It’s hard not to get excited when the bags of Halloween candy start showing up on store shelves. Kids can’t wait to go trick-or-treating, then come home and wolf down everything they’ve scored.

A lot of parents look forward to dressing up and passing out the candy — and maybe grabbing a piece or two — as they go to answer the door. They may even open a bag in the weeks leading up to Halloween.

Think about it. How often have you had to replace a bag of Halloween candy because you or someone in your house couldn’t fight the temptation?

It’s OK to treat yourself, but remember these are high-calorie, high-fat, sugar-dense snacks that are not good for you. So, here are some tips to keep you and your kids from overindulging around Halloween.

For the Adults

You need to be an example for your kids. It can also get expensive if you’re always replacing bags of Halloween candy because you can’t stay away from it. To keep that from happening:

• Don’t buy what you like — That’s a terrible temptation. You don’t want to be the place with the bad candy, but think about some treats your kids like that aren’t your favorites. 
• Put it away — It’s easier to forget it’s there if you don’t see it. Put it in an inconvenient place. Up in a closet or a high cabinet. You can even freeze most candy. If it’s still too tempting, have someone with more willpower hide it from you.
• Eat dinner Halloween night — Don’t answer the door hungry. It will be tempting to over-indulge.

For the Kids

Just like you need to eat before the ghosts and goblins start arriving at your door, so do your kids. They don’t need a big meal that will weigh them down – but have them eat some fruits or grains. These have low calorie density, meaning they fill them up without having to eat too much.

Here are a few tips to keep them from consuming a frightening number of treats on Halloween, and to make sure what they eat is safe.

• Give them a smaller bucket or bag — They can’t bring too much home if they can’t carry too much.
• Don’t let them snack while they’re out — This is also important for safety reasons. We’ll go over that in a minute.
• Make sure it’s wrapped — Warn your kids not to accept items that aren’t commercially wrapped. If it’s commercially wrapped it likely hasn’t been tampered with.
• Food allergies — That’s another reason to make sure they don’t snack along the way. You don’t want them eating anything they’re allergic to.
• Choking hazards — Little kids like trick-or-treating too, but some treats — gum, hard candies, peanuts, small toys — are choking hazards.

Back at Home

Once you’re get back it’s important to go through your kids’ haul to make sure that nothing looks suspicious. You may be surrounded by great people, but candy tampering could have happened before they got hold of it.

This also gives you a chance to set some ground rules for candy consumption. It is OK to let your kids splurge a little on Halloween. But put the rest away and dole it out smartly. Make it treats for after meals or have it accompanied by a healthy snack. Also, don’t volunteer any candy if they don’t ask about it.

Your Kids Are Sweet Enough

AltaMed is here to take care of your mini monsters at every stage of their life. We have the immunizations they need for school and well child visits they need from birth on. We also offer pediatric dentistry to monitor for any cavities that can come from a few too many sweets.

To get started with us, visit AltaMed.org or call (877) 462-2582.

Why is that so often the most enjoyable foods are the unhealthiest? Deserts, French fries, and pizza may taste completely different, but they share a common nutrient: fat.

Fats, along with carbohydrates and protein, are the nutrients you use in the largest amount. They are the components in food that we need for energy and to maintain the body’s structure and systems.

Fats are why foods like bacon or porkchops taste good. But the tastiest fats are the fats you want to steer clear of.

Not all fat is good for you. Some are great and they promote heart health. Others contribute to the buildup of cholesterol and can lead to heart disease or diabetes. But how do you know which fats are healthy, and which can lead to health problems?

The Difference in Fats

The fats we eat are called dietary fats. You can find them in nearly everything except most fruits and vegetables.

There are two main kinds: saturated and unsaturated.
 

• Saturated fat keeps its shape at room temperature. You find it in butter, full-fat cheese, high-fat meat, lard, whole milk, and full-fat yogurt.
• Unsaturated fat is usually liquid at room temperature. It’s in fish, nuts, and vegetable oils.

The American Heart Association recommends limiting the number of calories from saturated fat to less than 7% a day. That’s because it tends to raise low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels which can increase the risk of stroke or heart disease.

Food companies will add what are called “trans” fats to foods for flavor. Some trans fat occurs naturally in very small amounts in red meat and dairy products. You are likely to find it in baked and fried foods.

Unsaturated Fat

This is the good stuff. Eating foods high in unsaturated fats improves cholesterol levels, reducing your risk of heart attack or stroke.

The two main types of unsaturated fat are:
 

• Monounsaturated fat — Found in canola, olive, peanut, sunflower, and safflower oils, avocados, most nuts and peanut butter. You will also find it in beef, chicken, and pork.
• Polyunsaturated fat — Found in corn, cottonseed, soybean, and sunflower oil, along with flaxseed, pine nuts, pumpkin, sesame, and sunflower seeds, and walnuts.

Omega-3 fatty acid in another polyunsaturated fat. It’s been shown to reduce blood clotting and reduce irregular heartbeats. It’s found in fatty fish like herring, salmon, and sardines.

Make a Change

Remember, not all fat is bad, but you want to be smart about the fat you eat. There are some simple ways to swap out the saturated fat for foods rich in unsaturated fat.
 

• Switch to oil instead of butter for sauteing. Use canola oil instead of butter when you bake.
• Eat salmon two to three times a week instead of red meat.
• Take the skin and fat off chicken.
• Snack on fruits and vegetables instead of pre-packaged, processed foods.

We Can Help Put You on a Healthier Path

No matter your age, what you eat has a huge effect on your overall health. Healthy eating isn’t hard – especially when you have someone to empower you to make good decisions and teach you how healthy food can be delicious. Our registered dietitians provide individually tailored nutrition plans to members of every age.

Patients with the following are encouraged to see a dietitian: diabetes, heart-related conditions, those considering bariatric surgery, pregnancy, gastrointestinal-related conditions, and patients with any other nutrition-related condition.

This program is available to all AltaMed patients at no cost. Ask your doctor for a referral or call (888) 499-9303 to enroll.