It’s spooky season! And that means photos at the pumpkin patch, adorable costumes, and building excitement for trick-or-treating. All the fun of collecting candy with friends and swapping chocolate for gummy bears can make it hard to remember—and practice—moderation. Most of us (and perhaps even your little one) have occasionally overdone it with our sugar intake, leading to a stomach ache from sugar. But before your little superhero jumps into the action or the friendly ghost flies off, there are a few things you should know about Halloween candy safety for toddlers and children—and how Children’s Mylicon can help soothe upset stomachs.
What Age Can My Child Eat Candy?
Children under 2 shouldn’t have any candy (more on that below) and The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that children ages 5 and younger should not be given hard candies or gum.
How Much Halloween Candy Is Too Much?
While it’s up to you to decide how much is too much Halloween candy, these guidelines can help you make an informed decision and help your kiddo avoid a stomach ache from sugar.
AAP guidelines say children 2 and up should eat no more than six teaspoons (or 25 grams) of added sugar each day. Considering those guidelines, around two pieces of fun-sized Halloween candy will meet the recommended daily limit—which would mean no added sugar from other food sources that day. For example, a fun-size bag of Skittles has 12 grams of added sugar and a fun-size Milky Way candy bar has 10 grams of added sugar.
The AAP also adds that children under 2 years should avoid consuming any added sugar since they need nutrient-rich diets and are developing taste preferences.
How to Prevent My Child’s Stomach Aches Caused by Sugar?
No matter how much Halloween candy you decide to allow your little one to gobble up, you want to help them from going overboard on sweets. One way to help avoid tummy aches from sugar is to make sure you’re fueling your little trick-or-treater up with a meal that contains fat, fiber, and protein before going out to collect their candy. Besides fuel for running between houses and having fun, the goal of the balanced meal is to keep blood glucose levels consistent when they do eat candy. This can help avoid the dreaded sugar crash.
Safety Hazards in Halloween Treats for Children
By now, you might have seen a popular Instagram meme about the importance of checking your kids’ Halloween candy. It’s a spoof on the Halloween urban legend that razors and needles are secretly stored in Halloween candy. Today, the meme has reached new levels, and major brands and corporations are riding the social media wave. (LinkedIn warns of finding unused vacation days in a chocolate bar.)
But all jokes aside, there are a few things you can do to help keep kids safe on Halloween and Halloween candy safety tips to follow.
- Candy safety. Make sure your kiddo knows not to accept or eat anything that isn’t commercially wrapped.
- Check Halloween candy. Mom or dad should check all treats for tears in wrappers, unusual appearance, or discoloration. Toss the candy in the trash if anything looks suspicious or out of the ordinary.
- Look out for allergies. You'll want to thoroughly inspect their treats if your child is allergic to nuts or other foods. Another option: Look for teal pumpkins on your trick-or-treating route. The Teal Pumpkin Project works to make trick-or-treating safe for all kids and encourages families to place a teal pumpkin outside their door to symbolize they offer non-food treats, like stickers or games.
What Should I Do with Leftover Halloween Candy?
At some point, enough is enough with the sweet treats, and you’re ready to be done with leftover Halloween candy. While you can add candy like M&Ms to cookies or trail mix, and freeze candy bars, consider sending a bag of leftovers to Operation Gratitude. This non-profit accepts all unopened candy donations—including fun size—and sends them in care packages to troops and first responders across the U.S. and overseas.
What Helps a Stomach Ache Caused By Sugar?
Mylicon offers safe and effective digestive health solutions for your child. Children’s Mylicon – Tummy Relief for Kids is a multi-symptom, chewable tablet for kids 2 to 11. Designed to quickly soothe upset tummies due to bloating and gas, as well as discomfort from acid indigestion and overeating. Use only as directed.
Some kiddos would prefer a liquid to a chewable medication. If that seems like your little one, opt for Children’s Mylicon All-in-One Tummy Relief for Kids. This bubble gum-flavored formula offers multi-symptom relief of upset stomachs due to bloating and gas, as well as discomfort from acid indigestion and overeating. Use only as directed.
Looking for more healthy eating stories? Check out our guide to healthy snacking.
