This episode is going out in the week before Halloween and Joanne interviews Emma Martyn from Little Gannets about how to use children’s enthusiasm about Halloween to explore food.

Emma talks about why we restricting children’s eating of their Halloween sweets in an overt way gives them negative messages about food, and that we should think of Halloween as just one part of the year and think of the whole celebration and everything it can add to a childhood. She gives some tips to make trick or treating a bit less sweet indulgent but talks about how children need to learn to listen to their own bodies.

Emma also runs through some great ideas for other ways to use food at Halloween to engage children and play and have fun with food.

Emma is a certified nutrition coach who works with schools and daycare settings on their menus and nutrition education, as well as running weaning workshops and baby brunches for families. Because Emma also offers party food catering for children, I thought she'd be the perfect person to ask about celebration food and how handle those times where everyone including children are prone to overindulging a bit.

Links in this episode:

Emma's website: https://www.littlegannets.co.uk/

Emma's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/littlegannetsuk/

Emma's reel of Halloween food messy play: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DQD5WwsiO1V

Emma's spooky toast recipes: https://www.littlegannets.co.uk/recipes/halloween-toasts

October episode with some Halloween snack ideas: www.thefoodies.org/ffk40/

Episode about using up pumpkin flesh: www.thefoodies.org/ffk43

Music "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat