"As a mother of two Halloweeners, I know this is an exciting time for children and quite frustrating for parents. Everyone has a different approach on candy eating. Here are three approaches for better candy eating.

1. Steer clear of foods of minimal nutrition value. These include items like chewing gum, candy-coated popcorn, and certain candies including hard candy, jellies and gums, marshmallow candies, fondant, licorice, and spun candy. Candies such as these usually only provide calories - empty calories in fact.

2. A better choice in the candy category are candies with 5 percent of the daily value of at least one of the specified nutrients (protein, vitamin A, vitamin C, niacin, riboflavin, thiamin, calcium and iron). These are considered to have nutritional value even though it's "candy." For example, two Reese's Peanut Butter Cups have 4 grams of protein, 1 gram of dietary fiber, 2 percent of the daily value of calcium, and 2 percent of the daily value of iron.

3. Portion size and frequency also play into the equation. Bite-size and minis for children are better portion sizes than regular or super size candies/bars. With that said, the portion control of bite size and minis can be derailed by eating too many of them at one time. Aiming for 4 bite- size bars or 2 minis at a sitting is appropriate. For the diehard candy-eating children, aim for bite size or mini portions no bigger than a regular size candy/bar in one sitting.

Candy when stored properly can last for a while. Establishing eating times for Halloween candy -- or any candy, for that matter -- such as after lunch or after dinner will prevent overeating. Avoid rewarding good behavior with candy; often leftover holiday candy is used as a reward for good behavior. Reward with a pencil or having the child pick their favorite fruit when grocery shopping.

For an adult, it really is almost the same. Aim for no more than a regular size candy/bar daily. A regular candy bar can range from 170 to over 200 hundred calories a day. If an adult eats mindlessly -- 2 or more regular size candy bars daily -- they run the risk of gaining a pound a week. Five hundred calories a day equals a pound in a week, and it does not take long to eat that with candy eating, especially, when we (adults) are multi-tasking at the same time."