The Times Australia
The Times World News

.

How can kids have a healthier Halloween? And what do you do with the leftover lollies?

  • Written by Clare Dix, Research Fellow in Nutrition & Dietetics, The University of Queensland
How can kids have a healthier Halloween? And what do you do with the leftover lollies?

Halloween is a very exciting time for children and let’s face it, for many adults, too.

The costumes, decorations and of course the treats all contribute to the thrill of this spooky holiday. However, as parents and dietitians who research children’s eating[1], we often find ourselves grappling with the challenge of the avalanche of sugary treats.

Depending on how much your children collect on the night, the lollies can hang around for days or weeks.

Balancing our children’s enjoyment of treats with their health can be a challenging task, but there are strategies to help.

Read more: Dressing up for Halloween? You could be in breach of copyright law, but it's unlikely you'll be sued[2]

A balanced approach to sugar

The food your child eats over the whole year is more important than the foods they eat in one day or week of the year.

As part of promoting healthy eating[3], it’s important not to demonise sugar[4] but teach your child it can be consumed as part of a healthy diet. This balanced approach can help children develop a healthy relationship with all foods.

Guilt and shame around eating certain foods can disrupt normal eating patterns[5].

A positive relationship with food[6] means you give some thought to food selection so you get nutritious food but aren’t so wary and restrictive that you miss out on enjoyable times. Food and eating take up some of your time and attention, but keep their place as only one important area of your life.

You can encourage a healthy relationship with food by:

  • avoiding the ‘good’ vs ‘bad’ label: instead of labelling foods, focus on moderation and variety. Teach your child it’s okay to enjoy treats and fun foods occasionally and they don’t need to feel guilty about it.

  • modelling healthy habits: children learn by example, so be sure to model healthy eating habits yourself[7]. Show them you enjoy a range of foods without guilt or shame.

A full bowl of lollies, including gummy bears
It’s OK to enjoy treats occasionally. Graphic Wanderings/ Unsplash, CC BY-SA[8][9]

How can you have a healthier Halloween?

Halloween is a time of celebration and fun. It can also be an opportunity to promote eating in a positive and balanced way. Here are some ideas:

  • have a filling meal before you head out: a full stomach means kids are less likely to fill up on lollies. Having only lollies for dinner will lead to a sugar crash[10] and leave children hungry and cranky at bedtime

  • give your kids child-sized baskets: a smaller container can limit[11] the number of lollies your child collects and eats. Encourage them to take only one piece from each house, promoting moderation and helping kids understand there needs to be enough left over for other children

  • keep active: incorporate physical activity[12] into your Halloween celebration. Perhaps you have a long walk around your neighbourhood, so you get exercise while you trick or treat. Or you could have a zombie dance party when you get home. These activities can help your child shake out their sillies from the excitement of the night

  • have treats on hand that are not lollies: the Teal Pumpkin Project[13] (led by Food Allergy Research and Education[14]) celebrates Halloween with non-food treats and supports kids with food allergies who may not be able to have typical Halloween lollies. Instead of lollies, you could have stickers, glow sticks, pens and pencils, bubbles or small toys.

Read more: The most horrifying part of Halloween is the useless piles of waste it creates. Why not do it differently?[15]

What about all the leftover lollies?

Two kids dressed as ghosts with pumpkin buckets, trick or treating on a street.
You could save some Halloween lollies for Christmas celebrations. Charles Parker/AAP, CC BY-SA[16][17]

Some kids get to the end of Halloween evening and have an enormous haul of lollies they cannot possibly eat – even if they would like to try.

So it’s a good idea to have a “leftover lolly plan”.

Decide how many lollies your child can keep and what to do with the excess. As a general guide, you should stick to one-to-two fun-size treats a day for three-to-eight-year-olds and one fun-size treat a day for toddlers two-to-three years.

But on Halloween, it’s likely they will have more than this. Don’t stress too much and remember it’s only one night of the year. But please note babies under 12 months can choke on lollies and don’t need to have them.

For older children, consider donating some to food banks or sharing their haul with their peers at school or sporting clubs. You could also trade excess lollies for other rewards like toys or activities. Or parents could “buy” the lollies in exchange for more pocket money.

You could even create a homemade advent calendar with Halloween lollies leading into Christmas.

References

  1. ^ research children’s eating (growandgotoolbox.com)
  2. ^ Dressing up for Halloween? You could be in breach of copyright law, but it's unlikely you'll be sued (theconversation.com)
  3. ^ promoting healthy eating (www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
  4. ^ not to demonise sugar (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
  5. ^ disrupt normal eating patterns (www.cambridge.org)
  6. ^ positive relationship with food (www.sciencedirect.com)
  7. ^ healthy eating habits yourself (www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
  8. ^ Graphic Wanderings/ Unsplash (unsplash.com)
  9. ^ CC BY-SA (creativecommons.org)
  10. ^ lead to a sugar crash (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
  11. ^ can limit (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
  12. ^ physical activity (doi.org)
  13. ^ Teal Pumpkin Project (www.foodallergy.org)
  14. ^ Food Allergy Research and Education (www.foodallergy.org)
  15. ^ The most horrifying part of Halloween is the useless piles of waste it creates. Why not do it differently? (theconversation.com)
  16. ^ Charles Parker/AAP (www.pexels.com)
  17. ^ CC BY-SA (creativecommons.org)

Read more https://theconversation.com/how-can-kids-have-a-healthier-halloween-and-what-do-you-do-with-the-leftover-lollies-216634

Times Magazine

Headless CMS in Digital Twins and 3D Product Experiences

Image by freepik As the metaverse becomes more advanced and accessible, it's clear that multiple sectors will use digital twins and 3D product experiences to visualize, connect, and streamline efforts better. A digital twin is a virtual replica of ...

The Decline of Hyper-Casual: How Mid-Core Mobile Games Took Over in 2025

In recent years, the mobile gaming landscape has undergone a significant transformation, with mid-core mobile games emerging as the dominant force in app stores by 2025. This shift is underpinned by changing user habits and evolving monetization tr...

Understanding ITIL 4 and PRINCE2 Project Management Synergy

Key Highlights ITIL 4 focuses on IT service management, emphasising continual improvement and value creation through modern digital transformation approaches. PRINCE2 project management supports systematic planning and execution of projects wit...

What AI Adoption Means for the Future of Workplace Risk Management

Image by freepik As industrial operations become more complex and fast-paced, the risks faced by workers and employers alike continue to grow. Traditional safety models—reliant on manual oversight, reactive investigations, and standardised checklist...

From Beach Bops to Alpine Anthems: Your Sonos Survival Guide for a Long Weekend Escape

Alright, fellow adventurers and relaxation enthusiasts! So, you've packed your bags, charged your devices, and mentally prepared for that glorious King's Birthday long weekend. But hold on, are you really ready? Because a true long weekend warrior kn...

Effective Commercial Pest Control Solutions for a Safer Workplace

Keeping a workplace clean, safe, and free from pests is essential for maintaining productivity, protecting employee health, and upholding a company's reputation. Pests pose health risks, can cause structural damage, and can lead to serious legal an...

The Times Features

Duke of Dural to Get Rooftop Bar as New Owners Invest in Venue Upgrade

The Duke of Dural, in Sydney’s north-west, is set for a major uplift under new ownership, following its acquisition by hospitality group Good Beer Company this week. Led by resp...

Prefab’s Second Life: Why Australia’s Backyard Boom Needs a Circular Makeover

The humble granny flat is being reimagined not just as a fix for housing shortages, but as a cornerstone of circular, factory-built architecture. But are our systems ready to s...

Melbourne’s Burglary Boom: Break-Ins Surge Nearly 25%

Victorian homeowners are being warned to act now, as rising break-ins and falling arrest rates paint a worrying picture for suburban safety. Melbourne residents are facing an ...

Exploring the Curriculum at a Modern Junior School in Melbourne

Key Highlights The curriculum at junior schools emphasises whole-person development, catering to children’s physical, emotional, and intellectual needs. It ensures early year...

Distressed by all the bad news? Here’s how to stay informed but still look after yourself

If you’re feeling like the news is particularly bad at the moment, you’re not alone. But many of us can’t look away – and don’t want to. Engaging with news can help us make ...

The Role of Your GP in Creating a Chronic Disease Management Plan That Works

Living with a long-term condition, whether that is diabetes, asthma, arthritis or heart disease, means making hundreds of small decisions every day. You plan your diet against m...