It's almost Halloween! Get these Halloween food safety tips from the FDA to keep your kids safe. Once the costumes are ready there are some things for you to think about. First of all, make sure your kids eat a healthy snack or meal before they head out trick or treating. Tell them they should not eat any of the candy or treats they receive until they get home and you can look them over. Children should be told not to accept or eat any homemade treats. Only accept commercially wrapped, inspected treats. And when they get home, look over the candy carefully for any signs of tampering, including unusual appearance, discoloration, pinholes, tears, or rips in the wrappers. Throw away anything that looks suspicious. If your child has a food allergy, check the label to make sure the … [Read more...]
Halloween Food Safety Tips From Fight Bac
These Halloween food safety tips from Fight Bac will help you have a happy and safe holiday. The tips cover trick-or-treating safety and how to host a healthy party. When your kids go out trick-or-treating, make sure they know they should not eat any candy they receive until they get home and you can check it. Look for rips or tears or pinholes in the wrapping. Throw away any homemade candy or candy that looks different or strange. And feed your kids dinner before they go out so they are less likely to want to snack on the way. If you are having a Halloween party, make sure that all perishable foods are chilled until serving time. Those foods include cheese platters, cut fruit, tossed salads, finger sandwiches, cold pasta dishes, any food with meat, poultry, or seafood, and … [Read more...]
How to Keep Your Pets Safe This Halloween
Learn how to keep your pets safe this Halloween with tips from veterinarians.org. These Halloween Pet Safety Tips can prevent illness and injury. First, keep Halloween candy out of reach. Dogs and cats should not eat candy. If your pet goes trick or treating with you or your children, you need to be very aware of this danger. Put all Halloween treats in a closed jar to keep them away from your pet. Encourage children to discard the wrappers and get them involved. Consider making cooked pumpkin or peanut butter treats if you want your pet to have a snack. But check all labels first to make sure that the peanut butter is xylitol-free, since it is poisonous to dogs. Raisins, grapes, sultanas, and currents are toxic for dogs and cats. Call your vet immediately if your pet eats … [Read more...]
Halloween Food Safety Tips For a Safe Holiday
It's almost Halloween! These Halloween food safety tips from Foodsafety.gov will help you make sure that your holiday celebrations are healthy as well as fun. Halloween food safety begins before trick-or-treating. Make sure that your kids have a good meal before they start out so they aren't tempted to snack from their goodies before you have had a chance to check them for safety. Tell your kids to wait until they get home before they eat any candy or treats. Tell your kids not to accept, and certainly not to eat, any homemade treats. Commercially wrapped candy and treats are the only safe choices. At home, check the treats for any signs of tampering. They may include an unusual appearance, discoloration, pinholes, or tears in the wrappers. Throw away anything that doesn't … [Read more...]
Have a Safe and Happy Halloween With Tips From the FDA
Have a safe and happy Halloween with tips from the FDA. This holiday has some hazards that parents should watch out for. First of all, make sure that kids do not snack on treats from their bags while they are out trick-or-treating. They should have a snack or a meal before they head out so they aren't tempted. You should always inspect their candy and treats before they are allowed to eat them. Tell children not to accept, and certainly not eat, anything that isn't commercially wrapped. The means no homemade treats. And look for signs of tampering in commercially wrapped treats, such as discoloration, unusual appearance, tiny pinholes, or tears in the wrappers. Throw away anything that may look strange or suspicious. If your child has a food allergy, you need to be especially … [Read more...]
Fun and Safe Halloween Activities During the Pandemic From the CDC
Halloween is this weekend. While the holiday is fun, there can be problems that we have written about in other years. This year, the CDC has some ideas on different types of fun and safe Halloween activities you may want to do with your family and friends, and ranks activities from lowest to highest risk. Unfortunately, many classic Halloween traditions and activities can be high risk for spreading viruses. If you have been exposed to the coronavirus or have been diagnosed with it, do not participate in any in-person activities or give can to trick-or-treaters. Lower risk activities: Instead, think about having a pumpkin carving contest with members of your household. You can have a pumpkin decorating activity outside, at a safe distance, with neighbors or friends. Organize a … [Read more...]
CDC Offers Tips For a Fun and Safe Halloween
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is offering consumers tips for a fun and safe Halloween. They use the words "Safe Halloween" to make it easy to remember these tips. If your costume includes swords, knives or other accessories, they should be Short, soft, and flexible. Do not trick-or-treat Alone. Go in groups or with a trusted adult. Make sure your costume is reflective, or add reFlective tape to your apparel or bags so drivers can see you. All parents should Examine all treats for choking hazards and any sign of tampering before letting kids eat them. Hold a flashlight while you're out and about so others can see you. Always test make-up in a small area first; some can cause allergic reactions in some people. Remove it before bedtime. Look both ways … [Read more...]
Halloween Food Safety Tips and Advice From the FDA
Halloween is tomorrow! Do you have your costume picked out, are your kids ready, and do you have enough candy? That's not all you have to think about, unfortunately. Read on for Halloween food safety tips and advice from the FDA. First of all, make sure that treats are safe for your kids before they eat any. Tell your kids not to accept or eat any candy that isn't commercially wrapped. Look at each piece for signs of tampering, which m ay include pinholes, tears in the wrapper, or strange appearance of discoloration. Your kids should not eat from their bags while they are trick-or-treating. If your child has a food allergy, look over all the treats before she eats anything. Don't let your child eat any home-baked goods or treats. And watch out for choking hazards. Very young … [Read more...]
Tips for a Safe Halloween From the FDA
The FDA is offering tips for a safe Halloween for you and your family. They have tips for safe costumes: look for fire-retardant materials, and wear bright, reflective costumes for safety after dark. Have your kids carry glow sticks or wearing those glowing necklaces. It's important to stay visible on your rounds, especially as it gets dark or if it's raining. For safe treats, which after all is the main point of this holiday, always tell your kids not to eat any treats until they get home and you have inspected it. Sadly, there are true stories of people inserting sharp objects into Halloween candy, although those cases are very rare. And although most parents are concerned about candy that has been altered with dangerous substances, those stories are mostly anecdotal or urban … [Read more...]
The FDA Has Advice for Keeping Halloween Safe, Not Scary
The FDA has some food safety advice to keep Halloween this year safe, not scary. Always check the treats your children bring home after going out in their costumes. I'm old enough to remember the scares in the 1980s when some very disturbed people tampered with Halloween candy. Don't let people snack on their treats and candy while they are out trick-or-treating. They should eat a meal or snack before they leave the house, and should not go out on an empty stomach. Always check the candy and treats before the kids eat them. Look for strange appearances or discoloration, tiny pinholes, or tears in the wrappers. Don't let the kids accept anything that isn't commercially wrapped; if your kids are older, warn them about this before they go out. And always throw away anything that looks … [Read more...]
