Let Them Eat Sweets

Halloween comes upon us with a specific goal in mind, to collect as much candy as possible before the parents want to call it a night. It's a wonder that chaperones don't gain 10 lbs; and that's without considering the biggest feast day of the year, Thanksgiving. I ate a ton of candy when I was a kid. After all is said and done, why not? Kids should just bite the bullet and get it out of their system.

I actually thought about this. I did in fact pound candy as a kid, and I regretfully have the cavities to prove it. My mom, also, tended to reward us with candy...so I guess you could say I was groomed to have a sweet tooth.

Years later I married a guy who wasn't that into sweets. A new concept but change is good and I grew to like his way of eating, kind of paleo. Sweets were still in the picture, but after culinary school 'refined' was out and 'wholesome' in. Instead of Hostess cupcakes I made my own cream filled chocolate cupcakes. Instead of Charleston Chews I made my own bark with marshmallows. Oh and most importantly, I have grown... I'd like to say, to enjoy sweets, occasionally. They just aren't an integral part of my diet and nothing beats good old food!

These days I see my kids somewhat engaged with sweets as I raise them with my own life experience in mind. I make sure to have plenty of 'wholesome food' around to fill their bellies before the sweets (try my recipe for white bean soup with a good baguette before trick or treating).

And if they want the standard processed stuff, I let them have it. I just make sure to have those homemade frosted brownies around every now and then or a chocolate cake roll with fresh cream filling. In the end I'm hoping that they'll make healthier choices by simply tasting good food, with little or no cavities to boot.