Don’t Spook Kids By Giving Non-Nutritious Candy This Halloween! Hand Out Fun, Glow-in-the-Dark Objects, Stickers & Other Party Favors Instead

Feel free to publish the following Halloween-related article, but make sure to credit me appropriately Connie Bennett, M.S.J., C.H.H.C. www.SugarShockBlog.com, copyright 2006.

Adults, please don’t fall into the candy-giving trap this Halloween when those adorable, costume-clad kids ring your doorbell.

Handing out those traditional blood-sugar bouncing “treats” is a “tricky” proposition. All that candy could send your neighbor’s kids into SUGAR SHOCK!—which means you could contribute to their getting all kinds of health and emotional problems.

You certainly don’t want to do anything that could help make these innocent children become angry, moody, depressed, tired, wired, sleepless, unfocused, or fat from those sugary foods, right?

This Halloween, choose fun, non-edible alternatives instead. There’s no limit to the options. You could give out all kinds of fun, age-appropriate doodads and gizmos such as:

• Glow-in-the-dark insects, spooky fingers and other objects
• Halloween-themed stickers, pencils, temporary tattoos, or other toys
• Holiday chalk, crayons, colored pencils, pens or animal-shaped erasers
• Rubber worms, spiders, or other creepy figures
• Non-Halloween-themed party favors such as hair clips, hair brands, scrunchies, plastic bracelets and rings (for girls).
• Party favors such as engine whistles, key chains, pen, and stickers. (For boys or girls.)

Rest assured, too: Kids will like your creative, Halloween-giving choices. That's right: Researchers found that these non-candy favors can be a big hit.

One study from Yale University revealed that half of the 284 trick-or-treaters aged 3 to 14 didn’t want lollipops, fruit-flavored chews, or hard candies.

Yeah, these smart children instead preferred such toys as glow-in-the-dark insects, stretch pumpkin men, or Halloween-themed stickers and pencils.

If you still insist on giving out food, then try giving trick-or-treaters small pre-packaged:

• Almonds or walnuts (Stay away from peanuts since some children are allergic to them.)
• Shelled sunflower seeds or pistachios
• Raisins in little boxes (Although these are high in natural sugar, they’re far preferable to candy.)
• Bottled water (Yeah, kids will be thirsty from all that walking door to door!)

Connie Bennett is an experienced journalist (Los Angeles Times, TV Guide, cbs.com, etc.) and former, dedicated “sugar addict,” who reluctantly quit sugar and refined carbs on doctor’s orders in 1998. She now laughingly pokes fun of herself as a “Scary Sugar Shrew No More!” — see her fun cartoons at http://www.sugarshock.com/cartoons.shtml. Connie now helps “sugar sufferers” to break free from their dangerous habit, and she's now regarded as a sought-after “Savvy Sugar Sleuth,” who playfully and seriously educates people about the dangers of sugar and culprit carbs, which could include mood swings, depression, anger, “brain fog,” and, of course, weight gain. Connie is author of the engaging, engrossing book SUGAR SHOCK! (Berkley Books, Dec. 26, 2006); founder of an international KickSugar support group; founder of the award-winning SUGAR SHOCK! Blog (www.SugarShockBlog.com); a featured contributor to eDiets.com; a certified holistic health counselor; and a popular speaker.