As Halloween is just around the corner and we're gearing up for all the holiday festivities, I thought I would share with you some of my favorite Halloween swaps that are a little less scary for our health!
Fun fact, eating over 24 grams of added sugar a day for children and women, and 35 grams for men, can drastically effect our immune system in a negative way. In fact, Dr. Ana Maria Temple teaches that sugar intake decreases our immune system from working for up to 5 hours after consumption! 5 HOURS! So if you take into consideration all of the candy our kids (and us adults) consume during Halloween, and we're consuming it all day long, our immune system isn't able to function at its fullest potential all day long and into the night (especially if we're eating late). So it's no wonder we all get sick after parties and holidays. Our bodies aren't able to function properly to fight off any viruses and germs that we come in contact with during those times.
So to help reduce the amount of sugar handed to us on Halloween, I've created a short and fun list of items I buy to give to kids when they come to my home.
Glow Sticks: $12.99 / 100 pack on Amazon
These are great because they are cheap, last for a short period of time and then you throw them away, and they also help keep our kids safe while they're out running around in the dark! Honestly, this is my favorite Halloween "trick".
Glow in the Dark Bouncy Balls: $27 / 144 pack on Amazon
These bouncy balls are a lot of fun and are something kids can play with at any age. The fact that they glow in the dark is an added bonus, making it a fun Halloween "trick" as well!
Jack-O-Lantern Cuties: $6.68 / 5 lb bag on Walmart
These cuties do take time and effort to turn into Jack-O-Lanterns, but they almost always are received with excited faces! I like to take these to parties and smaller Halloween events, just because I really don't want to draw hundreds of faces on cuties, I'd rather do about 50, then I'm done! :)
Halloween Tattoos: $7.69 / 134 PCS on Amazon
Another fun idea is the Halloween Tattoos. Every kid, young or old, loves sticking a tattoo on themselves. It's a one time thing, and you throw it away after it's used so you don't have a lingering toy hanging around. I usually pair these with the glow stick to make the kids feel like they're getting more than just a small tattoo.
Let's not forget about the fun food that accompanies Halloween. One of my families favorite meals for Halloween is Pumpkin Chili. Did you know that pumpkin is rich in Vitamin A, E and C? All great for increasing your immune system, skin health, and heart health! Who wouldn't want that?!
Pumpkin Chili
1 lb ground beef or ground turkey
32 oz canned tomatoes
32 oz bone broth
15 oz canned organic pumpkin puree
2 tbls olive oil
1 small yellow onion, diced
1 green pepper, diced
8 oz canned green chilies
8 oz mushrooms, diced (optional)
3-4 cloves of garlic, minced
2 - 15 oz cans either organic black beans, pinto beans, red beans, kidney beans
2 tbls chili powder
1 tbls oregano
1 tbls salt (or more to taste)
1 tsp cinnamon
black pepper to taste
In a large pot, brown ground meat. Once cooked all the way, take out and set aside. Coat the bottom of the pot in olive oil, add diced onion and minced garlic and sauté on medium high heat for 1-2 minutes until translucent and fragrant. Add green peppers and mushrooms. Sauté for another minute. Add remaining ingredients, including ground meat to the pot and simmer on low heat for 30 minutes. Top with sour cream, avocados, cilantro, or shredded cheddar cheese.
*Tip*
For additional veggies and to help cool the chili down, I like to keep frozen cauliflower rice on hand. Add that to your bowls individually to cool down quicker and to add more veggies to the meal! Win-WIN!!!
I love these great and fun alternatives that every kid, big or little, will love!