Halloween Candy

Instead of candy give him frosted bite sized mini wheat - the cereal. The frosted side makes the whole thing taste like candy and it's obviously a lot better for them. I've been using this trick for years with day care kids and at one time even converted an entire office of candy popping men. Doesn't even have to be the expensive kind. I've got a Kroger brand box in my hand right now!!!!

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I give my daughter a Flinstone gummy vitamin everyday, and she thinks that this is a treat. She gets one of those a day, and it makes her think she is getting candy. Then I also know she is getting good stuff out if it as well. I usually wait until she asks for something so she is getting it when she wants something sweet.

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Hi, C.!
If he's eating healthy foods otherwise, a little candy now and then won't hurt him--he'll burn the extra sugar just doing what two-year-olds do. Here, we normally don't eat candy every day, but we usually have a handful, or about one regular-sized candy bar's worth, whenever we do eat it (once a week or so). A "piece" per day might be fine, or it might be too much, depending on how much a "piece" is. One full-size Reese's peanut butter cup is quite a bit larger than one candy corn, but you may still be okay with one PB cup because maybe he is very active and runs off all the calories after lunch. You are the mom, so YOU get to decide how much is too much for your child.
I agree that offering sweet fruits and veggies first is a good way to go, although it may not work for every child. You might try fresh sugar-snap peas (in the pod); drained canned corn kernels; dried banana chips or apple rings; or fresh or frozen grapes, strawberries, or blueberries (unsweetened). Some kids love sliced, baked sweet potatoes or yams with just a light sprinkling of cinnamon-sugar or a drizzle of maple syrup before baking.
Also, dried fruits and fruit leathers do contain more sugar than the fresh stuff, but they are still fairly healthy "candies." My kids like the dried mixed berries (cherries, cranberries, and blueberries) really well, and we sometimes drizzle them with melted dark chocolate ourselves (I don't buy them that way).
My 4-yr-old also LOVES those freeze-dried strawberries and bananas meant for toddlers. I can only find them in the baby food section, and they are a little pricey, but at least they are nutritious!
Don't forget that you can make your own frozen "popsicles" using fruit juices (you can use the juice from draining canned fruits, too), yogurt, flavored milk, pudding, sugar-free Jell-o, etc. I like the small popsicle molds, which may be a little harder to find (and fill), but the smaller serving gets eaten before it melts everywhere! We've also used ice-cube trays covered with plastic wrap, and used toothpicks for the "sticks."
Also, as someone else suggested, you could try sugar-free candy/mints, or just don't bring candy into the house at all. He's not going to remember Halloween at this age, so you don't *have* to go trick-or-treating if you really want to avoid bringing home a bunch of candy. Or you could just let him have a couple handfuls, and get rid of the rest.
HTH! Good luck!
--A.

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I think its a special holiday and part of it being different than other days of the year is the candy, so he can look forward to that every year as being different than the other days of the year. Its a special occasion and he seems to be already gathering that. As long as he is eating healthy the rest of the day or thereafter, some candy on Halloween and the few days following is really harmless.

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Well, I lean on the side of no candy (and many may disagree) but my son, who is turning 2 next month, has never had any candy, chocolate, or sugery foods. He occasionally says candy bc other people talk about it and we have some in bowls (up high) from a party. But I use raisens and "cookies" for snacks that are made to be treats. I decided if he hasn't tasted it before, he won't know what he is missing. When he does taste it when he is older, I will be able to reason with him more and explain he can only have it sometimes.
I am sure candy every now and then isn't bad, but I would say everyday is pushing it. I know I definately don't eat it everyday.
Good luck!

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I agree with Ruth. My little ones LOVE frozen grapes.....On the issue with the halloween candy, I talked to my pediatric dentist a few years ago, and he actually said to let the children eat the candy as fast a possible then when it is gone, it is gone....I didn't agree with that and limit to a few pieces a day. I actually bag it up in quart size ziplock bags and it lasts about 6 months (I have 5 out of 7 kids that trick or treat, and so we get a TON of candy). If I were you, just do what feels right...Maybe use the candy as a learning bribe and teach him to do something like help clean his room, or pick up toys, or something. I did this with my now almost 6yo and now she is in charge of cleaning the toys up and folding washclothes.....

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Fruit snacks! He is too young to know any better and you can find healthy ones at the store filled with vitamen C. They even have cool characters. My 3 y/o loves them just like candy. She also knows that it is a privilage and if she doesnt eat decent food she doesnt get any. Good luck.

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My daughters thought candy was the bomb at that age too. One piece a day is fine. However, one piece can add up over time. Don't keep the candy out in the open. After hearing you tell him "no" everytime he asks, he'll quit asking so much. We kept our candy in a cabinet up high. If they didn't see it they would forget to ask for it. If they asked and it wasn't an appropriate time I would tell them "no, not right now" and would explain why. I would also tell them if they kept asking then they wouldn't get one at all that I would decide when the time was right for them to have some. When the candy dwindled so did their asking.
I would not give him candy when he asks. Then he'll think because he asks for it he'll get it, and that can lead to him thinking when he asks for bigger things he'll get them too. Give him candy when he's not expecting it.
Becareful, one of my friend's son would climb the counter to get to the candy and one day was caught after eating 6 or 7 pieces and the after effects was not pretty. Out of sight, out of mind. Good luck and God Bless.

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Hi C., I have a son who is 2 1/2 and he knows what candy is too. I give him a piece here and there but not everyday. I never give my son soda or coffee or any of those things either cause it's not good for them and caffeine takes away calcuim from there bones. I am very careful about what I give my son too because I am over weight and I never want him to have to struggle with that. I think if you give him candy here and there it's ok but just make sure it is nothing really hard that he can choke on. I tell my son that he can have candy here and there but that he can't have it everyday. You sound like a very caring mom! Keep up the good work! God Bless you and your family!

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One thing you might want to try instead of the ice pops is frozen gogurts. My daughters love them. I just cut it in half. She thinks it is a wonderful treat.

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I usually let my kids eat quite a bit of candy after they finish trick or treating, and then (after they are in bed to prevent meltdowns) I take it all and put it in a bowl on top of my cabinets. I'll let them have a piece a day (if they ask for it) and they usually forget about it long before it is all gone. I figure since Halloween is a special occasionl let them have their fun, and if you forbid ALL junk food that just makes them want it more. I have also heard of parents who will let their children "buy" something with their candy, so maybe you could let him trade it in for a toy or something that he would enjoy. Good luck!

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I think as long as he's eating plenty of nutritious food a day and brushing his teeth regularly, one peice a day wont hurt at all.

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Good Morning C., They do make sugar free candies if that is what you are concerned about. Our gr son loves the little smartees so I do give him a roll of them if he asks for them. His parents limit his candy. One thing I do and got his momma to agree also. Was when he Poops in the potty he gets one of the mini chocolate bars or a Hershey's kiss. One only.

* Laughing * My hubby has a T-shirt that says
Papa's rules
1. Fill the kids up on Sugar
2. Send um Home!!

Good Bless and Good Luck to you.
K. Nana of 5

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I have also heard the let them eat it as keep as possible theory but I do not want to deal with the sugar high. We also keep our candy in a cabinet up high so that they can't see it. They know where it is but if they don't see it, they don't ask as much. Another trick is to give it to them with a meal. That way they are already taking in calories so it is not such a shock to their system and since they are chewing other things and drinking, the candy will not stick to their teeth as bad.

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A two year olds idea of "candy" and ours isn't the same...so you dont necessarily have to give him sweet candy when he asks for it. ( You dont have to either...since YOU are in charge...lol). Try giving him a new fruit that he has never had...maybe grapes...or a sweet slice of apple???Maybe some cold, crisp vegetables, baby carrots, cherry tomatoes?? I would be reluctant to start giving a 2 year old candy...we have such a problem in this country with child hood obesity which of course carries over to adolescents and adults. ( I know because I struggle with my weight!!). Stick to your guns...a balanced diet...healthy choices...limited sweets...you are on the right track. My oldest daughter had our very first grandchild 11 months ago and she is being very careful about what he eats...both now and in the future. I applaud her thoughtfulness and commitment to her childs health.
Good luck!!!

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I have four boys and we(my husband and I) have never told them they can't have candy. We tell them it is for dessert/snack so they cannot eat it whenever, but they have never made a big deal about it. Usually, the first day or so after a major holiday where they are likely to receive candy, they usually want to eat several pieces. Then, they just seem to "forget" about it (we even let them keep their Halloween/Easter baskets in their rooms). Since we do not make a big issue out of it, they do not either and eat it in moderation. One piece of candy a day is certainly okay as long as your child brushes his teeth well afterwards. If you allow some freedom with the candy for a few days, he will likely lose interest in it and since it is not a "forbidden" item, he will likely learn to snack on it in moderation. I hope this helps! Have a good day. Don't feel guilty; all mothers are different. Remember to follow your instincts and do what works best for you.

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Hi C....I SO empathize with you. My boys LOVE LOVE LOVE candy and it drives me nuts when the ask for it all the time. I do keep some high up in the pantry and I do give them maybe one piece a day IF THEY ASK. Otherwise, I always, always, talk about the healthy foods we eat first before we eat junk food. Now they both know how important it is to eat healthy first, then a treat. I did ask their doctor once, 'How much sugar or candy is acceptable?'. And he looked at me in the eye and said, "Well, how does it get into your house?". I love their doctor and in short, he prefers NO candy at all. Well, let's be realistic. I know people who really deprive their kids of sweets and when their kids are around it they gorge themselves or they hoard and sneak it. I don't think that's right either. So, I say moderation is best. My kids don't ask for it every day (except around candy holidays!) either now so we're doing something right. Also, be careful of chewy candy like gummies because my dentist said they do get caught in teeth and will rot. It's hard to brush and floss that stuff out of their mouths. She had a 4 yr old with 7 cavities and he apparently ate a lot of gummy candy. Anyway, good luck to you!

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My daughter will be two next months and knows "chocolate" too. I give it to her sparingly because of the obesity rise in kids. My thirteen year is dealing with that now. I try to make it a treat to get a piece of candy. It all depends on what you want to do. I'm sure she is going to get excited about Halloween and seeing the candy she will get. I'm not sure how I will deal with that since this is the first year she has gotten to treat or treat. My older daughter would forget she had the candy after about a week or so and my husband took it to work so it wasn't in the house. My sister lets her daughter have some of her candy for a couple days and than tells her the "candy fairy" came and took it away. (I think it's silly, but it works for her).

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C.,
Our kids do not live on an island and candy is sometimes a fact of life. I use candy as a reward for cleaning up toys, putting dishes in sink after meals, and as a reward for getting through a special activity. I limit my kids to 3-4 pieces in a day and many days go by that they forget to ask for it so it is not even given. Try to choose candy that is not sticky like taffy because it is really hard to get out from between the teeth.

Brush their teeth before bedtime and only give water after that. My kids started going to the dentist at 18 months and have never had a cavity yet.

Good Luck:-)

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Hi C.,

If your going to give him candy then I would recommend chocolate the darker the better (dark chocolate have antioxidants). Stay away from chewy candies like starburst, twizzlers, skittles, etc. these are the type of candies that cause cavity. They get stuck in between teeth. Unless you floss their little teeth every night :-) I've stuck by these rules and my kids have not had cavities in the last 4 years. They are 16, 11, & 10. Hope this helps... :-)

Things in moderation is fine as long as it's not a choking hazard peice of candy.My kids love it too but I keep it in cookie jars and some in a candy dish my daughter loves to get into it but she has also learned to climb on everything keep in mind it is a new word along with new taste and texture so he'll ask for it even if he may not want it.I love the small dum dum suckers they last a while for kids his age and after lunch will be a good time to offer it just keep him in his highchair while eating it so for there is no sticky mess to clean up and he doesn't fall down with it.Have a good time Trick or Treating and by the way teach him to say it my daughter does and its so cute.

I saw a somethin on tv about this a few years back. They said it was better to let your kids eat all their candy in the first nights right after halloween, and make sure you brush their teeth really really good afterwards... they said that's better than letting them have one piece everyday. A piece of candy everyday can rot their teeth.

when halloween or Easter comes around I let my kids eat as much as they want. I have never had a problem with them eating a lot of candy at once. I don't know if keeping it from them makes them want it more. Hard to say but my kids get a lot of candy from church often and they hardly eat any of it. We have a cookie jar on the kitchen counter that they put their candy in and I usually have to dump it when it sits there too long and tastes old. They would rather eat fresh fruits and baby carrots than snack on candy and they are 16, 13, and 8 years old but even when they were little for those few occasions we didn't limit it other than making sure it was safe for a 1-2 year old to eat and not choke on it. At that age they mainly had gummy candy and possibly plain M&M's or Reeses cups if they chewed food well. It is probably the hype of seeing the ads just like new toys and may not be a big deal after the holidays are over. the out of sight, out of mind thing may work.
Also if he really likes candy that well, it may be a good reward to use for potty training in the near future.

I'm a stay at home mom with my two year old and after breakfast I usually do some cleaning throughout the house. I turn music on and I hope that he will go and play in his space while I clean my space. If he does and lets me do my thing around 15 minutes or so later I'll give him a dum dum sucker and say "thank you for playing all by yourself so nicely" Then he gets to pick the color of the sucker. If he randomly asks for a sucker tell him he can only have ONE a day. And that he has to earn it which means doing a good job at playing nicely while mommy cleans house or whatever. They are small suckers and if we are at the supermarket I give him a tootsie pop. I get done with my shopping right about the time the sucker needs to be thrown away. It makes shopping a breeze. I know you're not supposed to reward with food but candy isn't food, its candy. When I do something well and get it accomplished I reward myself with something nice too. So that's how I allow candy in my home.

Obvously this is a personal thing for your family to figure out, and though I haven't read all the responses, I will tell you what we do. My oldest didn't trick or treat until 2.5 years old and then very little. That was the first time she had any candy My second will this year and she's not even 2. She already knows well what candy is. Anyway, as far as halloween candy, my plan is to let them indulge quite a bit (for us) on halloween, 5 or 6 pieces of candy, and then pick out a few to keep for later days and the rest "send to daddy's work." I explain why, but that's something we talk about a lot, healthy food choices and such. It has seemed to work in the past.

Also, as far as the pop ice, they sell things like that (if you're talking about the tubes of plastic filled with sugar water) that are filled with 100% juice. I let my kids have them with out any worry.

I've found the easiest thing to do is to not have ANY sweets around (at least that they know about) or else they will ask all day long. Also, I try to keep *treats* that they like and are fairly healthy (freeze dried fruit, fruit leather, bunny grams, etc.). I also give them gummi vitamins, they know they are medicine, but it feels like a treat. I figure we eat well all the time so we can indulge once in awhile.

K.