NINE-year-old Reid Sunderland can't wait to fill up his Halloween bag on Tuesday night.
An even bigger thrill for the St. Vital resident who plans to dress up as Harry Potter? Sorting through his haul at the end of the evening -- a collection of sweets that would catapult any trick-or-treater into sugar-induced bliss.
But as in recent years, Reid expects to find some other kinds of loot in his collection -- cheese sticks, diet pop and sugarless gum among them.
While other kids may groan at the idea of getting such healthy handouts, Reid doesn't mind.
"I like that stuff... It's good for you," says the Grade 4 student, whose mother is a registered dietitian. "I don't really like the look of being fat. It isn't very appealing for me."
Parents with the same sentiments have set off a Halloween trend that's getting more popular: Handing out sugar-free loot.
The idea is to keep kids away from teeth-rotting sugar and nutritionally void calories.
Gina Sunderland, Reid's mom, has embraced the trend. "As parents we need to take charge and decide how we're going to celebrate this holiday," she says.
This year Sunderland has stocked up on individually packaged cheese sticks, fruit leather-type snacks sweetened with real fruit, as well as little bags of carrots.
"My kids think the cheese and the carrots are neat. They're nice orange treats for Halloween," says Sunderland, noting that buying the items in bulk at a big box store kept costs down.
The health-conscious mother doesn't believe that banning candy from the house is realistic at this -- or any -- time of the year.
But she insists on moderation. After trick-or-treating, her two sons eat two or three pieces of candy each day.
"We have it up high in our pantry. The kids have to get permission if they want it," says Sunderland.
Her younger son, Joel, has no problem with his parents' guidelines. "We just eat a little bit every day. That's fine," says the seven-year-old, who plans to dress up as a frog on Tuesday night.
Sunderland applauds some of her neighbours who are set to hand out unconventional items such as little containers of Playdoh, McDonald's toys and toothbrushes.
Another way she helps her kids lose some of the sugar is by giving some of it away. "We're going to separate some of the non-perishable candy and give it to (a children's charity)."
Even if parents limit their kids' candy intake, that still leaves young goblins with buckets, pillowcases and bags of the sweet stuff left to choose from.
Believe it or not, some candy choices are healthier than others, according to experts like Sunderland.
"Licorice is a good choice because it's not laden with fat," says the dietitian.
Other picks: Sugar-free gum, which is low in calories.
A perhaps surprising top-of-the-list choice? "Chocolate bars aren't bad. They have some calcium and flavenoids. And they aren't loaded with food colouring," says Sunderland.
Pediatric dentist Dr. Charles Lekic agrees that kids should be allowed to indulge in Halloween goodies. But parents need to be vigilant in preventing dental disasters.
That means ensuring kids brush their teeth thoroughly, especially after eating.
"Parents should stand up for five or 10 minutes with kids to make sure it's being done properly. It may be good idea to have everyone in the family brush together," says the Winnipeg teeth expert.
"There are cavity-causing bugs in the mouth. I tell my little patients that they party all night when you give them sugar.
"That party leads to a mess that can cause cavities."
One way to avoid the "mess" is to eat cheese after meals and snacks -- an act that lowers acid levels in the mouth and prevents cavities, says Lekic.
Another trick to save teeth: Chew sugarless gum for an hour after eating. The kind with the natural sugar free sweetener, Xylitol, is best.
Doing so offers two kinds of dental protection. One is the mechanical cleaning of the teeth through saliva stimulation. As well, Xylitol, found in original Trident gum, inhibits the growth of bacteria.
"Gum is not to replace toothbrush. But it is a very important supplement," he says.
Another tip: Avoid sticky treats such as toffee; they stay on the teeth longer and cause decay.
Marian Templeton, manager of Party Stuff and U-Rent It on Arena Road, believes the sweet nature of Halloween is definitely changing.
She doesn't sell candy, just party favours. She has a six-metre-long aisle for Halloween-themed trinkets. And she's noticed a particular boom in business since August.
"We have always sold Halloween things, but this year, loot has been flying off the shelves," says Templeton. "Oh my goodness. It's just been amazing."
Several customers have told her they are weary of giving away unhealthy edibles and want an alternative.
One woman, she says, bought a bunch of little plastic snakes for about $1 each to hand out at her door tomorrow night.
People are also buying little pumpkin watches for 99 cents, notebooks and scary jewelry.
Templeton predicts that in the years to come, Halloween will be less about chips, bubblegum and suckers, and more about cool, scary trinkets.
"Where does that candy go? Parents realize it's not healthy," says the retailer. "I think we're going to see a big change."
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