Let’s be honest: We all say Halloween candy is for kids, but it’s hard not to reach for a piece — or seven — once it’s in your house. While I can’t come to your house and physically prevent you from housing the whole bag at once, I can offer you some tried-and-true tips to keep your candy binge in check.
7 Ways to Avoid Eating leftover Halloween Candy
1. Hold Off On Buying Candy
Buy candy for trick-or-treaters as close to Halloween night as you can. Less temptation leading up to Halloween, and you are less likely to make a run to go buy more.
2. Buy Less Candy, Give Out More
Buy less than you think you will need. This will help you avoid having leftovers hanging around the house. It’s better for you to run out of treats than to be left eating them yourself. If you find that your Halloween candy bowl is still full as the night goes on, start handing out more candy to each costumed kiddo that rings your doorbell. They’ll be thrilled, and you’ll be saved.
3. Buy the Stuff You Like the Least
One simple way to prevent yourself from eating leftover candy is to buy stuff you don’t like, whether that’s candy corn, atomic fireballs, or Good & Plenty. Buying what you don’t like will make you less likely to indulge and reduce the urge you have to sample treats as you hand them out on Halloween.
It’s not that I want to be cruel to others by feeding them waxy candy corn. Some kids love it. I just know I won’t eat a single piece.
4. Eat Well
Sugar cravings can strike when you’re hungry and haven’t consumed enough fuel to keep your blood sugar in balance. Eat protein and fiber-rich meals in the days before and after Halloween. It’ll make you feel less tempted to create a dinner out of mini candy bars.
5. Savor a Single Treat
Mindless eating is a good way to eat way more than you mean to — whether that’s nuts, chips, or candy. Rather than sitting in from of your TV munching your way through a bag of chocolate, try mindful eating.
Select the one piece of candy that you most want to eat. Tune out all other distractions and focus on savoring the experience of eating it. Chew slowly, let it melt in your mouth, enjoy the sweetness, and notice how it makes you feel. Cutting that piece of candy into smaller pieces will make the experience last longer, and according to research may even make you feel like you’re eating more. Make your piece of candy go even further by chopping it into tiny pieces and sprinkling the bits on top of plain Greek yogurt.
6. Keep Your Mouth Minty Fresh
When you get the urge to unwrap handfuls of Halloween loot, give your pearly whites a quick brushing and see if that curbs it. Brushing your teeth can be a successful deterrent — especially the chewy, sticky stuff like caramels and gummy bears.
7. Just Chuck It
This will likely put you in the running for Worst Parent Ever, but ask your kids to choose their favorite treats and then donate or throw away the rest. The longer treats stay in the house uneaten, the more likely you are to give in to temptation.