New Treats And Traditions For Your Little Goblins

(NAPSI)—With in-person trick-or-treating in question these days, many Washington parents are re-thinking ways for their children to celebrate Halloween. 

If going door-to-door is not an option, consider these ideas by lifestyle expert Ashley Todd (@ashleyjtodd), who has teamed up with Delta Dental of Washington to offer parents some fun candy and activity alternatives to help make the day special for their little ghosts and goblins. 

Instead of having kids gorge on candy, Todd recommends starting a new tradition by making one of these tooth-friendly sweet treats:

Pumpkin Pancakes 

Recipe from Sugar-Free Mom 

Mix together 4 eggs, ½ cup pumpkin puree, 1 cup milk of your choice, 2 tsp vanilla extract, 1 tsp pumpkin liquid Stevia, 4 tbsp coconut oil. In a separate bowl, mix together ½ cup flour, ½ tsp cinnamon, 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice, 1 tsp baking soda. Combine all ingredients then cook on a medium griddle. 

Three-Ingredient, Sugar-Free Peanut Butter Cookies 

Recipe from All Recipes 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together 2 cups smooth peanut butter, 2 eggs, and 2 cups granular sucralose sweetener. Place spoonfuls of dough on a cookie sheet and bake for 8 minutes. 

Sugar-Free Apple Crisp 

Recipe from My Planted Plate 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease an 8x8 baking dish. Peel, core and thinly slice 5 Granny Smith apples and place into a bowl. Add 1tsp lemon juice, 2 tsp vanilla extract, 2 tsp cinnamon, and ½ tsp nutmeg and combine. Pour apple mixture into the baking dish and set aside. In a separate bowl, combine ½ cup gluten-free rolled oats, ½ cup almond flour, ½ cup chopped pecans, ¼ cup melted coconut oil, ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce, 1 tsp vanilla and 1 tsp cinnamon. Stir well and pour the crumble topping over the apple mixture. Bake for 25 minutes. 

When traditional trick-or-treating is not an option, parents can save the day by putting together a Halloween basket full of fun treats—if candy is on the menu, be sure to choose options that contain chocolate, which washes off young teeth far easier than gummy and sticky candies. Todd also suggests these fun, kid-friendly trick-or-treating alternatives: 

•Boo Baskets—Pick up your kids’ favorite healthful snacks along with some sugar-free candy, some fun card games and a Halloween craft kit and bring them to your children’s friends. 

•Pumpkin Volcano—Clean out the inside of a pumpkin and add equal parts dish soap, baking soda and white vinegar—and watch it foam! 

•Reverse Trick-or-Treating—Put sugar-free candy, chocolate and some healthful snacks into a goodie-bag and drop them off on your neighbors’ porches. 

Delta Dental reminds parents that teeth need time to rest and repair between sweets. Pause snacking to sip on water so teeth can recover from sugar overload. It’s also important to remember: Brushing with fluoride toothpaste and flossing will do the most to protect your child’s teeth. Have them brush for two minutes, at least twice a day, and floss before bed. Stay up to date on dental visits—even during holidays, pandemics and other distractions—so hidden problems such as the start of a cavity won’t ruin those special holiday smiles. 

For these and other fun treat recipes and trick-or-treating alternatives, visit https://www.TheToothFairyExperience.com/parents. 

On the Net:North American Precis Syndicate, Inc.(NAPSI)