Navigating Halloween with diabetes can certainly be challenging. When October 31st comes around each year, we are faced with any type of candy you can imagine. Can you feel your blood sugar levels rise as this time of year approaches?
But Halloween with diabetes doesn’t have to be scary!
In this post, I offer 17 helpful tips to navigating diabetes at Halloween time that will ease the worry and help you have a safe Halloween. Pick one to try, or you can choose several. The point is that you have options to make a good choice that is best for you.
How To Navigate Halloween with Diabetes
First of all, let me just say that Halloween isn’t off limits to people with diabetes. There are ways to navigate the holiday (and all the Halloween candy) in a wise, blood sugar conscious way.
One of the things I love most in our family is our annual traditions. Our Christmas morning routine is one of my favorites, complete with the movie we watch every Christmas morning (and only that day). I also look back on my childhood and remember holidays being full of playing games with family. And Halloween doesn’t have to be any different.
My hope is that you feel knowledgeable and empowered by the time you’re done reading these tips so you can make good choices for yourself and your family.
A Helpful Tool for Halloween with Diabetes
First of all, you may need one of the most helpful and practical Halloween tools I have. That’s my candy carb counts list. Several miniature candies handed out on Halloween don’t have a nutrition label, and you’ll certainly want that information.
So head on over to my free printable before you forget. (Or it’s at the bottom of this post, too.) Also, you can save a picture of it to your phone and have it ready to go at any moment!
How Halloween Candy Affects Blood Sugars
Candy (sugar intake in general) raises blood sugar levels. And that’s what people with diabetes try to avoid, especially on Halloween. But not all candy is created equal.
The good news is that my tips below will help you learn more about which of your favorite treats is best for what circumstance. And you’ll also learn how to best navigate Halloween with diabetes.
Why not just avoid Candy on Halloween with Diabetes?
Wouldn’t it just save a lot of headache to avoid candy altogether? While I understand that question, the short answer is no. People with diabetes are at a higher risk for developing a food-related disorder.
That’s probably because we literally count every crumb we eat every day. And saying things are completely off limits just makes us want them more. Enter binging, and that’s no good either.
So instead of a full on candy ban or Halloween protest, might I suggest something a bit more middle of the road? These 17 tips will help you navigate Halloween with diabetes in a healthier and more manageable way.
1. Use Halloween Candy to treat lows
This one might be the most obvious tip I offer, and that’s just to treat low blood glucose with the Halloween candy laying around. Give the glucose tablets a break for a few days. This helps you put the candy to good use when it’s needed most!
But this one comes with a disclaimer. When you’re treating a low blood sugar, you need faster acting sugars in what you’re eating. So think things like Smartees and Sweet Tarts, not candies with nuts or chocolate.
The protein and fat in nuts and chocolate help to slow digestion. That’s amazing when you don’t want to spike your glucose levels, but it won’t give you that quick boost you need when treating a low.
So once you get home with your bucket, separate out the candy in your Halloween haul into different categories so you can save the quick acting candies for when you need a quick boost. And reference my candy carb count list for candies that are around 15 grams, which are ideal for treating a low.
2. Eat Halloween Candy as Dessert
This “trick” is a keeper. And you can use it on Easter too, when all the Chicks, Ducks, and Bunnies candies are out in full force! Include a piece of candy with a balanced, healthy meal, and consider it like a dessert!
So when you plan your meal and take your insulin, consider the carb count of the candy you’ll have for dessert along with your meal. And eat the candy with your meal, not hours after.
This is a little trick I’ve learned over the 30+ years of living with diabetes. Timing sweets is key. If you add the sugary food you’re eating in with your meal, you allow the lean protein, healthy fats, and high-fiber carbs in your meal to help slow the digestion of the candy. That helps to lessen the blood sugar spikes!
3. Portion Appropriately on Halloween with diabetes
I’m a big fan of moderation, and that certainly applies to Halloween and candy. One idea is to portion out your candy over a longer period. For example, choose to eat a small amount of candy per day, a small piece or two as a special treat. Eat it with a meal (see tip #2), and stick to it. A little bit each day will help you to feel satisfied so you aren’t as tempted to eat the entire stash.
4. Choose your candy wisely
As I mentioned in tip #1, not all candy is equal. And I don’t mean that Reese’s are superior to Kit Kats. (Although they are. Reese’s is the clear winner of all candy competitions.) I’m talking about the nutrition facts of Halloween candy.
In tip #1, I suggested you hold out things like Smartees and Sweet Tarts to treat lows because they have a quicker acting sugar for lows. In this tip, I am going to suggest that you choose candies with nuts and chocolate (think Snickers and Almond Joy) if you’re eating some candy on its own.
The reasoning behind this is that the fat and protein in the nuts and chocolate tend to have a delayed affect on blood sugar because it takes longer to digest those things. Thus, you will likely have less sugar spike with chocolate and nuts as you would with straight sugary candy.
5. Check Your Blood Glucose levels More Often on Halloween with diabetes
This one might go without saying, but I’m saying it anyway. Halloween is one of those days we simply need to keep a closer eye on our blood sugar levels.
This is extra easy in case you are wearing a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) like I do. You can simply glance at your phone or receiver and know where you’re at. If you’re not wearing a CGM, this means getting out the blood sugar monitor for more regular testing today. But either way, it’s important to know where you are so you can adjust accordingly when you need to.
FREE BONUS!
Scroll to the bottom of the post for your free instant download Halloween candy carb count printable!
6. Consider eating something else with candy
Let’s say you’re craving some candy in the middle of the afternoon. You can’t exactly pair it with a meal (unless you are eating a super late lunch or early dinner). So what do you do?
Some may simply forget about it and move on. But you don’t have to do that if you don’t want. This is still manageable.
Consider a snack that works well with your candy. The idea is to build in fat, fiber, and protein around the sweets. So you could consider a few apple slices and peanut butter. How about some trail mix with nuts? A cheese stick offers good protein and fat. Think about what you have on hand and build something that will help avoid a glucose spike.
7. Consider donating Candy on Halloween with Diabetes
I really appreciate this tip. As a kid, I never even thought about it. But what a great way to teach things like sharing and considering others.
There are several organizations where you could donate some of your extra candy. For example you could provide to any of the following:
- Ronald McDonald House collects candy to provide to children with ongoing health issues in their care. You can find the nearest location to you and inquire about donation.
- Treats for Troops is organized by Soldiers’ Angels and sends packages to military service members.
- Operation Shoebox sends care packages to military members deployed around the world.
There are other organizations you can find that will accept donations. You can also call locally to various nursing homes, food pantries, or homeless shelters.
Trick Or Treating On Halloween with Diabetes
These next five tips are all about going trick or treating, and how to navigate that experience best with diabetes.
8. Plan Ahead Nutritionally
There are a couple tips I can think of that will help you in the long run on Halloween night. My first suggestion is to make sure you stay hydrated throughout the day. This goes for any day, but especially those that may cause a little wonky behavior in your blood glucose.
The other recommendation I have is to balance fat, fiber, and protein during the day leading up to trick or treating. Having a healthy diet that day and a steady, balanced blood sugar heading into trick or treating is a definite plus! A little careful planning ahead in these areas can provide a better experience in the end.
9. Educate those you are with
This may be for older children with diabetes, but the people your children are trick or treating with should know about diabetes. They should know low symptoms and what to do. And they should also be aware of highs and how to adjust. It may not be enough for your child to know these things, so educate those he or she is around.
It may also be a good idea, in case you’re not with your child when they are trick or treating, to watch their CGM numbers very closely. Or you can be a phone call away in case the adult in the group needs to check in.
10. Communicate Expectations
Another thing I’m big on is communication. And Halloween is a great opportunity to communicate about your Halloween plans. Even to my children who don’t have diabetes, my husband and I still communicate to them about our trick or treating adventures and how they are not allowed to come home and scarf down 20 pieces of candy in one sitting.
So talk with your kids about things like your trick or treating route, when you will go, and how long you’ll stay out. Communicate about what will happen with the sugary treats as you walk, and also after you get home. Talking out your game plan ahead of time sets everyone up for success.
11. Walk it Off
Consider allowing your child with diabetes (or you as the adult walking around with kids trick or treating) to choose candy from the first stop to eat. Then, as you continue your walk around the neighborhood, that extra activity can help walk off the sugar you’ve eaten.
12. Consider Insulin On Board
The last trick or treating tip I have is to consider insulin on board. Many neighborhoods have trick or treating hours on the heels of dinner time. And that means you are dealing with the exercise of walking (or running if you’re my six year old), with insulin on board. And that may cause a low (unless you prepare for it by under-dosing).
In case your neighborhood has a wide window for trick or treating, you may want to consider trick or treating first, and then coming home for dinner and insulin doses. Not only does that allow you to avoid insulin on board during the trick or treating journey, but you can also pair the candy with a meal (see tip #2).
Tips for Non-Candy focused fun
These next four tips are for those of you looking for candy alternatives to Halloween fun. Not all aspects of Halloween have to focus on lots of sweets, right? Let me tell you, there are some great options and plenty of ways to participate in fun activities this Halloween!
13. Consider Fun Alternative Activities
Not all Halloween celebrations need to have excess candy as the central focus. I get it, yes, candy is delicious. But there is so much more to Halloween for the whole family! Here’s a quick list to consider. What else would you add to it?
- host a Halloween party or game night
- have fun at school parties
- carve jack-o-lanterns or paint pumpkins
- find local community events
- walk through a haunted house for some spooky fun
- watch scary movies (or just “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” like we do)
- plan a neighborhood party or bonfire
- create fall crafts
- visit a pumpkin patch
- walk through a corn maze
- take a hayride
14. Buy Back the Candy on Halloween with Diabetes
This tip could be an easy buy-in for your kids in case they’re saving up to purchase something they’ve had their eye on. The idea is that you literally purchase their sweet treats from them in turn for cash they can use to purchase something else.
15. Consider Toys instead of Candy
Consider some small toys in lieu of candy this Halloween. Or maybe it’s a new game or something for the family to have fun. You get to create whatever traditions you want to help your family.
This reminds me of the Teal Pumpkin Project. If you’re not familiar with it, it’s basically an effort to make sure kids with food allergies are able to be included in Halloween.
By putting a teal pumpkin on your doorstep (and adding your address to this map to help parents find you locally), you are welcoming kids for non-food treats instead of candy. Some ideas for small toys are found on the Teal Pumpkin website.
16. Plan A Fun Halloween Dinner
This is something our family has done for several years now. And it’s a great idea for parents of children with type 1.
We love to make bright green deviled eggs, witches brooms out of cheese sticks and pretzels, mummy pizzas, and more. And with this menu, you can definitely balance fat, fiber, and protein accordingly. There are tons of ideas you can try!
17. Talk with Your doctor about Halloween with Diabetes
And of course, please talk with your healthcare team about recommendations for Halloween with diabetes. I’m not a doctor myself, but am offering these tips simply as someone who has lived with diabetes for 30+ years now. So seek out personalized recommendations as you need them for the best way to navigate Halloween with diabetes.
Was This Helpful?
If you found this to be helpful, would you please let me know? Also, how do you celebrate Halloween? I would love to hear from you!
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NOTE: I am not a certified nutritionist or registered dietician. Nothing here should be taken as professional medical advice. Any nutritional information provided should be used as a general guideline and estimate only.
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