Raising Maine

By JACKIE CONN, Raising Maine Contributor

What's scariest thing about Halloween? Is it the ghosts? The goblins? The witches?

Many moms agree that it's none of those things – it's the candy!

"I'm terrified. I'm worried about the kids eating too much, but that's not even my biggest fear," says Carole Pelletier. "Being home alone with three large bags of candy while my husband is at work and the kids are at school is a frightening temptation for me."

Pelletier, of Westbrook, has been fighting to keep her weight under control since the birth of her third child. "I've always had a sweet tooth and it's so hard for me to have all that candy in the house and not gobble it all," she says, "especially when there's nobody around to see me do it."

A lot of moms share this concern about their own weight and about how healthy it is for their kids to eat so much candy. Polishing off the Halloween candy may not cause any lasting health problems for kids or their parents, but that doesn't mean that eating it is a good idea. If weight is an issue, candy can contribute a significant amount of calories, temporarily getting in the way of progress. For some dieters it may trigger out-of-control eating and might even halt or reverse progress. For others it's a matter of candy replacing more nutritious foods. It's wise to limit how much is eaten.

Would it be better to just not let your kids trick-or-treat and keep all that candy out of the house?

"That's not necessary," says Karen Miller-Kovach, the chief scientific officer of Weight Watchers International and author of "Weight Watchers Family Power: 5 Simple Rules for a Healthy-Weight Home." "It's fine to include some candy in a balanced diet even when losing weight."

She offers these suggestions for smarter handling of Halloween candy:

Be Selective
As soon as the kids are finished trick-or-treating, help them sort their candy. Toss anything they don't particularly love right into the trash. It's an easy, pain-free way to cut down the candy consumption. It keeps them (and you) from eating what they don't really enjoy just because it's in the house.

Enforce the "Meal First/Candy Second" Rule
Establish with the family that sweets are for desserts, not for snacking or in place of meals. Allow each child (and mom and dad if the kids are willing to share) three small pieces of candy for dessert. In the case of a full size candy bar, allow only half and wrap the other half to have at another time. By eating candy as dessert it ensures that a nutritious meal is eaten first, rather than getting displaced. It also helps to make it easier to stop eating candy because it's being eaten on a full stomach. One caveat: Don't make "clean plate" a condition for having dessert.

Brush When Done
Brushing your teeth immediately after having candy is a good way to close the candy-eating episode. It also removes the sticky sugars from the teeth and helps to prevent tooth decay.

Everybody in the Family Follows the Rules
Make sure the whole family follows the rules. That means no sneaking candy, mom! The best way parents can help kids establish healthful habits is by teaching by example. What's good for kids is good for their parents too.
Try this recipe for a wholesome treat that won't cause a "scare" when you step on the scale.

POPCORN BRITTLE
Makes 16 servings

Nonstick cooking spray
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoon molasses
2 teaspoon unsalted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
8 cups crushed air-popped popcorn
Spray a large baking sheet with nonstick spray and set it aside.
Combine the sugar, corn syrup, water and molasses in a heavy, large saucepan and set over medium heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves, then clip a candy thermometer to the inside of the pan and, without stirring, bring the mixture to 280 degrees (soft crack).
Stir in the butter and vanilla, then the salt and baking soda. Be careful; the mixture will boil up. Immediately stir in the popcorn. Pour onto the prepared baking sheet and smooth to a thin layer. Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour, then break into chunks and store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to five days.
SERVING SIZE: 1 ounce
POINTS® value: 2 per serving
Recipe reprinted with permission from weightwatchers.com.