3 Spooky Tips & Tricks for Halloween with Diabetes

There’s nothing scary about Halloween with diabetes —unless of course, you count all the spooky skeletons, ghosts, and vampires stalking around town. 

But, when your child has type 1 diabetes, you should consider what they need to enjoy the sweetest of all the holidays. 

First and foremost, celebrating Halloween with diabetes means managing blood sugar successfully and avoiding any hyper- or hypoglycemic events.*  Once you have a plan, your child won’t be so spooked, to be the best little ghoul they can be. 

3 spooky tips and tricks for a spooktacular Halloween 

Blood sugar should be the last thing on your child’s mind on Halloween. Follow these tips for a sweet and safe holiday.

1. Eat a healthy, well-balanced meal before trick-or-treating 

Heading off any high blood sugar events with a meal full of high-fiber carbs, protein, vegetables, and fat is a good way to make sure your child is well-stocked with the right nutrients   If they are full of the good stuff, they’ll be less likely to overindulge on treats. 

But high blood sugar isn’t the only concern on Halloween night. If your child is doing a lot of extra running around, they may see their blood sugar drop as they trick-or-treat. A full stomach will prevent this from happening while acting as an effective way to head off any excessive sugar binging.

2. Make a plan for your Halloween haul 

It can be tempting to dig into all the candy in your pumpkin right away. Make a plan with your child & establish how many pieces of candy they can have on Halloween 

Another fun trick (or treat!) is to save a few pieces of candy for your child’s low box, a stash of non-perishable carbs available for your child in case of a hypoglycemic event. 

3. Teach your child to give back 

Encourage your child to share the love in order to limit the amount of extra carbs they consume while teaching a valuable lesson about sharing. Considering donating extra candy to active-duty soldiers (Treats for Troops) or to less-privileged children and their families (Ronald McDonald House Charities). 

Candy Alternatives 

While everyone with diabetes can indulge occasionally, “treats” don’t always have to be candy. Here are some candy alternatives for children celebrating Halloween with diabetes. As always, check with your child’s healthcare provider to make sure. 

• Fresh fruit cut into chilling designs—think ghosts, bats, and spiders! 
• Pumpkin-shaped sugar-free orange jello 
• A skeleton made of crunchy vegetables paired with a savory red dip (more blood!) 
• Eyeball-shaped peeled grapes in a bowl 
• Sugar-free baked goods like these spiderweb cupcakes 

Or, if your child prefers playing over snacking, several activities and toys can serve as candy replacements:

• Slime or slime kits for a DIY Halloween project 
• Halloween-themed bubble blowers 
• Costume additions like mustaches, scrunchies, and light-up rings 

There are as many ways to celebrate Halloween as you can imagine. Coming up with a plan that works for your child will make any Halloween with diabetes that much more fun. Just be sure to eat healthy, play safe, and watch out for stray ghosts.  

Stay spooky, Halloweeners! 

*The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your child’s physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. 

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