MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) – MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) – Experts in Madison, Wis., are encouraging parents and caregivers to spend Halloween with their children on sugar intake, healthy eating habits, and a balanced diet. We encourage you to use this as an opportunity to talk about.
It is not uncommon for children to come home with large bags full of sweets. Camilla Martin, a clinical pediatric dietitian with Wisconsin Health Kids, says kids should be able to plan their candy eating to help them balance their eating habits.
“Kids like to know the plan and be involved in the decision-making process. So in this case, kids get to choose which candy they have, and parents set boundaries for the number and time of day. ” Martin said. “We recommend consuming one to two candies a day as a healthy snack.”
Martin added that she doesn’t recommend banning or hiding candy because it can lead to unhealthy obsessions and habits.
“Hideing candy or making your child feel like they have to secretly retrieve it can lead to overeating,” she says. “Feeling like you’ll never get candy can cause you to end up eating 10 pieces when you finally get it, which can lead to an unhealthy relationship with certain foods.”
Martin also said healthy habits are about more than just one day in October.
“Society tends to focus on Halloween candy, but there are also fun things people can do around trick-or-treating to encourage healthy food consumption. For example, focus on costumes, decorations, and crafts. Try it,” she said.
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