How to Plan a Pre‐Candy Halloween Meal
Focus on fiber., Pick a whole grain base., Include plenty of veggies., Supplement your meal with a healthy protein.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Focus on fiber.
Fiber is one of the most important aspects of a healthy meal.
Not only does it fill your family up, it will keep everyone feeling full for longer.
Perhaps most importantly on Halloween night: fiber slows the absorption of other nutrients, including sugar.
In turn, fiber will help prevent the unhealthy spikes in blood sugar and insulin that are likely to follow an active night of trick-or-treating.Plan the meal so that each portion contains at least 5 grams of fiber.
The best way to do this is design a meal based on whole grains and vegetables.
Fruits are a good source too, but also contain lots of sugar
- which nobody needs on Halloween. -
Step 2: Pick a whole grain base.
Basing the meal on whole grains is ideal.
The fiber to calorie and sugar ratios are especially good, and your options are still wide open.
Simply prominently feature whole grains on their own, whole grain bread, or whole grain noodles.An especially easy option is sandwiches on whole grain bread.
Put out hummus, lettuce, tomato, and avocado and let everyone make their own.
If you’re making the sandwiches ahead of time, add some skeleton eyes and teeth with toothpicks and black olive pieces.
If unable to work whole grains into the entree, put some whole grain rolls or crackers on the table to supplement the meal. , Another vital component of a healthy, low-sugar meal is lots of vegetables.
In fact, you can make an almost all-veggie meal by making veggie kabobs.
Mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, zucchini, pea pods, and even broccoli are all great raw or grilled.Skewers over a fire pit just before trick-treating is sure to lead to some happy Halloween memories before the sugar even hits.
The kids will likely even build their own meals.
A veggie snack is another good way to refuel kids too, if there’s a lag between eating dinner and going out to hunt for candy.
Cut up the most colorful veggies you can find
- bell peppers and purple carrots are great
- with hummus or guacamole to dip them in. , Lean meat, such as chicken, or a vegetable protein such as tofu can be added to most meals to help everyone feel full for even longer.Another particularly good addition or base for meal is quinoa, which is the whole grain with the highest amount of protein.
Use it in almost any dish instead of rice. -
Step 3: Include plenty of veggies.
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Step 4: Supplement your meal with a healthy protein.
Detailed Guide
Fiber is one of the most important aspects of a healthy meal.
Not only does it fill your family up, it will keep everyone feeling full for longer.
Perhaps most importantly on Halloween night: fiber slows the absorption of other nutrients, including sugar.
In turn, fiber will help prevent the unhealthy spikes in blood sugar and insulin that are likely to follow an active night of trick-or-treating.Plan the meal so that each portion contains at least 5 grams of fiber.
The best way to do this is design a meal based on whole grains and vegetables.
Fruits are a good source too, but also contain lots of sugar
- which nobody needs on Halloween.
Basing the meal on whole grains is ideal.
The fiber to calorie and sugar ratios are especially good, and your options are still wide open.
Simply prominently feature whole grains on their own, whole grain bread, or whole grain noodles.An especially easy option is sandwiches on whole grain bread.
Put out hummus, lettuce, tomato, and avocado and let everyone make their own.
If you’re making the sandwiches ahead of time, add some skeleton eyes and teeth with toothpicks and black olive pieces.
If unable to work whole grains into the entree, put some whole grain rolls or crackers on the table to supplement the meal. , Another vital component of a healthy, low-sugar meal is lots of vegetables.
In fact, you can make an almost all-veggie meal by making veggie kabobs.
Mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, zucchini, pea pods, and even broccoli are all great raw or grilled.Skewers over a fire pit just before trick-treating is sure to lead to some happy Halloween memories before the sugar even hits.
The kids will likely even build their own meals.
A veggie snack is another good way to refuel kids too, if there’s a lag between eating dinner and going out to hunt for candy.
Cut up the most colorful veggies you can find
- bell peppers and purple carrots are great
- with hummus or guacamole to dip them in. , Lean meat, such as chicken, or a vegetable protein such as tofu can be added to most meals to help everyone feel full for even longer.Another particularly good addition or base for meal is quinoa, which is the whole grain with the highest amount of protein.
Use it in almost any dish instead of rice.
About the Author
Joshua Henderson
A passionate writer with expertise in DIY projects topics. Loves sharing practical knowledge.
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