For many families newly diagnosed with type 1 diabetes (T1D), few words instill as much fear as Halloween. A whole holiday centered on candy can be a lot for families to handle. However, with the right tools and attitude, Halloween can be just as fun for someone with T1D as it is for any regular goblin or ghoul.  There is no reason that a person with T1D cannot eat candy if they want, but here are some creative ways to turn candy into other treats.

• Save some of the candy for treating lows. Candies that feature dextrose as a key ingredient such as Smarties are great for quickly bringing up blood sugars while candies with higher fat content are not best suited for treating lows. Click here for Halloween Candy Carb Counts!!
• Sign up for JDRF New Jersey Metro & Rockland County Chapter’s Halloween Candy Exchange with Boscov’s. Simply fill out this form and return it to Outreach Manager Kara Simpson. Then, the following week you can exchange your candy for a $10 gift card to Boscov’s.  Please note you must pre-register by October 27^th to take part in this exchange.

HAVE FUN! Halloween should be a blast for all kids, including those with T1D. We hope these tips and tricks ensure your Halloween is fun, not freaky!