arts&life
eat right now
Some healthy
alternatives to the
usual sugary fare.
Stacy Goldberg
Contributing Writer
C
ostumes, carving pump-
kins, cider mills, pump-
kin dishes and … candy!
The aromas of the fall season
fill the crisp air as kids run in
their costumes with bags full of
candy. Should you be worried
about Halloween as far as your
health is concerned? If you
stay educated on the dangers
of this holiday, you won’t get
spooked! Join the 85 percent
of parents who say they have
a plan in place to ensure your
kids exercise moderation on
this fun-filled night!
DAUNTING ALLERGIES
Halloween often poses prob-
lems for kids with food aller-
gies. To avoid scary allergic
reactions, Food Allergy
Research & Education (FARE)
provides a way to keep your
little ghosts and witches safe.
The Teal Pumpkin Project
from FARE encourages families
to raise the awareness of food
allergies and promotes inclu-
sion of all trick-or-treaters
throughout the Halloween sea-
son, regardless of their medical
needs. To participate in the
Teal Pumpkin Project, take
note of these important steps:
• Provide non-food treats for
trick-or-treaters .
• Place a teal pumpkin in front
of your home to indicate you
have non-food treats available.
• Display a free printable
sign or premium poster from
FARE to explain the meaning
of your teal pumpkin.
TIPS FOR A HEALTHY
HALLOWEEN
According to the National
Confectioners Association,
more than 75 percent of
American households will pass
out candy this year and 77
percent of Americans are likely
to buy candy. Not only are
households flooded with candy
full of sugar, but also harmful
artificial ingredients such as
colors, dyes and sweeteners.
Consider these tips to ensure
a safe and healthy Halloween
with your friends, family and
community.
• Check your candy wrappers
for any rips or tears in the
packaging. Hold on to your
chocolate craving for just a
minute longer to look at the
packaging on your candy.
When in doubt, throw it out!
• Make your house an enter-
taining pit stop for Halloween-
inspired games. Stock your
house with supplies for pump-
kin carving, decorating and
bobbing for apples as a healthy
treat.
• Skip the sugar altogether
and hand out creative toys
such as fidget spinners, squish-
ees, coloring books and yo-yos.
• Exercise portion control by
putting 2-3 items (about 100-
150 calories) in plastic baggies
or containers, and limiting to
one baggie per day.
• Donating your candy is an
excellent alternative to over-
indulging, consuming excess
calories and food waste. Yad
Ezra is a Jewish Michigan-
based kosher food pantry that
accepts Halloween donations.
This is a great opportunity to
help others around the holi-
days and teach your children
about tzedakah. Yad Ezra will
send the non-kosher candy
to another local Detroit food
pantry.
STACY’S SWAPS
• Be sure to fill your little gob-
lin’s tummy with a healthy
meal at least one hour prior
to trick or treating. Aim to
include a lean protein, healthy
carbohydrate and healthy fat
to give them fuel for a long
night of fun on a full stomach.
Get spooky with a black bean
pasta with grilled chicken and
roasted orange peppers!
• Bean chips make a great
Halloween party snack or an
even better Halloween treat
alternative. Make nutrient-
dense, allergen-friendly nachos
for your Halloween party with
high-fiber, bean-based chips,
melted cheese (can use a
vegan or nondairy alternative),
chopped tomatoes, chives and
peppers.
• No Whey candies are a deli-
cious alternative to traditional
milk chocolate candies. These
nut-free, kosher, vegan and
naturally colored chocolate
candies are perfect for lactose-
intolerant trick-or-treaters.
• Looking for some-
thing sweet to add to your
Halloween candy bowl? Opt for
allergen-friendly Surf Sweets
gummy candy or jelly beans
with organic fruit juice, sweet-
eners and 100 percent of vita-
min C. These little bears will be
a festive addition to your trick-
or-treater bags!
• No need to worry about
peanut or tree-nut allergies
with Nutritional Choices
Original Whole Grain Animal
Crackers. These delightful
crackers contain 3 grams of
dietary fiber, zero grams of
trans fat, no added preserva-
tives and no high-fructose corn
syrup, but your kids will never
know the difference! •
Stacy Goldberg is a nationally recog-
nized nutritional consultant, registered
nurse and the CEO of Savorfull (savor-
full.com), a Detroit-based company
that sources healthy, allergen-friendly
foods and provides nutrition-consult-
ing. Savorfull is part of the Quicken
Loans Family of Companies.
jn
October 19 • 2017
NO INFORMATION PROVIDED THROUGH STACY GOLDBERG/SAVORFULL IS INTENDED TO DIAGNOSE, TREAT, CURE OR PREVENT ANY DISEASE. YOU
SHOULD ALWAYS SPEAK WITH YOUR PHYSICIAN OR OTHER HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONAL BEFORE TAKING ANY MEDICATION OR NUTRITIONAL, HERBAL OR
HOMEOPATHIC SUPPLEMENT, OR ADOPTING ANY TREATMENT OR IMPLEMENTING NUTRITIONAL ADVICE FOR A HEALTH PROBLEM.
Healthy Halloween!
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