LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (Public Health) wants everyone to have a safe and healthy Halloween. Halloween is a great time for communities to gather for some neighborhood fun and an opportunity to teach kids about trick-or-treating safety and healthy eating.

“Make Halloween festivities fun, healthy and safe for the whole family,” said Barbara Ferrer, PhD, MPH, MEd, Director, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. ” Show your children how to be visible and safe when walking through the neighborhood and how to enjoy treats in moderation. If you plan to drive in areas where there are trick-or-treaters, be observant and take extra care to slow down for children and families out walking.”

Before trick-or-treating, consider feeding kids a healthy snack or light meal to avoid the desire to overindulge later. Children carrying an average-sized Halloween bucket can walk away with 250 pieces of small candies. To put this in perspective, snacking on eight mini-candy bars can add up to 506 calories and 31 grams of fat.

Costumes are the best part of Halloween. Follow these guidelines to keep your child safe:

Masks, costumes, and shoes should be well-fitted, so your child can see, walk, and breathe easily.
Accessories such as toy swords, knives, and similar costume items should be short, soft, and flexible.
Make sure costumes are flame-resistant and whenever possible, include light reflectors.
Remove make-up at the end of the night to prevent possible skin and eye irritation.
Although pets may look adorable in a costume, never force your pet to wear a costume. Do not give your pet any candy or chocolate and keep pets away from Jack O’ Lantern pumpkins. Jack O’ Lanterns can be toxic and a potential fire hazard.

Children should trick-or-treat in groups and with a trusted adult carrying a flashlight to help light up the path and ensure that others can easily see the trick-or-treaters. Encourage children to walk and not run from each house and have children always walk on the sidewalk or on the outside edge of the road facing traffic if there is no sidewalk. Use designated crosswalks wherever possible and look both ways before crossing the street. Inspect all treats for choking hazards and tampering before allowing children to eat or play with any treats. Eat only factory-wrapped treats and avoid homemade treats made by strangers. When in doubt, throw it out.

Places with teal pumpkins displayed offer non-candy treats for trick-or-treaters who may have allergies. If you are expecting trick-or-treaters, you can choose to give non-food items, such as stickers, pencils, crayons or other inexpensive novelties. Individual packs of raisins or snack-sized pretzels are some healthy alternatives to pass out. If you are throwing a party, offer a variety of healthy food options such as fruits, vegetables and hummus, as well as non-alcoholic drinks.

For more information on health and safety, please visit www.publichealth.lacounty.gov.