Coping with post-Halloween candy madness

Halloween is only one day out of 365…so what’s wrong with a few pieces of candy? Absolutely nothing…and this is coming from an unofficial ‘food cop.’ Halloween is fun – for children and adults. A few sweet treats won’t do much harm. The problem isn’t just about ‘one day.’ It’s about the days after….when all of the leftover candy you have in your home is staring you in the face – from the stash you doled out to neighbors to the bucketful your little ghost brought home. If you are like most American adults, you buy what you love…just in case there are a few pieces of candy leftover. I mean, you wouldn’t want to be stuck with candy you don’t like! These strategies work great for kids but also can be modified for ‘adult children…’

The best strategy when it comes to dealing with your child’s Halloween ‘earnings’ is to have him/her pick out their absolute favorites. Of course, you should have a (limited) quantity in mind ahead of time. These treats can be doled out carefully, prudently and sparingly after meals over the next few weeks. Just limit the quantity. If you have generous neighbors that gave out large candy bars, unwrap them, cut them into small pieces and freeze them. They’ll last and defrost in a lunchbox. In general try to avoid hard nougat, toffee and taffy candies that grind into teeth and are ‘sticky’ as they are prime cavity-causers. Best bet: dark chocolate pieces which offer some antioxidant benefits and less butter-fat than milk chocolate.

Just because your child doesn’t like all of the candy he/she was given doesn’t mean they’ll part with it easily! Offer something better. This might even work with the beloved candies. Use pieces as ‘currency.’ Set a price (pieces of candy) to purchase or trade in for a new game, toy or even an outing (such as a bowling party with friends). If your child wants a treat for a treat…have him trade in a few pieces for a better choice that you buy, such as a Nabisco 100-calorie packs® (portion-controlled). Oreo Thin Wafer Crisps™, Honey Maid Cinnamon Thin Crisps™ and Chips Ahoy! Thin Crisps™ are reasonable options. Make sure to serve a snack pack with something healthy, like a glass of milk or a piece of string cheese.

To keep things in perspective, all of these treats (in quantity listed) provide approximately 100 calories:

• 15 jelly beans/22 jelly bellies®
• 1-oz licorice
• 25 plain M&Ms®
• 1 Kind 100-calorie bar
• 2 Tootsie pops®
• 5 Werther’s Original® candies
• 13 gummy bears®
• 10 York Peppermint Patty® bites
• 16 pieces of candy corn
• 4 bite-sized 3-Muskateer® candies

When planning your ‘treat’ (or your child’s treat) keep calories in mind, and in control.

Artichoke Health Benefits

Artichokes, though referred to as a vegetable, are actually a ‘thistle.’ Artichokes are high in dietary fiber, which promotes digestive health and may lower LDL (bad cholesterol) as well as promote heart health. They are rich in magnesium, a major mineral that is key for healthy blood pressure and folate, a B vitamin essential for nerve function.

One major benefit of eating artichokes is that they contain inulin, a type of fiber which acts as a prebiotic. Prebiotics are foods (typically high-fiber foods) that act as food for human microflora (aka, gut bacteria). Prebiotics can improve the balance of the  microorganisms in your gut. Healthy gut bacteria play a role in overall health, including immune system integrity. Other foods that contain prebiotics include almonds, bananas, whole grain wheat/corn/rye/barley, flaxseeds and cabbage.

Eat artichokes may hot or cold. To eat them, pull off the outer petals one at a time. Dip in a sauce, if you like and pull through your teeth to remove the soft, pulpy portion of the petal. Discard the rest of the petal. Then get to the heart by spooning out (and discarding) the fuzzy center part at the base. On the bottom you will find the heart, which is 100% edible.

Does uncovering the heart sound like too much work? Buy a bag of frozen artichoke hearts, a jar of artichoke hearts (in water) or canned. They add a tangy zip to salads.

Healthy Orange Salad

Add a healthy orange salad to your dinner meal to help you reach the minimum recommendation of 5 fruit and vegetable servings daily. Think outside of the box by enjoying both fruit and veggie-based salads. Beans, whole grains and herb add variety and flavor. Citrus goes well with greens and tomatoes with fresh mozzarella cheese. Experiment with fresh herbs. They pair well with many fruits and veggies and offer health benefits. For a tasty salad or side dish, top peeled sliced oranges with chopped mint. The explosive flavor of this combination is zesty and outrageously delicious.