October is nearly here, which is a surprise as I am pretty sure it was January yesterday.

Life is flying by way too fast — especially with my littles being not-so-little. I am seriously enjoying their company these days.

“Stop growing!” I’ve asked. “We can’t, mummy. You feed us too many vegetables.” And so my words come back to haunt me ….

There are obviously days when I chase my girls up the stairs to bed.

Sometimes the quiet can’t come soon enough, after they have whined for hours on end, or applied sun cream to their teddies and the living room carpet (true story).

But there are days when I stretch out the time before bedtime. No, I don’t want to come in. No, I don’t want to stop reading. No, I don’t want to pack away the completely amazing marble run.

Genuinely wanting to hang out with my kids was a parenting milestone for me — no judging! I used to tell people all the time, “I love my kids, especially when they’re sleeping.” Now I love them best when they’re awake.

Anyway, although it was just Christmas, it is somehow almost Christmas again. Before that we have Halloween, which is one of my favourite times of year.

The girls are beside themselves with excitement and we are already planning costumes. Chloe is going to be a raccoon and Belle wants to be a ninja.

What happened to just being a witch? I was definitely 12 variations of witch in my childhood, complete with a black paper hat and a broom made from garden twigs. I didn’t have an underprivileged upbringing, it’s just that buycostumes.com didn’t exist back then.

The reason why I don’t dread the sugar is because we have Susie Switch. If you don’t know about her, take a peek at my website!

She’s basically a “switch witch” that scoops up excess candy and leaves behind a small gift instead.

My kids do eat candy at Halloween, just not their body weight in it. They happily trade the excess for a surprise instead.

The only problem is, once “Susie” has visited, parents are left with a secret stash of candy.

My advice? Throw it away. Eating it yourself or giving it to others doesn’t do anyone any favours. I know that seems wasteful, but so is preventable disease.

The problem with keeping it and eating a little at a time is twofold: firstly, you might come in from a boozy night out and demolish the lot; secondly, you run the risk of being discovered.

Anyone who has ever forgotten to whisk a tooth out from under a pillow or been caught stuffing a stocking knows that is Not An Option.

Also, let’s not forget that if it’s not in the house, you simply can’t eat it.

It’s easier to make it through the night without the candy calling your name if it’s one mile down the road at the gas station. I know I’m not going to Rubis in my PJs. Are you?

If you are waging a war on sugar, remember to keep some healthy snacks on hand. Kick the bad stuff out and surround yourself with better options.

Here’s a list of low-sugar choices that will keep you feeling satisfied and help you say goodbye to quick-fix sugary snacks.

Low-sugar snacks for adults:

• Nut & Spice KIND bars. This variety has four or five grams of sugar per bar, and says so right on the front of the packet (don’t confuse them with others within the same range). Four grams of sugars = one teaspoon. Many granola bar options have triple that. Available at Supermart, Lindo’s and Down to Earth.

• Non-GMO, home-popped popcorn, using coconut oil and sea salt.

• Celery sticks stuffed with nut butter and topped with raisins.

• Hummus and carrot sticks.

• Guacamole and yellow pepper sticks.

• Nut butter on wholegrain toast.

• Raw cashews and dried goldenberries (these are very tart and a little sweet! Try Supermart).

• Health Warrior chia bars from Supermart. Small chia-packed snacks in delicious flavours (eg coffee, or cherry dark chocolate) with low added sugars.

• Half an avocado with lemon juice and black pepper.

• Sea salt lentil chips.

• Berries and pumpkin seeds.

• An apple and some almonds.

• Munchy Seeds’ pumpkin power (Down to Earth or Supermart).

• Nairn’s oatcakes and organic, grass-fed cheese.

• Savoury brand snack bars from Devil’s Isle.

• Eden tamari almonds available at MarketPlace’s organic section, or Supermart.

The advice given in this article is not intended to replace medical advice, but to complement it. Always consult your GP if you have any health concerns. Catherine Burns BA Hons, Dip ION is the managing director of Natural Ltd and a fully qualified nutritional therapist trained by the Institute for Optimum Nutrition in the UK. Please note that she is not a registered dietitian. For details, please go to www.natural.bm or call 236-7511. Join Catherine on Facebook: www.facebook.com/nutrifit andnaturalnutritionbermuda