Why do we do this to ourselves?

T

tknelsen

Cathlete
Why do we participate in these holidays like Halloween and Easter that end up meaning lots of candy laying around the house for days on end??? What kind of sadistic genius is in charge of making up so many derivations of the Reese's peanut butter cup (the newest being the "inside out" cup).

Just a candy-bingeing mom here, pondering the meaning of chocolate and the American style of celebrating every holiday by overeating. I could really get carried away with an analysis of American society and cultural traditions as they pertain to food, happiness, celebration, and giant candy corporations. And that's not even factoring Hallmark into the mix.
Unfortunately all of this thinking is causing my blood sugar levels to drop significantly.
Gotta go! I hear a candy bar calling my name!
Tracy
 
Actually, I don't, or I find alternative ways to celebrate.

Halloween and Easter candy used to be "treats" that kids (and adults) would indulge in infrequently. Nowdays, too many kids have candy and sugared cereal on a daily basis, so the specialness of it is gone.

I prefer to make my own "semi-junky" cookies and bars (geared towards the typical American sweet-lover, but using more healthful ingredients) which I share with friends and co-workers.
 
From early September until April there's some kind of candy out there for us to pig out on... Halloween candy shows up in September, then on November 1st, the stores start selling the Xmas candy... after that, Valentines Day, then Easter. At least we have the spring and summer when we're not bombarded by candy...
Unless they come out with a 4th of July peanut butter cup! :p
 
I send my DH to purchase the candy for Halloween and he purposely avoids the stuff he knows I can't resist. We have A LOT left over, so I'm going to donate it to our food ministry at church. Next year, we'll know not to buy so much. (This was our first year in this neighborhood.) It seems like people are about to quit going door to door. I'd say over half our neighborhood was not handing out candy.

When DH wants candy that he knows I shouldn't eat - health problems - he hides it so I'm not tempted. I was surprised to find a carton of chocolate covered malted milk balls in a drawer in our home office one time. He'd forgotten he hid them.:7
 
I make my husband put it on the top shelf of our kitchen cabinets....I can only reach those by STANDING on the countertop...and that is only reachable by chair for me....no way is a piece of chocolate worth that much trouble... It is tough with kids though, I clear the candy a couple weekends after Halloween, and we don't usually have any around for Christmas....except those pretty M&Ms....and those are stocking stuffers. We are bad though, they are usually the first course for breakfast on Christmas morning!
 
I buy only one big bag of Halloween candy at Sam's Club. When all the candy is gone, I just turn off the lights at the front door. Here in my neighborhood, that's a sign saying that the homeowner is no longer giving out candy. It's a sign that's well respected by trick-or-treaters. As for Christmas candy, I just give away the extra cookies, cakes and candies that come my way, usually to the faculty in my son's school.

Pinky
 
I have never bought any candy for Halloween or Easter, or anytime for that matter. None. And I raised a daughter now in college. If she went over to other's houses, and it was there, oh well, but it was never here. She complained when she was young, but now she thanks me. Her teeth, her figure and her complexion are healthy. I don't turn on my house porch light at Halloween. I just hide in a back room with my computer.

We are not forced to do any of this silly commercial junk. We choose to cooperate with the marketing. Where is Honeybunch when we need her?

x(
 
I eat absolutely anything I want when it's so available. But I eat it instead of my regular clean and healthy diet. It quickly proves to LOOK more appetizing than it tastes and I don't end up eating too many calories. I skipped dinner Halloween night and I am right back on my plan as of Saturday. I always try to look at indulgences in regard to my total caloric intake. I can eat any junk food I want but my calories cannot go over the top. Works for me.
Chicks's Rule! http://www.handykult.de/plaudersmilies.de/chicken.gif Bobbi
 
:( This is too funny because I find myself going out to the kitchen after I go to the bathroom at night and raiding my daughters candy bag! I do not know what this impulse is to go into the kitchen every time I go to the bathroom, but it has to STOP!
 
This is a good topic. I, too, find is hard to resist all the goodies and candy during Halloween and the holidays. It is especially difficult when it is so readily available at home, work, dr's offices, and various business establishments that keep a basket of candy at the receptionist's desk. Where I work, in the break room there is a HUGE bowl of candy that is kept full from Halloween until after New Year's.
As I was eating my "healthy" breakfast of whole grain cereal and skim milk in the break room this morning, several of my co-workers came in to grab handfuls of candy. One of them turned to me and said "you must hate this time of year, huh?". I took a quiet offense to that statment even though I knew she didn't mean any harm. But, to me that statement meant.."it's really too bad for you that you can't have any candy and the rest of us can". I really wanted to tell her that looking at her was all the motivation I need to stay away from that candy bowl. (Please don't stone me, I'm just being honest) In all honesty, I could eat all the candy in the world IF I wanted to. However, I CHOOSE not to eat it because I've worked way too hard to get where I am today as far as being fit and healthy. And I also know that it is not good for me, does nothing for my blood sugar levels, and eating 8 reese cups will NOT make me feel good about myself. I do let myself indulge every once in a while. In fact I have a day each week that I eat the dinner and dessert of my choice. But I am right back on track the next day with clean eating and exercise. Life is too short not to indulge once in a while with things you really enjoy. However, I do choose NOT to eat handfuls of candy for breakfast just because it is available.
Anyway, sorry for rambling. I agree, it is a difficult time of year to stay on track with health and fitness. As someone said in a previous post....JUST SAY NO! :eek:) :eek:)
 
I used to work at a place where we photographed food items for weekly grocery sale fliers. Once the products were shot, we were allowed to eat anything we wanted. Of course, around the holidays, we had candy and sweet treats out the wazoo.

Oddly enough, I found that brushing my teeth after my meal or snack helped me stop mindlessly grazing on candy - particularly when working the nightshift. It seems like a simple thing, but I think it mentally signals "I'm done eating," and I'm sure my teeth and my blood sugar levels were better for it! :D
 
I saw a neat thing in the news this morning. A local dentist offered a dollar for every pound of Halloween candy brought in, and I think they ended up with over 50 pounds! I thought that was a neat way to promote healthy teeth. (Where will all that candy go? They said they were going to donate it to some firestation as an appreciation for their work -- at least the firemen will work it all off!)

It might be because I don't have kids, but I don't see Halloween as the big door to door thing it once was. I buy the candy this time of year (can't resist the sales on those Snickers!), but I never seem to get many trick-or-treaters no matter where I'm living at the time. Maybe this is a trend in the last 10-15 years? But you're right, year after year those holiday candy sales just keep coming at us!
 
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