286. Beyond the Candy Bowl: My 3 Rules for Halloween

Insatiable with Ali Shapiro, MSOD, CHHC

Happy Halloween season, dear Insatiable listeners! As we move toward this sweet-and-spooky holiday, I wanted to share how we approach candy in my household — before, during, and after trick-or-treating.

In this episode, I'll explain the three flexible, biology-rooted rules that guide how I handle sweets for my almost five-year-old son, Eça. I also talk about how I approach candy for myself. Because it isn’t just for kids, and the idea that there’s food for kids and food for adults is just a marketing strategy.

Tune in to hear about:

• Why food “rules” need more nuance
• My 3 principles for candy consumption: blood sugar, immunity, & joy
• How to center joy & belonging in your Halloween traditions
• Moderation as a radical approach
• Our Halloween night protocols
• The challenges of intuitive eating for kids

Mentioned in this episode:

• Episode 280: What’s Missing From the “Emotional Eating” Conversation with Dr. Deborah MacNamara
• Episode 257: Alcohol, Food, and Body Image: Push Off From Here with Laura McKowen – Insatiable Special Episode
• Episode 234: How to Exercise to Prevent Sugar Cravings with Alisa Vitti
• Episode 233: Quitting Alcohol and Managing Sugar Cravings with Laura McKowen

Send me (Ali) a text message.

Connect with Ali & Insatiable:

Join me on January 8th at 12pm EST for "Stop the Quick-Fix Cycle: Why Band-Aid Solutions Make Emotional Eating Worse (And How to Actually Get Results)" to discover why your struggles with food actually make sense and learn a revolutionary framework that transforms how you set goals—no more falling off track with food, plus receive a special bonus only available to live attendees. Completely free. CLICK HERE
Discover Truce with Food, a 6-month program that opens just once per year and goes beyond food rules and willpower to uncover your hidden food story, transform your relationship with eating, and finally create lasting change through a proven approach that's helped hundreds find food freedom—registration closes January 20th. CLICK HERE