Halloween is all about transformation – dressing up in costumes, and turning your home into a haunted house. Now you can take it to the next level by transforming your food! Below are some ideas on how you can bring Halloween to your family’s mealtime routine. The bonus: all of these recipes are easy for kids to help make!
Snack Time
We all remember that antsy feeling kids get in the time between getting home from school and wanting to start trick-or-treating IMMEDIATELY. Making these snacks could be a great way to pass the time before the main event of Halloween starts.
Cracker and Pretzel Spiders:
Peanut butter crackers are a classic snack. Add some pretzel sticks and raisins for eyes, and you’ve got some spooky spiders! Allergic to peanuts? Substitute with other nut or seed butters, hummus, guacamole, or any other spread your children love. Click here for recipe.
Skeleton Bread Bones
Roll biscuit dough into long snakes, tie each end in a knot, top with some parmesan or mozzarella cheese, and bake these bones to golden perfection. Dip them in some marinara sauce to add a bloody effect that will keep the Halloween spirit alive at snack time. Click here for recipe.
Apple Slice Smiles
Let’s work some fruit into our lineup. Use apple slices, peanut butter (or substitute), and mini marshmallows to make smiles to match the ones your kids will have when they are out trick-or-treating. Click here for recipe.
Dinner Time
Monster Pizzas
Hit two birds with one stone: let your kids show their creativity and pack in some veggies by having your kids make their very own monster faces. Click here for recipe.
Mummy Dogs
To get some protein, use strips of biscuit dough and ketchup or mustard for eyes to turn hot dogs into mummies! Click here for recipe.
Jack-O-Lantern Quesadillas
Just like pumpkins, you can cut shapes in tortillas to make a jack-o-lantern face! Work in some extra nutrients by adding chicken and veggies to the quesadilla. Click here for recipe.
Dessert Time
Boo-nana Pops
Feeling overloaded by all the sugary sweets? Encourage your kids to have some fruit by turning bananas into a spooky treat. Substitute yogurt for white chocolate and stick these in the freezer for a healthy bonus. Click here for recipe.
Monster Rice “Creepies”
Rice krispy treats are one of the easiest treat to make. Take them to the next level by making monsters! This recipe calls for candy melts, but using food coloring to tint melted white chocolate works just as well. Click here for recipe.
Leftover Candy
Trying to find a way to use up the last of the Halloween candy? Chop what is left and add it to melted chocolate to make Halloween bark, or throw the pieces in with brownie batter to add some extra goodness. Here are two recipes for candy bark and brownies!
By Lindsay Hoffer, M.S., CCC-SLP
