Earlier this week, I shared tips with WFMY News 2 on how to manage having Halloween candy in the house, and avoid a Halloween candy binge. The goblins might be gone, but if you’re feeling haunted (or taunted) by all the Halloween candy, read on. We’ve got practical steps to help you navigate all that trick-or-treat loot that is inviting a binge.

Five Tips to Help You Steer Clear of Halloween Candy

• Eat a high-protein breakfast.
  • Starting the day with foods rich in protein is key for keeping blood sugar levels stable, which will start your day off strong and keep YOU in control. Plus, protein helps you feel satisfied after meals, so you’re less likely to reach for the sweet stuff.
  • Some high-protein breakfast options include eggs with spinach and feta, fruit and veggie smoothie with protein powder or a Greek yogurt with peanut butter and berries.
• Stay hydrated!
  • If you’re mildly dehydrated (which many adults are), you may confuse your brain’s thirst signal for hunger, causing you to reach for food (or candy!) when you’re not even hungry. While many factors influence your fluid needs, divide your weight in half for the number of ounces. For example, if you weigh 150 pounds, aim to drink about 75 ounces of water.
  • If you tire of plain water, splash it up with some berries, citrus or cucumber. Or, enjoy sparkling water, herbal tea or green tea, which also count towards your fluid intake.
• Make a plan to enjoy a piece of candy… after a meal.
  • Yes, you read that right. Enjoy that candy, just enjoy it as a post-meal dessert and not a stand-alone snack. Eating foods high in added sugars can wreak havoc on blood sugar levels, so enjoy it after a high-protein, high-fiber meal.
  • And if you know you’re treating yourself to one sweet treat later (after lunch or dinner), you’ll have something to look forward to and you’ll be less likely to put candy on a pedestal, which may set you up for overeating sweets later.
• Get it out of the house.
  • If it’s not in the house, you can’t eat it! Or, at least you have to go somewhere else to eat it. And by just putting a barrier between you and a food you’re trying to eat less of will inherently help you to eat less of it. This rule applies for a Halloween candy binge or whatever other food may tempt you.
  • Some ideas for getting the candy out? Have the “candy fairy” whisk it away at night, donate it to organizations accepting candy or check to see if your child’s dentist office trades in candy for money or a toy.
• Stash some away for a rainy day.
  • Well, not really for a rainy day. But if you can’t stand to part with all of it but know you can’t eat just one, hide away some of your family’s favorites for your next movie outing, road trip or plane ride. You won’t spend the money later and you’ll get it out of view for now.
  • Try putting some candy in a jar, seal it and stash it out of sight. (And, hey, if you forget it’s there, that’s not a bad thing either!)
    

PLEASE SHARE: Do you have any other favorite tips on how to handle Halloween candy? Please share. We’d love to hear from you!