Local health experts say moderation is key when it comes to Halloween candy
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Kids across the Rio Grande Valley will be out trick or treating and squirreling away as much Halloween candy as they can.
While it's a long time tradition for families, doctors warn too much candy doesn't do them any good.
"Normally, we buy like $500 to $600 worth [of candy]. We always run out, so this year we got close to $1,000, and we're hoping that'll be enough," McAllen resident Ruben Castaneda said.
Castaneda goes all out for Halloween every year. He says he's always excited to greet the kids with his over the top Halloween home decor and of course the candy.
While he invests a lot in the holiday, he says with his kids and now grandkids, he makes sure to limit how much they eat in a day.
"If they get quite a bit, we let them eat a little at a time every single day, especially if it's a school day just a little at a time," Castaneda said.
Baylor Scott & White Health Pediatrician Dr. Samuel Clark says parents who let their kids eat Halloween candy in moderation shouldn't necessarily be worried, but always monitor your child's behavior to know how much is too much for them.
"For some kids, it can create kind of this high energy, sometimes frenetic type of situation where they're...struggling with maybe paying attention or just being still," Dr. Clark said.
Dr. Clark says too much of the highly processed sugars that most candy contains can lead to problems with obesity, diabetes or heart disease later on in life.
So to avoid your kids getting upset about not being able to eat too much, set the expectation early in the day and feed them before going trick or treating.
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