Trick or Treat - Navigating Halloween Treats When You Have Diabetes

Don’t skip Halloween this year

Halloween for people living with diabetes can be challenging when trying to maintain healthy blood sugar levels. Use the holiday as an opportunity to teach your whole family how to enjoy sweets, in moderation, as part of an overall balanced diet.

Create a Smart Halloween Game Plan

Talk to your family before the Halloween festivities to know what to expect and enlist their help. By including the kids in the conversation, you are teaching a valuable life skill—how to navigate diabetes-friendly treats for Halloween and other holidays when temptation is at its highest.

Trick or Treating: How to Handle the Candy

Diabetes-friendly treats for Halloween don’t have to be all about navigating candy options. Pass out other Halloween goodies such as stickers, glow sticks, and other small toys. Encourage your neighbors to do the same.

After trick or treating, ask your children to select their favorite pieces of candy and get rid of the rest. Make it a family affair and a rewarding experience for everyone by donating the leftover candy to a community charity or local hospital, or trade the candy for a movie ticket, new toy, or gift card.

Don’t be Tricked by Sugar-Free Treats

Knowing what to eat can be confusing. “Sugar-free” snacks or candy does not mean carbohydrate-free.

Compare the total carbohydrate content of a sugar-free food or candy with that of the standard product. “No-sugar added” foods do not have any form of sugar added during processing or packaging and do not contain high-sugar ingredients. But remember, they may still be high in carbohydrates, so check the label.

Plan for the Parties

Are you hosting or attending a Halloween party?

With some preparation, you’ll be ready to face the party head-on and have fun! To avoid high or low blood sugar levels, you must stick to your regular eating pattern and fill your plate with the same amount of carbohydrates you eat on most days. Offer to bring diabetes-friendly treats for your Halloween party: lower-carbohydrate or non-starchy, produce-based dishes like veggies and dip or tossed, green salads so you will have healthful options.

Need an appetizer?

Try this Graveyard Guacamole served with the slices of your favorite veggies or these Avocado Stuffed Marinated Mushrooms.

Need a kid-friendly dessert?

Try these Avocado Halloween Pumpkin Balls or these Googly Eye Avocado Pudding Cups .

Unlike most other fruits, avocados pivot easily from salads to desserts thanks to their creamy texture and neutral taste.

Plus, avocado contains zero grams of naturally occurring sugar per serving and does not affect the glycemic response.

Whether you have diabetes or live with someone who does, the key to making Halloween fun for people living with diabetes or any holiday event is portion control and thoughtful choices. For more delicious meal ideas and festive ways to add avocado to any occasion, check out more recipes here.

Check out more articles for helpful resources to pass on to your clients. Visit Avocados - Love One Today and sign up to receive our newsletter written exclusively for health professionals.