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...]
Halloween Food Safety Tips from the FDA
Halloween is Friday and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has compiled some food safety tips to help trick-or-treaters enjoy a safe, fun night. Give kids a meal or a snack before they head out for trick-or treating to help them avoid the urge to snack on items while they are out, especially those that are not commercially wrapped. Look over their bags when they return home. Remove anything that is not commercially wrapped, discard candy with packaging that is discolored or damaged, or has tears pinholes or other openings. Keep choking hazards such as gum, peanuts, hard candies, or small toys away from very small children. If serving juice or cider to guests, make sure it is pasteurized. Keep all perishable foods you plan to serve to party guest chilled until serving time. … [Read more...]
Thirteen Lucky Tips for a Safe Halloween
The Food and Drug Administration, CDC, and Consumer Product Safety Commission are offering thirteen lucky tips for a safe Halloween. These tips cover costumes, decorations, and food tips. First of all, make sure all costumes are made of fire-retardant materials. Wear bright, reflective costumes or add reflective tape. Trick-or-treating in the dark can be hazardous. Wear makeup and hats rather than masks to make sure you can see clearly, test the makeup on your arm first to see if a rash develops, and make sure the makeup is FDA approved. Don't wear decorative contact lenses unless they are fitted by an optometrist. For sweet treats, don't eat candy until it has been inspected at home. Look for torn wrappers, pin holes, discoloration, unusual appearance, or other signs of tampering. … [Read more...]
Black Licorice: Trick or Treat?
Just before Halloween, the Food and Drug Administration is reporting that black licorice should be eaten in moderation if you're at least 40 years old. Eating more than 2 ounces of black licorice a day for two weeks or more could cause irregular heart rhythm. Black licorice contains glycyrrhizin, the sweetener from licorice root, that can decrease potassium levels in the body. When that happens, some people experience arrhythmia, as well as high blood pressure, edema (swelling), lethargy, and congestive heart failure. Several medical journals have linked black licorice consumption to health problems in people over the age of 40. When you stop eating the candy, potassium levels are usually restored back to normal. Licorice can also cause pseudoaldosteronism, which causes a person to … [Read more...]
