Halloween Aftermath: 5 Ways Parents Can Promote a Healthy Relationship with Food
Food (including candy corn and Dum-Dums) should be part of the fun, connection, and joy.
When Halloween falls on a Friday, it seems like the long weekend is even more laden with cookies, cupcakes, and candy. How you approach sweet or salty treats on holidays and every day can promote a healthy relationship with food. How you respond to the onslaught of what society deems “bad foods” can also miss the bigger picture. It is timely, in the aftermath of Halloween, to consider the ways parents (and other adults) can foster a child’s healthy relationship with food and their body.
Calling candy (or other foods) “bad” or “good” can seem harmless. Of course, you want to provide your loved ones with nutritious food. However, assigning morality to food connects self-worth to food choices. If it’s bad, I’m bad when I eat it. Talking about how “bad” certain foods are for you can make forbidden food more tempting, reinforce weight bias, and cause you to lose sight of what really matters. Halloween and other holidays or family traditions are about the experience, and food (including candy corn and Dum-Dums) should be part of the fun, connection, and joy.
Beyond the Halloween Candy –Â 5 Ways Parents Can Promote a Healthy Relationship with Food
Sanford Behavioral Health Clinical Director Tessa Sterling, LMSW, says, ” HAES (Health at Every Size) supports well-being without focusing on weight or body size as primary indicators of health. We know that body dissatisfaction is a risk factor in the development of eating disorders and other mental health conditions. Our integrative programming at Sanford Behavioral Health incorporates the HAES philosophy, educating individuals and families on the habits that promote a healthy relationship to food and well-being.” Here are five ways parents can support awareness of eating disorders and promote the HAES approach:
1. Focus on fun, not food
Shift the focus from the quantity of candy to the overall experience. Costumes, decorations, friends, and walking/playing/sporting for the joy of it are all part of trick-or-treating, holiday caroling, and family gatherings.
2. Remember not to label foods “good” or “bad”
When you use moral language to describe food, it can unintentionally teach shame, underreporting, hiding, or restriction. Instead, treat candy as one part of a balanced relationship with food. Sanford Clinical Director Tessa Sterling recommends giving your child a nutritious meal before they put on their costume or get ready for the party.
3. Be a role model
When children see adults enjoy candy without guilt (I’m not going to eat anything tomorrow, I have had so much candy!), they learn that all foods fit into a healthy, flexible approach to eating. Choose to move for your heart health or for the joy of it, not to change the size of your body. Do something together as a family. Have fun!
4. Be mindful of body talk
Sometimes, we say things about ourselves that are critical, especially about appearance, before an event. Children are listening. Instead, begin to value and talk about yourself for who you are, not how you look. Positive and neutral words of acceptance said aloud are helpful for kids (who are listening at an early age).
5. Talk about fullness and feelings
Provide a safe environment to discuss feelings, body image, and pressures at school or among your children’s friends. Help kids tune in to their bodies by asking questions like, “How does your stomach feel?” and “Did that make you feel satisfied?” This approach supports intuitive eating and self-trust.
At Sanford Comprehensive Treatment for Eating Disorders, our experienced professionals utilize evidence-based techniques and a personalized approach to address each individual’s needs. At Sanford, we offer a range of treatment modalities, including individual therapy, group therapy, nutrition counseling, and family therapy, all of which are available at our behavioral health campus. If you or a loved one is struggling with an eating disorder, please get in touch with our caring admissions specialists – they answer phones 24/7.
