Boo! Since Halloween is this week, it’s a good time to think about what makes this holiday so scary. But it’s not the ghosts, witches, or zombies that come to your door on Halloween night that you should be afraid of. In fact, you don’t even need to wait until dark to get spooked. Some of the scariest costumes may be hiding on your breakfast table—candy and soda dressed up as healthy foods!
While parents may worry about how much candy their children collect on Halloween, they often overlook the candy-like foods their kids eat every day. I share three examples in my Health & Fitness column in the Aiken Standard this week.
Frozen yogurt dressed as healthy yogurt
Most people consider yogurt a healthy breakfast choice. And it can be, provided you aren’t getting tricked! Many low-fat and fat-free flavored yogurts contain substantial amounts of added sugar. This includes the yogurt tubes kids love and some popular Greek yogurts. While these products provide valuable nutrients like protein and calcium, some contain nearly as much sugar as frozen yogurt or ice cream. A few even come with chocolate chips or candy toppings, just like dessert!
Soda dressed as fruit juice
Many “fruit” drinks contain very little actual fruit juice but plenty of added sugar, making them essentially soda without the bubbles. Orange drinks like Hi-C and SunnyD may look like orange juice, but they are far from nutritionally equivalent. The same is true for many juice boxes and pouches commonly served with breakfast, lunch, or snacks.
These drinks can be sweeter than real fruit, potentially encouraging children to expect everything fruity to taste like candy. Over time, a child accustomed to drinking super-sweet fruit drinks may find a real orange less appealing. Now that’s a pretty convincing disguise!
Candy bars and cookies dressed as cereal and breakfast bars
Many popular breakfast cereals, pastries, and bars seem more like desserts than breakfast foods. Some don’t even bother wearing a convincing costume! With chocolate chips, frosting, marshmallows, and cookie-shaped pieces, they look exactly like the treats they’re pretending not to be.
While some cereals and breakfast bars provide whole grains and fiber, others contain as much added sugar as cookies or candy bars. Eating dessert for breakfast occasionally isn’t a big deal, but making it an everyday habit is another story.
And adults aren’t immune to these tricks. Many muffins could easily pass for cupcakes, and coffee drinks loaded with syrup, whipped cream, and other toppings can contain as much sugar and as many calories as a milkshake.
So how can you spot these nutritional disguises? Don’t be fooled by claims like “made with real fruit,” “low-fat,” or “whole grain.” Check the Nutrition Facts label, especially the amount of added sugar. For perspective, the American Heart Association recommends that children and adolescents consume no more than 25 grams (about six teaspoons) of added sugar per day.
What about all that Halloween candy? Eating lots of candy isn’t healthy, but an occasional indulgence is unlikely to cause lasting harm when it’s part of an otherwise healthy lifestyle. What matters more is what children—and adults—eat day after day.
After all, the candy your kids bring home on Halloween night may not be nearly as frightening as the candy they’re eating for breakfast every morning.
Now that’s scary!
