Topics: Nutrition, Adult Obesity, Physical Activity, Wellness, Bag The Junk, Child Obesity
Candy-filled holidays like Halloween don’t have to totally derail healthy habits. With a little creativity, educators and parents can easily put a healthier twist on traditional spooky treats and activities. Read on for three fun ways to encourage trick-or-treaters to exercise and eat healthy:
1. Serve a healthy breakfast. Kids are bound to eat at least some sugary snacks on Halloween, making it more important than ever for them to start the day right with one of these healthy, hearty breakfast ideas:
- Banana “ghosts” and clementine “pumpkins”: A nutritious and whimsical Halloween-twist on fruit from Produce for Kids’ Pinterest page: http://bit.ly/19Xuaay
- Pumpkin fruit buffet: Offer a variety of fresh fruit options like orange slices, blueberries, strawberries and grapes in a fun pumpkin shape. Check out the recipe from Matoaka Elementary PTA in Williamsburg, Virginia on Pinterest: http://bit.ly/1a1j2Ny
- Halloween pancakes: Add some orange food-coloring to this Health.com recipe for healthy pancakes made with applesauce, walnuts and golden raisins. For an extra touch, pour the batter into a jack-o-lantern shaped cookie cutter.
2. Consider healthy or non-food treats in the classroom. Parents and educators can serve healthier treats in the classroom to get kids excited about Halloween without the unnecessary sugar from candy. The first two breakfast recipes above could serve as great healthy Halloween classroom snacks. Some other favorite recipes are below:
- Spider deviled eggs: Hardboiled eggs are a protein powerhouse! This recipe adds black olives for a “creepy-crawly” touch.
- Bat bites: These cheese chunk, grape and tortilla chip “bats” are a fun, savory alternative to candy bars.
- Pepper and Orange “Pumpkins”: Carve a face into an orange bell pepper and use it as a veggie cup for carrot sticks and a dollop of your favorite low-fat dip.
For educators looking for non-food prizes for classroom Halloween games or parents seeking substitutes for sugary trick-or-treating goodies, check out this comprehensive list from Clemson University Cooperative Extensive Service, which include goodies like glow sticks and temporary tattoos: http://bit.ly/18B0yRO.
3. Encourage kids to move around during the school day. Educators can integrate physical activity into Halloween parties by organizing a “parade” through different classrooms or even around the school’s neighborhood. For young students, teachers can play Halloween songs throughout the day and encourage kids to get up and dance for two to three minute bursts of activity. For more tips on bringing healthy messaging into the classroom, check out this blog from Bag the Junk and put your own Halloween twist on the activities.
How are you celebrating a healthy Halloween at home and at school? Tweet us @NEAHIN, write on our Facebook wall, or leave a comment below.
Editors note: This blog was adapted from a recent post on NEA HIN’s sister site, BagtheJunk.org.