Mom rolled out the tattered, old table cloth. It was my favorite. It had little holes in it and was torn up a bit on the edges. The Orange background and traditional Halloween artwork meant only one thing. Halloween night was finally here! Mom served up bowls of beanie weenies - baked beans with cut up hot dogs mixed in. We had a growing family - so Mom learned how to feed our seemingly insatiable appetites on a tiny food budget.
I didn't care about budgets or how much food costs. I loved that meal. It tastes great and filled our little tummies as we excitedly asked "Can we leave now?" We weren't thinking about food. The annual night of Trick-or-Treating was foremost on our minds. For some reason Mom always insisted that we finish our meal before could get our costumes on and prepare to hit the street!
Little did we know that Mom was making sure we had a full stomach of decent food. ( I don't know if anyone except the folks who actually made the hot-dogs suspected how bad those popular little links really are. ) Then, when we returned from our night of fun we could safely enjoy some of our treats without making ourselves sick with a candy overload.
We didn't go far - up a block or two and back. Maybe around the block if we were lucky. Somehow we came home with more candy and goodies than our little eyes could even imagine. Candy corn, popcorn balls, caramel apples, and sticks of gum. Tootsie Roll Pops, Bubble gum, lollipops that look like jack-o-lanterns and the occasional big treat - a big, full sized candy bar!
So on this most popular Autumn Holiday I hope many a loving parent will feed their little Trick-or-Treaters a healthy meal with a balance of vegetables and protein. Then, after a night of fun they can rest assured that a few pieces of the bounty won't cause the dreaded upset stomachs and sugar rushes. It is possible to eat healthy on this wonderful night of treats, spooks and ghosts. Healthy eating can easily be a part of your Halloween fun.
Wishing you a safe and Happy Halloween!
