Halloween is the day of the year many young kids look forward to. They get to dress up in a costume and walk around to receive free candy. After many hours of trick or treating kids gather around and examine their full bags. They trade, munch, and enjoy their candy while they tell scary stories and enjoy this annual holiday. 

Although this holiday brings joy to many kids’ hearts, it also brings cavities and unhealthy eating habits. Many parents will monitor how much candy their kid/kids collect on Halloween while some parents give their child/children free rein. 

How much candy kids receive on Halloween drastically affects the health of that child? 

For instance, the child who was monitored while trick or treating might only have enough candy to eat everyday for a week while the free rein children are munching on candy for months. The more exposure to candy, the faster cavities and unhealthy eating habits occur. 

So, is handing out candy on Halloween the problem? 

Think about it, if we gave children healthy snacks such as apples, it isn’t guaranteed they will eat it. Kids want to eat what is appealing to them. The holiday would lose most of its meaning. 

Maybe the problem is perhaps the parents, and how much candy they are letting their children receive. 

Yes, candy is unhealthy but one week of candy never killed anyone. Or even made that much of a difference. Truly and honestly, I don’t think handing out candy on Halloween is the problem. I think we should monitor how much the young ones receive and separate it into portions. So, to answer the question, no: we should not give kids apples instead of candy.

I asked some Millikin students what their initial thoughts on the matter was to get various opinions and this is what I got. Most students said we should give candy on Halloween. They all argued that giving apples would take the fun out of it. 

One student Justin Allen said, “No, because if you want your kid to be healthy you are completely capable of that. You can easily give them an apple and give the candy they got to other kids.” 

Parents have control over how much candy their child/children receive. I don’t think giving candy to kids on Halloween is a problem, but I do think that allowing them to make candy part of their everyday diet is. 

Halloween candy should be what it is known for: a treat. Something that is rare and brings pleasure when given. Not a common addition to a meal.  

We should be monitoring our kids on Halloween instead of blaming our problems on treat givers. In all honesty, a couple snickers never hurt anyone. One cheat week won’t send your kid down the wrong path. However, a month worth of candy might. 

Imagine giving kids apples on Halloween instead of candy. Kids wouldn’t have as much motivation to enjoy this fun-filled holiday. Society has already implanted in our minds that we would rather eat candy because it tastes good and things that taste good are usually unhealthy. 

Therefore, kids throw fits over eating healthy because it is implanted into our kids minds that healthy food doesn’t taste as good. Giving apples on Halloween would, in my opinion, be a disaster. 

Let’s keep apples out of our children’s trick or treat bags. Instead, monitor your kids on how much you want them eating. Leave the treat givers out of this!

I hope everyone has a great Halloween and that you eat some good candy!