Cool weather, falling leaves, and pumpkin patches are welcoming in the fall season, and kids are picking out their Halloween costumes for trick-or-treating. But as a parent, you may be worried about what treats end up in your child’s Halloween candy basket. Below is a list of ways you can make sure your
children enjoy the holiday, and their candy, without any worries.
1. Wait until you get home
Kids may be tempted to snack on their candy as they walk door to door in the neighborhood. However, encourage them to save the candy eating until they get home. That way, you will be able to check their bags for any candy that could be harmful before they dig in.
2. Watch out for choking hazards
One of the biggest problems with Halloween candy – especially for younger children – is the possibility of choking. Look through your child’s candy, and remove any small, hard candies, gum, or small toys to avoid an
emergency.
3. Stay away from candy that isn’t clearly labeled or commercially wrapped
You want to make sure that you know exactly what your child is eating. Just because candy is a pretty color, doesn’t mean it is safe to eat. Throw out any candy that isn’t commercially wrapped, and advise your child not to accept any home-made treats. Additionally, you should check for any candy that looks like it may have been tampered with or opened.
4. Limit candy intake
Kids usually collect much more candy than they could ever eat all themselves. They’ll be tempted to eat it all until they feel sick. Decide ahead of time how much candy your children will be allowed to eat when they come home from trick-or-treating, and then set a limit for the amount of candy they can eat each day after.
You may also want to pick a day to throw any remaining candy out so that it doesn’t sit around the house for months. Halloween leads right into the holiday season, and there will be plenty of treats and sweets to come.
5. Be careful about food allergies
Make sure your child is aware of any food
allergies he or she has so that candies containing allergens can be avoided. Additionally, many candies that do not list any allergens in the ingredient list may still contain traces of ingredients that your child is allergic to. Many candies, for example, do not contain nuts but may still be harmful to a child with a nut allergy if the candy is processed in the same place as candies with nuts are processed.
Keep allergies in mind if you are hosting a Halloween party as well. Make sure you know ahead of time whether any of your guests have any allergies.
Kids always look forward to costume parties and trick-or-treating, so help make sure they have a safe Halloween by keeping an eye on their candy and putting some rules in place before they head out the door.