Mary Narayan, RN, is a Clinical Nurse Specialist with the Visiting Nurse Associations of America. She has over 35 years of experience in community-based nursing and has presented at multiple national healthcare conferences. Mary is the author of multiple articles and book chapters, including the Home Health Care Patient Education Manual (Delmar, 2004).

Halloween is right around the corner, and while this may be your child’s favorite holiday it isn’t always the healthiest day of the year! Below are some of my top tips to help keep your family healthier and make sure they don’t get spooked!

Offer non-candy alternatives to trick-or-treaters

Giving out small toys like temporary tattoos, bouncy balls or baseball cards is a good way to keep the spirit of Halloween without the candy. This is also a good option for children who may have food allergies.

Practice pumpkin-carving safety

Making jack-o-lanterns is a fun family activity, but between the knives used to carve them and the candles used to light them they can pose a safety threat for children. To help keep them safer, have your little ones draw faces on pumpkins with markers, and have adults do the cutting. Then, consider swapping out non-votive candles for flashlights or glow sticks to light your spooky face up. Or you can skip these altogether and use paints and rhinestones to decorate your pumpkins.

Get your flu vaccine before you go trick-or-treating

Halloween is just in time for the flu season, and the best way to protect your family is by getting annual flu vaccines. The Visiting Nurse Associations of America, Families Fighting Flu and Clorox are offering free Halloween-themed flu vaccine clinics across the country. To find out how you can scare away the flu this year, visit Say Boo to the Flu.

Ward off germs to help protect against the spread of the cold and flu virus

At home, be sure to disinfect hard surfaces like countertops and door handles before and after you welcome in Halloween visitors. With all those hands in the candy bowl, it can be a hot spot for germs that can cause cold and flu viruses to spread. Help keep your kids healthier by having them wash their hands with soap and hot water for at least 20 seconds before heading out for trick-or-treating . You can also stash some hand sanitizer in your purse and give them a squirt, just enough that their hands dry after about 20 seconds of rubbing them together, during your walk through the neighborhood.

Test face paints or makeup on a small patch of skin

Make sure that those “mouse whiskers” and “tiger stripes” on your child’s face won’t cause skin or eye irritation by testing out your face paints a few days before you go trick-or-treating. Don’t forget to remove them once you get home!

What ways do you keep your family healthier on Halloween?