In 2019, there were an estimated 41.0 million children ages 5 to 14 trick-or-treating. Think about that for a minute. 41.0 million kids, who are collecting candy bar after candy bar; wanting more and more until they are stuffed and hyper yet still not satisfied.
So why are we celebrating Halloween? Just think about it. A holiday that is signified by greed and sugar.
Not just because you have to, or your kids are making you; why are we celebrating this so-called holiday? Because from my point of view, this day is wasteful, excessive, causing obesity, gluttony, and adding to our toxic obsession with sugar.
Below, I’m sharing some reasons why I think Halloween isn’t good for kids:
1. It promotes gluttony: Halloween is all about excess. Excessive consumption of sweets and collecting candy that’s loaded with artificial dyes, sweeteners, and sugar. Candy can make our kids sick, leading to obesity, heart problems, and addiction. There is nothing happy or joyous about overindulgence and overconsumption of food and drinks where this holiday is taught to our kids at a young age where they think excessive eating is the norm.
It promotes consumerism: During Halloween, parents and caregivers purchase bags and bags of candy — and then spend even more on decorations and costumes — all for one day! In addition to being excessive with consumption, it is very wasteful with only one goal: to buy. One thing you can do is limit the amount of candy your kids can have and donate the rest to organizations, such as Operation Gratitude, Halloween Candy Buy Back, or Troops for Treats, to name a few options.
2. It contributes to the obesity epidemic: According to the CDC, 14.4 million (19.3%) of children and adolescents are affected by obesity. Children are suffering and experiencing dire health complications simply from a pattern of eating foods that are not beneficial to their bodies and consistent inactivity. Over time, this can lead to high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, to name a few ailments. Halloween is part of this problem. On this day, children are told to eat and eat and eat — and that doing so is cool and fun. But think about it — is overeating fun? Is eating so much sugar, they spiral out cool? No, it’s not but it creates the patterns of addiction that continue beyond Halloween — and with our current food system — readily acceptable and easy to continue to consume junk.
3. It takes away from the importance of veggies and fruits: It is so important to eat the rainbow to have a well-balanced diet. Halloween doesn’t promote that at all. It is about sugar and adding toxic ingredients into your kids’ bodies. So, this year consider a different Halloween. One with fresh fruits and vegetables, crafts, and games. A Halloween that Veggieman would be proud to join. The choice is really in our hands.
