Hello everyone! We hope that you’re enjoying a Spooktacular October! We have lots of healthy snacks and treats at Pathfinder Produce for you to share with your family this month -- a time for ghosts and goblins, more school sports, and good times in our communities! Come to our Pathfinder Produce market this week at the Village Commons on Thursday from 1 to 5 p.m. for the freshest items around.
Here at Pathfinder Village, we’re also celebrating National Down Syndrome Awareness Month and National Disability Employment Awareness Month at the market, and you get to SAVE on your purchases with the attached printable coupon. With ten percent off your purchases for the 10th month of the year, October really rocks! (And don’t forget our online ordering site … it’s a big timesaver!)
Speaking of good times, Pathfinder Village’s residential homes will be hosting our Community Trick-or-Treat event on Saturday, October 27, from 3 to 5 p.m. for Edmeston and Burlington children (up to age 13). Children are invited to wear their costumes and must be accompanied by a parent/guardian. Our Hamilton College friends will be joining with our Pathfinder residents again to create another amazing Haunted House in the Commons … we’ll be sure to post pictures on our Facebook page to share with everyone.
Below, my colleague Sally Trosset offers her thoughts on some healthier Halloween options that you may like to try this year:
***
Healthy Halloween
According to Candy Store.com, Skittles, Reese’s Cups and M&M's were the top three Halloween candies in 2017. I am definitely a chocolate fan over the gummy fruit Halloween candy. Halloween is a fun and playful holiday for both kids and grownups alike! Between costumes, home decorations, and tasty treats, there is something for everyone celebrating this fun day.
Unfortunately, the treats can be the “gift” that keeps giving as they are tough on the waistline and the wallet when heading to the dentist for fillings! The act of sharing treats on Halloween has been around forever, but nowadays Halloween brings more than a small bag of candy. It brings pillowcases full of candy -- from school parties, office parties and trick-or-treating, a year's worth of candy can be hauled in just in one day! I personally love Halloween and want to celebrate, but I'd like to do it without gaining five pounds and developing five cavities. Following are some ideas to stay festive while de-emphasizing the candy intake.
First, why not try some non-candy alternatives. Both Walmart and Target have bargain bins with inexpensive, festive trinkets (Halloween erasers, pencils, mini Play-Dohs, spider rings, etc.)
Let's face it though, candy-free alternatives do not always go over well with kids. If that's the case, try the "everything in moderation" rule. Make a plan after the holiday to lay out all the candy received and decide on a quantity to keep and a quantity to give away. Check out organizations like Candy Store.com or Operation Gratitude.com for donation ideas, including donations to our troops overseas.
Aside from trick-or-treating, there are many other ways to celebrate Halloween. Spooky house decorating, carving pumpkins, leaf peeping hikes in the woods, visiting haunted houses or corn mazes are all fun ideas. The Cooperstown Candlelight Ghost Tours have been a popular event for many years in my town (although make a reservation, as they fill up fast!). All of these ideas are not only festive but they’re also active and keep your sweet tooth in check.
If you find yourself hosting or attending a Halloween party, check out healthy Halloween treats for kids for some nice, healthy, and interesting alternatives. Or try some simple Halloween fruit ideas for fun ways to decorate healthy treats--carving out an orange and filling it with other fruits, then decorating it with some eyes, a nose, and teeth for a mini jack-o-lantern creation was my favorite!
This year, while keeping your celebration focused on Halloween fun, try working in other seasonal ideas besides trick-or-treating, that way you can take some of the focus off candy and give your family new ways to celebrate this fun-filled day!
Until next time, eat well and have fun!
Sally (and Lori)
