Night of a thousand treats

The average trick-or-treater bags 3,500 to 7,000 calories’ worth of candy on Halloween night, according to the University of Alabama-Birmingham’s School of Public Health. Such volumes of sugary loot may be concerning to parents who encourage healthy eating, but keep in mind that Halloween is something of a kids’ rite, and it’s only one night. So chill out. Also, here are some tips for a healthy holiday:

• Stuff them with other stuff: If your child just ate dinner, they probably won’t eat as much candy. (Probably.)

• Keep only the choicest sweets: When they get home, help them sort out the candy they really want. Hide or discard the rest.

• Fix consumption: If they bring home a bunch of candy, that’s OK if it’s rationed over the next few weeks. Let them have a few pieces of candy a day, preferably after lunch or dinner, and don’t let them binge.

Source: TIME Magazine