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Most tricks have been dropped from
Halloween celebrations, and often treats
for children are high in sugar and
fat.
In 1994, the nutritional recommendations
for diabetes changed. According to recent
studies, incorporating sucrose (sugar)
into the meal plan does not interfere with
blood glucose control. Of course this does
not mean loading up on all the candy &
sugar treats you have bagged going
door-to-door. What it does mean, is that
you can incorporate some sugar into your
meals, along with a variety of healthy
foods such as fruits, vegetables, grains,
meats, beans, dairy and monounsaturated
for polyunsaturated fats. If you child has
diabetes, the treats high in sugar can
make this ghoulish holiday not so
"bountiful." Fortunately, there are great
alternatives for Halloween. They can be
party goodies or healthy food treats which
fit into your child's food plan.
Instead of candy, why not try giving
plastic spiders, creepy crawlers,
stickers, pencils, crayons, bracelets,
rings, nickels, dimes, barrettes, ponytail
holders, matchbox cars, baseball cards,
shoelaces or coupons to be redeemed at a
favorite video store.
Have a party in your home ~ This is one
way Mom and Dad can offer foods that fit
into the child's food plan. On the plus
side, the child can help to plan, organize
and prepare some of the healthy treats and
beverages. Remember, a serving of rice, a
glass of milk, or a cookie will have the
same effect on blood glucose, as long as
they contain equal grams of carbohydrate.
Don't forget candy and high sugar desserts
often come with added fat grams and are
not good sources of vitamins and minerals.
Here are some Halloween party and treat
ideas for your child's Halloween
celebration.
Fruit
and Cheese Tray
Dirt
Dessert
Floating
Hand Punch
Chocolate
Smunchies
Orange
Perfect Popcorn
Easy
Peanut Butter Cookies
Microwave
Rice Krispies Treats™
Fruit
and Cheese Tray
Prepare a fruit tray with pretzel
rods, low fat crackers, dried fruits,
fresh fruits, and use Halloween cookie
cutters to cut shapes from low-fat or
non-fat cheese slices. Garnish this tray
with creepy, crawly plastic spiders, bugs
and bats!
Dirt Dessert
Purchase individual sugar-free chocolate
pudding cups, or make your own sugar-free
chocolate pudding cups. Top with fat-free
Cool Whip™ and sugar-free gooey
worms. Per
Serving: 1 Bread/Starch Exchange.
Floating Hand Punch
1 pkg. grape flavor sugar-free
gelatin
1 pkg. strawberry flavor sugar-free
gelatin
2 cups hot water
1 to 2 cups cold water
1 vinyl or latex glove, adult size
Dissolve gelatin in two cups of hot water.
Add 1 to 2 cups cold water. The grape and
strawberry gelatin should turn almost
black in color. For a deep color, use two
packages of grape and two packages of
strawberry gelatin.
Pour into vinyl or latex glove. Close
tightly at open end and freeze. When
firmly frozen, remove from freezer and
remove the vinyl glove from the "frozen
hand" Place in punch bowl with favorite
sugar-free punch. Watch your child's
guests when they see the "floating
hand"
1 pkg. sugar-free chocolate pudding mix
(the kind you cook)
2 cups nonfat milk
3 cups old-fashioned peanut butter
Low-fat whipped topping
70 graham cracker squares
Mix chocolate pudding according to
directions on package. Cool. Mix peanut
butter with pudding. Drop 1 Tbsp. onto 1
square graham cracker. Place low-fat
whipped topping on top of the
pudding-peanut butter mixture and cover
with second graham cracker square. Freeze
until ready to serve. Yield: 35
servings.
Per
Serving: 200 Calories; 12g Fat (with
old-fashioned peanut butter; you can
reduce fat grams by using reduced-fat
peanut butter). Dietary Exchanges: 1
Starch/Bread; 1 Medium-fat meat; 1
Fat.
Preheat oven to 350F. In a large mixing
bowl, beat milk, peanut butter, egg and
vanilla until smooth. Add baking mix; mix
well. Chill at least 1 hour. Shape dough
into 1-inch balls. Roll in sugar. Place 2
inches apart on ungreased baking sheets.
Flatten with fork. Bake 6 to 8 minutes or
until lightly browned (do not overbake).
Cool. Store tightly covered at room
temperature. Yield: 60 cookies.
Per (2 cookie) Serving: 132 Cal; 6gm Total
Fat; 2gm Sat Fat; 16gm Carb; 4gm Protein;
153mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 Starch; 1 Fat.
1 Carbo Choices.
1/4 cup margarine
1 pkg. (10 oz, about 40 marshmallows)
regular marshmallows or 4 cups miniature
marshmallows (Note: use fresh marshmallows
for best results).
6 cups Kellog's Rice Krispies™
cereal
Vegetable cooking spray
Microwave margarine and marshmallows on
high 2 minutes in microwave-safe bowl.
Stir to combine. Microwave on High 1
minute longer. Stir until smooth. Add
cereal. Stir until well coated.
Using buttered spatula or waxed paper,
press mixture evenly into 13x9x2-inch pan
coated with cooking spray. Cut into
squares when cool. Yield: 24 Squares.
Per each (2x2-inch) Square: 82 Cal; 2gm
Fat; 16gm Carb; 104mg Sodium; 1gm Protein.
Exchanges: 1 Starch. 1 Carbo Choice.
About the Author:
Marilyn Helton was diagnosed with Type 2
diabetes in 1993. She is the publisher of
Cinnamon Hearts~The Art of Living A
Winning Diabetic Lifestyle, a
positive-power online Ezine for diabetics
and their families. Marilyn is also an
active member of the International
Association of Culinary Professionals and
the American Diabetes Association, in
addition to being the book review
columnist for Voice of the Diabetic, an
international publication of the National
Federation of the Blind.
Resources: Fabulous Foods (www.fabulousfoods.com)
and The Diabetic Gourmet (http://diabeticgourmet.com).
Happy Halloween
Make some fun and festive treats this Halloween with your little goblins. But don't leave yourself out in the graveyard with nothing to munch.
Here are some Halloween recipes that are not only for the kids. We've included some for hungry parents as well...so come join in some deliciously
scary fun!
by Rachel Rudel, R.D., L.R.D.
Happy Halloween
