As Halloween fast approaches, the usual goblins, witches, and skeletons may not be showing up at your door as they have in years past. Despite COVID-19 restrictions, look for the silver lining by creating new and innovative ways to celebrate spooky season!
Setting the “Moo”d
Try a new tradition this year by scaring up a Halloween Hunt for treats! If the family is staying home, hide wrapped and packaged treats inside and outside the house. Depending upon the age of your children, provide them with a Halloween-themed “road map” to give them clues to where the hidden treasures can be found.
Mess with Your Milk
The kids will need something to help carry their treats, so get them involved by making these cute and unique candy buckets from upcycled milk cartons! Another crafty idea to upcycle your milk cartons is to create jug-o-lanterns, that way everyone can easily search for goodies once night begins to fall.
Refueling with Chocolatey Chills and Thrills
After the haunted hunt, the kids can refuel with some delightfully delicious treats. Chocolate milk tops the list of menu items as the official drink of Halloween. A cold glass of low-fat chocolate milk provides high-quality protein to repair muscle, fluid and electrolytes to rehydrate, and carbohydrates to replenish energy. Kids can make their milk spooky by turning their drink into a Milk Creature! If the weather is too chilly for cold chocolate milk, make a batch of Classic Hot Chocolate to warm everyone up.
Halloween may not be the same as previous holidays, but never fear, it can still be eerily fun for family and friends to create special memories! With a bone-chilling glass of chocolate milk in hand, have a “dairy” Happy Halloween!
Lisa Sheehan-Smith has 37 years of experience as a registered dietitian and is licensed in the state of Tennessee to practice nutrition. Dr. Sheehan-Smith is a professor in Nutrition and Food Science at Middle Tennessee State University and the director of the accredited Didactic Program in Dietetics. She teaches a variety of courses including those in career development and dietetics management. Dr. Sheehan-Smith is a past recipient of the MTSU Outstanding Teacher and Outstanding Experiential Learning Faculty Awards, and the Outstanding Dietetics Educator Award from the Nashville and Tennessee Academies of Nutrition and Dietetics.