eating – not something they need to sneak, or beg for.

5. Teach Them to Savour Their Halloween Treats

Research shows that when we take the time to taste our food, we eat less.  So I’m trying to teach the girls mindfulness at meals, especially when eating “treats”. 

• ​​I asked them to close their eyes and guess what colour gummy they were eating.  
• ​I​ asked what it tasted like, or reminded them of.  
• ​I asked them how long they could keep it in their mouth before swallowing.

This way they weren’t ramming candy in their mouth without thought.  ​​ In fact, I would give them an opportunity to explore their favourite Halloween treat with their senses, which makes that candy last much longer (meaning they will feel more satiated and likely eat LESS candy). Encourage your kids to slow down and savour each bite of their Halloween treats. You can also make this fun by using the Curious Cookie Mat, which takes kids on a sensory adventure with their food. It’s a great way to get them to enjoy candy more mindfully, leading to less overindulgence. Curious Cookie™ “Food Adventure” Mat.  It takes them on a food journey, and step-by-step they get to use their senses to look, feel, smell, listen and take little bites of the food they are exploring.  Check it out here!

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BONUS TIP: A Healthier Halloween?

It’s true – Halloween doesn’t have to be ALL about the candies. Here are some healthier Halloween options I love.  A Halloween treat doesn’t have to be sweet or sugar-laden.  When it’s possible, I give out our favourite healthy snacks for Halloween too. For example a few years ago we gave kids SeaSnax.  You might think I’m silly for doling out sea vegetables for Halloween. However, given that 90% of houses are doling out chocolate or candy, it felt like there was room for variety.  In fact, I was surprised to see that some kiddos were pretty thrilled to see something different in their pumpkins and pillowcases.  I actually heard one little boy yell “Mommy look!  It’s SeaSnax!“

4 Reasons We Changed How To Handle Halloween Treats 

1. It’s Only One Night (or One Week)

Halloween candy only comes around once a year. While the sugar can feel overwhelming, it’s just one night (or a week if we’re being realistic). In our home, my girls typically enjoy nutrient-dense meals. For example, today’s lunch included salmon, cauliflower, sweet potatoes, flax crackers, baba ganoush, blackberries, and tomatoes. This kind of meal didn’t happen overnight. It took a lot of patience, plus many of the strategies I teach in my ​ Raising Adventurous Eaters CLUB (membership for parents who want to expand their child’s acceptance of foods) and the Thrive Program (personalized coaching for parents with picky eaters) to get my daughters to a place where they eat nutrient-dense meals 80% of the time.

Because of this, I don’t stress when Halloween rolls around and they indulge in a few lollipops. Their balanced diet throughout the year allows for some flexibility on occasions like Halloween, making it easier for me to embrace the fun while knowing they’re still learning to make good choices.

2. The Switch Witch Isn’t Always the Best Approach

You’ve probably heard of the “Switch Witch”— the idea of trading Halloween candy for a toy or a fun experience. Experts in the feeding space suggest that the Switch Witch, while well-meaning, can imply control and restriction, which doesn’t teach kids how to manage treats on their own in the long term. That said, I’m still supportive of using the Switch Witch for some of the candy, but I recommend giving your child a choice. Instead of focusing solely on candy restriction, let them decide whether they’d prefer to trade some candy for a special outing or keep their treats. Empowering kids to make choices fosters a healthy relationship with food and independence in decision-making.

3. Food Shouldn’t Have Power

Trying to limit or restrict our kids’ candy can sometimes backfire. When we forbid Halloween treats or make them “off-limits,” it can give them way more power than they deserve. Kids may even try to hoard as much as possible when given the opportunity, simply because it’s restricted at home. This is exactly why I’ve shifted my approach.  These realizations nudged me to rethink how we handle Halloween in our home. I’m far from perfect, but I’m working hard to set healthy habits for my girls — whether it’s a plate of kale or a Kit Kat bar. It’s about building a balanced mindset around all foods, so they grow up without the burden of food guilt.

4. Teaching Healthy Habits Today for Tomorrow

​​It’s beneficial to keep these ‘treats’ around because it helps our kids learn how to behave around palatable foods, like Halloween candy.  If they also see how their parents interact with these treats, and manage their intake in a healthy way, it influences their behaviour. A child who learns to enjoy treats in a balanced way is less likely to feel shame or guilt around these foods as they grow older.

That’s why the Curious Cookie™ “Food Adventure” Mat  works so well. It encourages children to explore a wide variety of foods — including Halloween treats — by focusing on textures, smells, and appearance. Each new food added to their “preferred” list expands their comfort zone, helping them build a healthy relationship with all kinds of foods. The more variety a child is exposed to, the easier it becomes to introduce new options into their diet — whether it’s a vegetable or a treat!  By taking this balanced approach, we’re setting our kids up for long-term success in making thoughtful, healthy food choices, even when Halloween comes around.

I know some of these ideas might seem a little extreme, so feel free to apply what works best for your family.

After all, every family is different.

uAnd lastly, my favorite part of Halloween isn’t the candy or even the strategies I’ve shared here. It’s the memories we create together. One of my proudest moments as a mom was seeing my daughter dress up as her idol, Terry Fox. When I asked her why she chose him, she said, “Because he helps people and raises money for cancer research.”  I may have made some mistakes with candy over the years, but moments like that remind me we’re doing something right.