Halloween candy: how to deal?

[twowhat?]

I'm especially interested in feedback for preschoolers. The girls came home from school with a TON of candy. I remember reading something on here about just letting them at it so they can learn to self-regulate. Makes sense. I thought I'd take slightly different approach and I told the girls that if they ate their (healthy) dinner, then they could have AS MUCH candy as they wanted.

FAIL! It resulted in screaming, crying, and tantrums over dinner!! I know they had sweets at school too so in hindsight they probably weren't really hungry.

In the end we compromised on just a few bites of dinner. They still self-regulated fairly well - DD1 ate 2 little packs of skittles and DD2 had 3 packs. Both of them determined when they were full and stopped eating. Ugh that amount sounds so awful. But I kind of expected it to be worse.

Candy is EVIL!!! The girls were entirely cranky, hyped up, uncooperative, and just BEARS this evening. In the end they crashed, actually requested to go to bed early, and are quiet in bed for now.

We absolutely want to take them TOTing. Last year we were able to make the candy go "out of sight, out of mind". This year, that won't work. So what are your strategies for dealing with all the candy with preschoolers? And if you go the "let them eat as much as they want" do you do this just on the first night, or every day until it's gone, or what?

[LMPC]

My strategy this year is going to be to let her have what she wants the first night and then to get rid of it (AKA hide it so DH and I can eat it later LOL!). When she asks where it's gone, I am planning to shrug my shoulders innocently and offer her something sweet but not full off processed sugar/HFCS [shudder] -- like a nice piece of chocolate (that she is allowed to have on occasion). I'm still good at the "good for her" lies :tongue5:

[ZeeBaby]

Last year I allowed a couple of pieces after dinner and the rest disappeared to work. I will do the same again this year. I am more concerned with potential meltdowns for the MIA candy lol. We have a well established one treat rule so if DD1 gets to eat two pieces she will feel like she is doing great lol.

[elephantmeg]

we have a bin for each of them where their candy is kept. They can have a piece after school if they think about it but honestly, there is still valentine's day candy in there-actually DD just finished the last piece from her cousin's b-day party LAST Oct! The first few days are rough and after that it comes and goes. We end up with more candy after parades in the summer then at Halloween!

[SnuggleBuggles]

A day or 2 of candy over indulgence doesn't phase me. IME. the interest in the candy wanes after 1-3 days. And after the first week it barely gets touched at all and we toss it or send it to dh's work.

Beth

[KrisM]

A day or 2 of candy over indulgence doesn't phase me. IME. the interest in the candy wanes after 1-3 days. And after the first week it barely gets touched at all and we toss it or send it to dh's work.

Beth

Here too. After 3 or so days, I pick out what I know they like and stash that and send the rest to work with DH. The keepers get eaten a piece at a time over the next few months.

[maestramommy]

Well, the girls just went trunk or treating today. There had to be at least 20 cars in the lot, and they came back with bags full. We are taking them ToTing on Monday, but our street is a little sparse, so we aren't expecting much candy from that trek (trek being the operative word).

They got to eat one treat (some of it wasn't candy) in the car. Then they had to eat their entire dinner before they could have any more candy. Now I didn't give them much, seeing as it wasn't their favorite food. I gave them a small amount with a little bit of everything. We have this saying in our house that we stole from a book, "everyone eats a little bit of everything." Dora and Arwyn were able to finish their dinner. Laurel didn't. So she didn't get any candy. She climbed back into her chair a couple of times, but in the end she just wasn't hungry. So she didn't put up a fuss about the candy either.

After lunch and dinner they are allowed ONE candy. which could be one mini bar, or one tiny box of Nerds, or one tube of Smarties. But with the multi-unit candies, a lot of times Dora doesn't finish. She just doesn't have as much a sweet tooth. Arwyn usually finishes and Laurel wouldn't self-regulate if her life depended on it. So we stick with the one candy rule.

It kills me that my 2yo is eating candy. With all the HFCS, food dyes, the whole nine yards. But she (unlike her sisters at this age) knows when she is being left out or missing out, and won't allow it. So we have compromised with 2 candies a day. BUT they have to to finish their meal. That's our rule for dessert anyway, so it's not like it's a new thing.

We also went through their candy after they went to bed, and confiscated stuff like taffy, which Dh thinks is downright evil, hard candy in the younger ones' bags, starbursts in Laurel's bag. There's still so much candy in their they'll never know the difference. If one person is finishing much faster than the others, we usually redistribute a little. Last year they never noticed that either. :tongue5:

OP, did you say your kids are in preschool? How the frakk did they get so much candy at school??

[twowhat?]

OP, did you say your kids are in preschool? How the frakk did they get so much candy at school??

It's the freakin' PARENTS!!! Several of them send in GOODY BAGS! :angry-smiley-005: (and I apologize in advance to any one of you who likes to do goody bags for your child's class for Halloween!)

[hoodlims]

My neighbor does this thing called the "Switch Witch". The kids can turn their candy into the "Switch Witch" for another gift (toy, book, etc). Her only problem is figuring out what to do with the candy after that.

[Simon]

Ds1 has always forgotten about his candy within the first week.

Dh and I do take out the things he can't have (taffy, caramels, etc.) and we regularly ask him to share a piece with us. But, usually even if we don't set a limit to how much he eats he just loses interest by the next weekend.

I guess this may change over the years but he doesn't have a big sweet tooth so I think it just isn't on his radar.

FWIW I have a HUGE sweet tooth and was allowed to self-regulate as a child. I am sure I ate 10+ pieces in the beginning but I always tapered off and had candy left over at Thanksgiving.

[Canna]

I definitely agree that this should not be an issue at the preschool level. DD's preschool has a strict no-candy-cookies-cake-junkfood policy. On Friday a parent was in the classroom reading Pumpkin Soup and serving the kids delicious homemade pumpkin soup with apples, celery, and onion in it. (I had some - it was awesome.)

There is a movement at DD#1's elementary school now (started by the PTA) to change the culture of the school to eliminate food rewards and junk food treats there. I allow my child to eat occasional treats and junk food - but I'd love to make school a place where I don't have to worry about her getting these things without my permission. After our great preschool experience, I was shocked with DD#!'s kindergarten teacher brought in donuts a couple of times last year as a reward for the class.

[Melaine]

This is the first year it's a real issue. We don't have preschool but they have gotten extra treats at Yoga class and the YMCA. Then we went trunk or treating last weekend. With their birthday a couple weeks ago, a baby shower that weekend, another birthday party, and trunk or treat, we have really gotten a ridiculous amount of candy. And technically there is still Halloween night (haven't decided what we are doing for that.) I think I might offer them the option of trading their candy in for a toy from the gift closet.

[kijip]

We let them have at it that night. Last year we had a child living with us who was overweight and had some behaviorial issues when he ate too much sugar so I bought it from them after the first night. With T, after the first night where he just picks through it, he pretty much lets it sit. This year, I don't kno what I will do.

[connor_mommy]

My boys are 5 and 7 now. Ever since we started to trick or treat, I would tell them that I need to inspect their candies. I pull out the stuff they don't like, stuff with gum and spicy candy. They can eat a piece or two that night. I hand them back their bags after I'm done. Then over the next few days, I pull out a handful or two every other day. After a week or so, they are left with a small bag. They have access to it, but usually forget out it.

Her only problem is figuring out what to do with the candy after that.

Last year, someone in our neighborhood organized a candy drive for the troops. I dropped of about 3 gallon sized ziploc bags full of candy.

[roseyloxs]

I will use it for movie nights. Every friday we have a movie night. Every week at the store I will let the kids pick a treat for movie night. After halloween I will let them decide if they want halloween candy as a treat or something new.

I will let them have a couple pieces on halloween night and maybe pack a piece in ds's lunch for a few days. After that it will all be regulated to movie nights.

[Melaine]

I will use it for movie nights. Every friday we have a movie night. Every week at the store I will let the kids pick a treat for movie night. After halloween I will let them decide if they want halloween candy as a treat or something new.

I will let them have a couple pieces on halloween night and maybe pack a piece in ds's lunch for a few days. After that it will all be regulated to movie nights.

Oh....I like that idea!

[hillview]

A day or 2 of candy over indulgence doesn't phase me. IME. the interest in the candy wanes after 1-3 days. And after the first week it barely gets touched at all and we toss it or send it to dh's work.

Beth

This is us too. DS2 doesn't care at all for it really. He will eat a few pieces over a couple of days and that is it.

[Tenasparkl]

My neighbor does this thing called the "Switch Witch". The kids can turn their candy into the "Switch Witch" for another gift (toy, book, etc). Her only problem is figuring out what to do with the candy after that.

My daughter's dentist told us about the switch witch. As much as my daughter loves candy, she's more excited about trading it for a toy.

[carolinamama]

My strategy this year is going to be to let her have what she wants the first night and then to get rid of it (AKA hide it so DH and I can eat it later LOL!). When she asks where it's gone, I am planning to shrug my shoulders innocently and offer her something sweet but not full off processed sugar/HFCS [shudder] -- like a nice piece of chocolate (that she is allowed to have on occasion). I'm still good at the "good for her" lies :tongue5:

This is exactly what we did with DS1 last year. DS2 didn't get to stay up and indulge as I felt he was too young but he will this year I'm sure. DS1 did NOT regulate very well and ate himself almost sick. But he hasn't done that again and eats quite well most of the time. I think it was the excitement of the first time getting access to so much junk. We will do the same thing again this year. It's only once a year so I can deal with it.

[lablover]

It was never really an issue with DS, he would have a piece or two Halloween night and then quickly forget about it. DD is another story. This year I know she will be asking for it morning, noon and night and she will not forget about it. What makes it worse is that she has a dairy sensitivity, so all the chocolate candy is out, which leaves us with all the hard candy, sticky candy, etc. I'd rather her have the chocolate. Thankfully a local orthodontist does a candy buyback, $1 per pound up to 5 pounds, so we will get I'd of a bulk of it that way.

[BDKmom]

My neighbor does this thing called the "Switch Witch". The kids can turn their candy into the "Switch Witch" for another gift (toy, book, etc). Her only problem is figuring out what to do with the candy after that.

I really like this idea. I'll have to file this away for future use. Thankfully, DS still doesn't remember what he gets or notice when it goes missing.

[Jo]

They get 2-3 items on the first day they get it (from a party or trick or treating).

Then it ALL gets dumped into a large "candy bowl" which I keep on a high shelf. Every once in a while, (2-3 times per week), they get to choose one item as a reward. For example, if they were especially helpful or polite, did a great job cleaning up without being asked, ate all of their vegetables...whatever. It turns into part of our reward system.

Halloween candy typically lasts us for a few months. :)