Ah, Halloween. The quintessential American holiday. When I lived abroad, it seemed so weird that nobody dressed up in costumes and handed out candy to strange children showing up at the door…not that we’ll be doing that this year (thanks, Corona). But, thanks to the magic of our food system, there will likely still be plenty of opportunities to gorge on “mini” candy bars, candy corn, and licorice! And maybe a cocktail or two for the Zoom-weary patriots. So, how to avoid all that and stay healthy for Halloween?
Well, because I KNOW what the “morning after Halloween” can feel like, I am here to give you some alternatives that will help you feel great, while still treating yourself to the season:
How to Stay Healthy for Halloween
Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate
If there’s one thing I find trips most of us up, it’s a lack of water. You’d think drinking water would come naturally to us – our bodies are mostly made of water, after all. How are we not programmed to want it all the time?? Well, we are, it’s just that we often reach for other things – coffee, tea, soda, juices – which make us feel like we’re getting liquids but actually dehydrate us further. Ever wonder why you get a throbbing headache after a night of drinking? It’s dehydration!
Keeping our bodies full of water helps move all the toxins out, helps us think better, supports good digestion, lubrications our joints, and even helps with weight loss. So much goodness in that H2O!
So, no matter how much you indulge on Halloween, drink as much water as you can to help offset the effects to some extent.
Eat A Good Meal
Whenever I have found myself at a party or gathering without having eaten ahead of time, chances were pretty high that I ate a bunch of stuff I later ended up regretting. Why? Because I was HUNGRY!!! You can’t change biology: if we’re hungry and we see food, we eat it. Don’t mess with evolution, right?
Well, if what we were offered were as nutritionally packed as foods were in “the olden days” (a.k.a. “the 1900’s”, according to my kids), that would be just fine. But we know the smorgasbord being laid out these days is likely not the organic, free-range, non-GMO variety (unless you have REALLY cool friends and family!).
So, what do I do when I’m going somewhere I know won’t have the types of foods that will make me feel great? I either:
1. Eat ahead of time
2. Bring my own food/snacks OR
3. Offer to bring a plate/bowl of something I can eat to share with the group
There’s no reason for you to suffer because you want to be “polite.” People who know and love you should want you to support your body so that you feel great!
Snack Attack
I LOVE the foods of the season and Fall is my absolute FAVORITE!! The pumpkin goodness, the apple-cinnamon deliciousness – it’s all yummy and super comforting! So, I make sure to take full advantage by whipping something up on the weekend and freezing the batch for easy grab-and-go breakfasts and snacks during the week.
Unlike the traditional snacks with empty calories that leave you feeling even hungrier than before, having these “treats” around makes me feel super happy and fills me up – it’s a win-win! It’ll definitely help you stay healthy for Halloween.
Here are some of my favorites for fall:
Pumpkin Waffles with Apple-Cinnamon Compote
Gingerbread Muffins
Pumpkin Scones
Support Yourself
Telling yourself that you “just need better willpower” is counterproductive – it just doesn’t work! In addition to having positive reminders around to help steer you in the direction you want to go (i.e. like the healthy-eating snacks listed above, using a water reminder app, having friends that support your lifestyle, etc.), you need to set yourself up for success.
Supporting your body on the daily so that it can resist the urge to mindlessly dive into the candy jar at work or a friend’s house is key. How do you support yourself, you may ask?
Sleep and Self-Care
Yes, the two things NO ONE wants to hear about! But they work. Taking care of your body and getting enough sleep reduce the amount of stress your body experiences. And the less stress, they less likely you are to want the sugary or salty “comfort” foods. It’s true!
Stress causes unhealthy habits AND it disrupts sleep which, in turn, increases stress…it’s a vicious cycle. This is a HUGE topic so if you’d like the quick-and-dirty version, check out my free guide on this topic here.
The New Candy
The GOOD news is that, even if you have a sweet tooth, there are so many healthy, healthier, and healthy-ish options, these days! Doing a quick search on Pinterest will help you find some quick and easy recipes (I usually search “Paleo” as those tend to tick off the gluten-free, dairy-free, and sugar-free options).
Having said that, I have included links to two of my favorite go-to’s:
Bakerita (a.k.a. Rachel Conners) has a fantastic website full of yummy deliciousness. In addition to all her usual amazingness, she has a 20-recipe guide to making all your favorite candies! You can find it here.
Another option for pre-made candies is finding a store that makes them “old school.” Now, as someone who looks for products that are both natural AND refined sugar-free, I will tell you that pre-made candy poses a bit of a challenge. Having said that, I would rather have a small amount with real ingredients than anything made with unpronounceable ingredients. For that reason, when I absolutely have to have a traditional candy, I got the The Natural Candy Store.
Holiday Treats
Okay, let’s be real: this is my favorite part!!! Because I LOVE making autumnal yumminess. I mean, if you’ve seen my blog, you know I’m a big fan of tasty treats – that just happen to be good for you. But there’s a reason to my madness: I’m TREATING myself with the “clean” versions of the foods I really want to eat! I don’t have to feel deprived because I have everything I want waiting for me at home.
So without further ado, here are some of my favorites that I hope you will love, too!
Apple-Cranberry Crisp
Pumpkin Pie
Gooey Caramel Apple Bars
In addition to the ones that I have for the season, I also wanted to give you one from one of my favorite healthy food bloggers, Sweet Laurel: Mini Caramel Apples
I hope you ENJOY the holiday season by indulging in things that will leave you happier and healthier than you were last year! Stay safe and have a wonderful Halloween!