Happy Halloween! Make your 'treat' a healthy one

Hello HEY Readers! Happy Halloween! Remember when you would come home with that sack of candy after hours of 'trick or treating' with your friends? Well we do! :-) Ah the excitement as you poured the 'goods' onto the kitchen table - careful to not mix yours with your siblings'. After all you 'earned' that candy and you wouldn't want to lose any of it over a simple mix up. Yes you eagerly awaited your turn as the adults sifted through the candy to ensure its safety....

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You watched hoping they wouldn't toss any of your favorites into the garbage because the wrapper didn't quite look right. Occasionally a cool Halloween toy could be found in the mound of candy and you quickly grabbed it to play with as you waited. You called out in agony as you watched one of your adult relatives grab your favorite snack, rip open the wrapper, and pop it into his mouth as he chuckled. Finally, the adults gave the 'green light' and you could toss all the goods back in your bag. Although you would keep a handful of your favorites out so you could scarf them down before bed time. 

Those were the good old days! Or were they? I remember eating enough candy to get a stomach ache and I never could get good sleep Halloween night. All that sugar and those artificial ingredients created inflammation and  digestion issues for me. :-( 

When I grew up, I became friends with a co-worker and wonderful woman named Coleen. Coleen LOVED Halloween. She would work for days to ready the front of her house in true Halloween fan style including fake graves, ghosts, goblins, and let's not forget the witches! She would also spend countless hours choosing 'treats.' The treats she selected were usually Halloween themed trinkets and toys. Now I know what you're thinking...what???? TOYS??? Children want candy on Halloween! Well, you might be right. However, Coleen's house was the most visited house in her neighborhood year after year! Children would plead with their parents to take them to her house so they could trick or treat there. The combination of the amazing Halloween decorations and her cool selection of 'treats' was enough to keep a line forming at her house every year.

So why are we sharing this story with you? As you know we promote healthy eating and healthy living. Below are some alternatives to the ordinary 'candy' treats that can be given each Halloween. ​

If you feel that giving out toys just isn't for you, why not try giving some healthy food? Sean Croxton and Jon Margalit paired up to create a natural, whole-food organic snack bar without fillers, artificial ingredients, or chemicals. It's called "The J.E.R.F. Bar." That stands for just eat real food. :-) 

That's what we are giving out this year! We are also including a Health Empowered You sticker with each J.E.R.F Bar.