BOo! Don't be scared of candy calories
Halloween is here! That means candy and other sweet treats are EVERYWHERE. How will you resist the cravings? The answer is hidden in our post from last week. Those cravings often happen when we don’t eat enough during other parts of the day, and then stumble across a large amount of conveniently available and sweet-tasting foods. So, here are some points to keep in mind this Halloween to make sure you’re getting all the nutrients you need to support your health and still enjoy your Halloween.
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1.Eat balanced meals throughout the day. Getting a combination of whole grains, protein/dairy, and fruits or vegetables at each meal can help you get the nutrients you need and feel SATISFIED. Think about how much candy you might be willing to eat if you were starving from not eating throughout the day versus if you weren’t really feeling hungry. Also, if you’re eating balanced meals throughout the day, you’ve probably gotten most of the nutrients you need, so you won’t worry about not getting enough of other nutrients if you’re eating candy & treats versus other foods.
2.Be mindful. Before you reach for the candy, consider how hungry you are. While eating the candy or other treats, consider how it’s making your body feel. Are you enjoying the piece of candy? What’s the texture like? Is it different from what you expected it to taste like? And then notice how full you are after eating each piece. Slowing down and being aware of how hungry and full you are while eating the candy can help you realize that point where you’re happy and satisfied with how full you are, versus waiting till you feel uncomfortably full. It can also help you enjoy the candy even more!
3.Be curious. If you do find yourself eating more candy than you planned on eating, try looking at that situation with curiosity. Consider what may have led you to want so much candy: was it really good tasting? Were you pretty hungry when you started eating candy? Had you eaten enough throughout the day prior to eating the candy? Were you eating mindfully or not so much? Having this curious approach leads you to finding out what led up to the experience of eating more candy than you wanted to, and can help you see what might be helpful to keep in mind for the future. Looking at experiences with food with curiosity can help prevent feelings of judgement, which can negatively affect your overall mood and eating habits. Schedule an appointment with the FAU Registered Dietitian to learn more.
4.Bring your own nutritious sweet treats to the party! Looking for a something sweet & nutritious? Check out these fun & fabulous fall-themed recipes:
Apple Chips
Requires baking sheet and oven
Ingredients:
2.Be mindful. Before you reach for the candy, consider how hungry you are. While eating the candy or other treats, consider how it’s making your body feel. Are you enjoying the piece of candy? What’s the texture like? Is it different from what you expected it to taste like? And then notice how full you are after eating each piece. Slowing down and being aware of how hungry and full you are while eating the candy can help you realize that point where you’re happy and satisfied with how full you are, versus waiting till you feel uncomfortably full. It can also help you enjoy the candy even more!
3.Be curious. If you do find yourself eating more candy than you planned on eating, try looking at that situation with curiosity. Consider what may have led you to want so much candy: was it really good tasting? Were you pretty hungry when you started eating candy? Had you eaten enough throughout the day prior to eating the candy? Were you eating mindfully or not so much? Having this curious approach leads you to finding out what led up to the experience of eating more candy than you wanted to, and can help you see what might be helpful to keep in mind for the future. Looking at experiences with food with curiosity can help prevent feelings of judgement, which can negatively affect your overall mood and eating habits. Schedule an appointment with the FAU Registered Dietitian to learn more.
4.Bring your own nutritious sweet treats to the party! Looking for a something sweet & nutritious? Check out these fun & fabulous fall-themed recipes:
Apple Chips
Requires baking sheet and oven
Ingredients:
- Apples
- Cinnamon
- Preheat oven to 225 degrees F.
- Slice apples thinly.
- Sprinkle cinnamon over apple slices.
- Bake for 45 minutes – 1 hour.
Yogurt-Dipped Banana “Ghosts”
Requires parchment paper, popsicle sticks, and a freezer
Ingredients:
Requires parchment paper, popsicle sticks, and a freezer
Ingredients:
- Bananas (up to 4 for good yogurt ratio)
- 1 cup nonfat Greek vanilla yogurt
- Mini chocolate chips
- Popsicle sticks
- Line a large baking sheet (or freezer-proof container) with parchment paper.
- Peel bananas and slice each in half (horizontally). Then cut each half in half (vertically).
- Stick a popsicle stick in each banana and then place on parchment paper and freeze them.
- Dip bananas into vanilla Greek yogurt then put them on the parchment paper.
- Place 2 mini chocolate chip “eyes” on each banana.
- Return to freezer to at least 1 hour.
- Enjoy!