Halloween can be a scary time for even the most health conscious. Everywhere we turn there are decadent treats. Not to mention, the ginormous oversized bags of candy lurking around every corner. The most frightful part? So many people view Halloween as the starting point of 3 months of healthy habits going in a downward spiral. Don’t fret! The Vegetarian’s Guide To A Healthy Halloween will help you shift that mindset before you can say BOO!
Tara’s Tuesday Tips:
The Vegetarian’s Guide To A Healthy Halloween
Time to start thinking of Halloween as a time to evaluate your skills + strategies instead of glooming over your weaknesses. Maybe you simply need a few healthy tools in your toolbox (or candy bucket)! Some days are just special. To me, Halloween is one of those days. Let me say this loud + clear for the people in the back of the room: It is ok to enjoy a holiday without diet culture haunting you + making you feel as though you have done something wrong because you ate the forbidden sugar. Stop it + get real. A few tips can help you stay focused on your overall health while still enjoying a candy holiday in peace.
The Cold Hard Truth
Let’s face it. One night of enjoying goodies is not going to ruin your day, your month, your year, your life. Let’s get some perspective + just eat the Twix bar if that’s what it takes to make your Halloween complete.
The Party’s Over
First, put tip #1 in perspective. Then, come to the realization that the party must end at some point. Give yourself a deadline of when the Halloween indulgences end. Is it after trick-or treating? Is it at midnight? Pick a time and stick to it.
Choose Wisely
Perhaps to you, Halloween means eating licorice, then eat the licorice. That being said, if licorice on Halloween is your thing, don’t settle for whatever candy comes in your path. Choose the treats that satisfy the craving and leave the ones that don’t.
You Don’t HAVE To Give Out Candy
I might say eat the Twix bar and that sounds like a fabulous plan on October 5th. However, when the 31st rolls around and the 50 lb bag of Twix makes its way in the house, you might be pushing the limits of your willpower to the point of overload. What to do? Maybe buy one small bag of Twix bars + give out non-food items like pencils, stickers, bouncy balls, or glow sticks. Some people say to give out candy you don’t like. I think you might eat it anyway in a moment of desperation, so that’s not a good plan. If that sounds like you, opt for the non-food treats instead.
HYDRATE!
If you have read my Tuesday Tips before, you might have heard this one on repeat. Sometimes, drinking a big glass of water fixes everything. The cravings, the brain fog, the headache, the hunger. When my vegetarian kids were little, I would have so many things to remember on Halloween that the last thing I was thinking of was a bottle of water! Take water with you on your Halloween adventures to keep hydrated. It can make all the difference.
Don’t Go Hungry
We get so wrapped up in pinning and tucking every last piece of the costume or stringing up that last perfect set of spooky lights, we forget about dinner. Eat dinner on Halloween! Halloween is the third most popular day for pizza take-out orders in the US. We have such a huge to-do list we forget about our health. Meal prep your Halloween! Make a big batch of chili a few days before + make it a leftover night! Find my favorite fall chili recipe here: Easy Vegan Pumpkin Chili!
The Vegetarian’s Guide To Healthy Halloween Eating
Chocolate
Vegetarian? You get a green light for all things chocolate. If you are vegan or avoid dairy, milk chocolate is off the list for you. There are so many chocolates in the stores now it can get confusing! Read your labels!
Gelatin
Vegetarian, Vegan, Plant-Based? Gelatin is made from animal tendons, ligaments, and bones. It is commonly found in gummy candies so check your labels!
Gelatin sneaks into:
- Candy corn
- Starburst
- Nerds
- Altoids
- Some commercial cheesecakes
- Frosted Mini Wheats
- Jell-O
- Marshmallows
Confectioner’s Glaze aka Shellac
This glossy product is created using the excretions of certain insects and technically considered a non-vegetarian food item. Nearly 100,000 bugs die to produce about 1 pound of shellac flakes. It’s insects not animals BUT that is just gross.
Shellac or confectioner’s glaze sneaks into:
- Junior Mints
- Milk Duds
- Whoppers
- Raisinets
- Goobers
- Sugar Babies
Lard aka Pig Fat
The name speaks for itself. Commonly used to cook with as a replacement for butter or shortening, or recipes requiring fat for consistency or taste.
Lard sneaks into:
- Refried beans (Make your own! Instant Pot Vegetarian Refried Beans)
- Tortillas
- Twinkies
- Jiffy Cornbread Mix
White Sugar
Sugar is a grey area for plant-based eaters. Some mass-produced sugar is processed with bone char. What does this mean? Crushed cattle bones are used to filter the sugar and give it that bright white color. Typically, organic cane sugars are not put through this process. If this is important to you, contact the company directly and ask for the details on their filtering process. Another option is to stick to turbinado sugar which does not go through this refinement process at all.
The Controversial Red 40
Red 40 is now vegan as it no longer contains carmine (a pigment made by crushing the shell of a female cochineal insect). Until very recently, red candies were on the list of non-vegetarian food items.
All food dyes are still questionable. Red 40, Yellow 6, Yellow 5, and Blue 1 do not technically contain animal products. However, they are often tested on animals. Therefore, if you are vegan for animal ethics, then you should avoid food dyes.
Again, enjoying these types of foods in small amounts at special times is perfectly normal + necessary for balance!
The Vegetarian’s Guide To Gelatin-Free Candy
I complied this list after my own personal + extensive research and have published it as of 10/5/2021. Keep in mind, there are so many new + everchanging products! Be sure to read your labels + contact the company directly for specifics on ingredients + manufacturing.
For now, this is the list of gelatin-free goodies we will use to enjoy our 2021 Halloween indulgences:
- Airheads
- Jolly Ranchers
- Smarties
- Skittles
- Dots
- Swedish Fish
- Surf Sweets
- Twizzlers
- Sour Patch Kids
- Red Vines
- Dots
- JuJuBes
- JujyFruits
- Yummy Earth Organics
- Justin’s
- Enjoy Life Foods
- Dum Dums
- Sjaaks
- Charms Blow Pops
- Saf-T-Pops
- Atomic Fireball
- Super Bubble
- Fruit By the Foot
- Big League Chew Bubble Gum
- Pez
- Nelly’s Organics
- Newman’s Own
- Alter Eco
- Hu Chocolates
- No Whey! Foods
- Amy’s Kitchen
- Annie’s Organic Gummies/Fruit Snacks
- Now and Later
🧡I hope this helps you enjoy your Halloween with balance + freedom. You CAN survive a candy holiday without the lurking diet culture taking all the fun out of it! Remember to choose your health first but most importantly enjoy good food in the company of good people. 🧡
All the best,
Tara 🧡
Some Other Tuesday Tips To Help You Stay Healthy
- Guide To Mindful Snacking
- Why Am I So Hungry At Night?
- 10 Things To Do On Weekends To Make Weeknight Cooking Easier
- Your Health Goes Way Beyond Food
- Ten Rules of Eating
- Dear Pumpkin Spice Season (A Letter From A Food Blogger)
- Halloween Survival Guide for Vegetarians (2019 edition)
❤ Did You Find “The Vegetarian’s Guide To A Healthy Halloween” Helpful? Leave a comment below! We love comments ❤
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