Sally Squires pens another good column--Halloween hints

Sally Squires, the Health and Nutrtion columnist for the Washington Post, is one of the most cogent, sensible and prolific writers on these subjects on the web. You should bookmark her site and read her regularly. In this typically insightful piece on Halloween eating issues, Sally discusses ways to deal with the health issues raised by this holiday. Here are some of her points. Dark chocolate is more healthful than regular milk chocolate. As always, portion control matters. Limit consumption of candy to something reasonable. Protein bars have somewhat better health benefits and lower calorie content than many normal candies. Popcorn is a wise choice since it is whole grain and naturally low in calories, if you skip the butter. Processed fruit snacks are a good substitute for candy. Portion control can help limit calories. Food companies are providing small, individually packaged portions of popular foods, including Nabisco 100 Calorie Packs, downsized servings of Oreos, Chips Ahoy, Wheat Thins, Honey Maid Cinnamon graham crackers, Planters Peanut Butter Cookies, Kraft Cheese Nips and Ritz Snack Mix. All have three grams or less of fat (although not all are trans-fat-free). Snyder's one-ounce pretzel bags are a sugar-free, no-fat option that clocks in at 110 calories. I would add that one of the keys to coping successfully with all of the caloric issues raised by this uniquely American holiday is to try to avoid making the holiday all about the candy. Focus on the decorations, the costumes, and the celebration of the day, rather than the eating, per se. Also, burn as many calories as you can. When trick or treating with the kids, do some extra walking or keep moving as you wait for the kids at the curb. (But safety of the kids comes first, obviously.) When preparing for the celebration at your home, burn some extra calories by aerobically putting up copius decorations and doing preparations.