This Is No Trick

For parents regularly lectured on the importance of fruits and vegetables in their children’s diets, Oct. 31, it seems, is one day to ignore those admonitions.

“It’s the only time of the year when you get to eat a junkload of candy,’’ said Thelma McAvoy of Dorchester, as she shopped for a Batgirl costume with her daughter, Hailey, 5.

The problem is, Halloween’s candy cache can last weeks, said Joy Anastasia Gentry, founder of Reclaiming the Joy of Parenting, a consulting company.

And then, hot on its heels, comes Thanksgiving. And then, Hanukkah and Christmas, with their oil-laden latkes and gingerbread cookies.

“Unfortunately, it’s not one day of the year,’’ said Gentry, who lives with her 6-year-old son in Arlington. “Parents have to be honest with themselves about how much candy their kids are consuming before and after the holiday.’’

Brandy K. Cruthird, founder of the child-oriented fitness program Body by Brandy 4 Kidz in Roxbury, threw a Halloween party Thursday night at her gym. Wait - a Halloween party at a gym?

There were no mini chocolate bars or even candy corn. Children ate apples and oranges, granola bars, and 100-calorie bags of Doritos. There was candy, but it was hard and sugar-free.

The point, Cruthird said, is not to deny children or adults fun on a holiday but to emphasize healthy treats - and habits.

Dr. Caroline Apovian, director of the Nutrition and Weight Management Center at Boston Medical Center, said Halloween can be a stressful time for parents looking to manage their children’s nutrition - especially parents of overweight children. Conversations about candy intake are fraught with concerns about body image.

“How do you tell an overweight child they can’t have candy, when their friends are clearly indulging?’’ Apovian said. The key: Don’t try to eliminate candy, because desperate youngsters always find a way to get it. Instead, regulate it: a piece or two a night, always after a healthy meal.