Our family loves Halloween! Admittedly, at first we were reluctant to trick-or-treat (all those store-bought sugary Halloween treats…shudder!). Now that my kids are older, I’ve discovered a healthy balance with these Halloween food ideas. We just buy candy with better ingredients (and make sure we have non-candy treats, too).
Reinventing our Halloween dinner plan is another way I made peace with this sugar-filled holiday. These festive but healthy Halloween recipes are perfect for a bite to eat before or after trick-or-treating, or just a way to make Halloween fun at home! You can even serve some of these healthy Halloween treats at your next Halloween party.
You’ll find some healthier desserts on this list, but many of these recipes work well as appetizers or as a meal. Halloween cake, candy apples, brownies, and Halloween cupcakes may be crowd pleasers, but they really add to the sugar load of the night!
Healthy Halloween Recipes and Halloween Food Ideas (Mom Approved!)
Some of these recipes are our original creations and others are great ideas we’ve adopted from others. I made sure to choose Halloween food ideas that:
- Have nutrition (healthy fats, proteins, vitamins, etc.)
- They are made with real food.
- They’re easy for kids to make (see my parenting rule: Mom doesn’t have to do everything!)
In short, playing with our food is a lot of fun. These low-prep recipes leave you time to make all the costumes and face painting you want!
1. Spiderweb Pancakes
Start the day with some grain-free pumpkin pancakes. Melt some chocolate (because Halloween) and drizzle with a spoon quickly, like a spider, to “weave” a spectacular and delicious web on top of each pile. You can even melt cocoa butter wafers with a little honey to make a white chocolate version.
2. Banana ghosts
My youngest daughter looks forward to making these super simple banana “ghosts” every year. Simply peel a banana, cut it in half, and press chocolate chips into the tip of the banana for eyes and a sliced almond for an open, moaning mouth! Stand upright on the flat end of a chocolate-drizzled plate for a cute self-serve Halloween dessert.
3. Clementine “Pumpkins”
Halloween party food doesn’t get any easier (or healthier) than this. Peel a tangerine or clementine orange, being careful to keep the orange segments intact. Insert a short piece of thinly sliced celery into the opening of the orange and you’re done! You’ve got an adorable pumpkin-shaped Halloween treat that little kids (and adults) will love.
Make a whole plate or serve it on a small dessert plate with dinner (since you’ll be getting a lot of dessert later!).
4. Jack O’Lantern Stuffed Peppers
Most of us have made some version of stuffed peppers before. You can easily turn them into a spooky, fun, and healthy meal!
Use 8 to 10 bright orange bell peppers. Cut off the top, remove the seeds, and cut a smiling (or scary) Jack o’lantern face into the sides. Fill with Philly cheesesteak toppings (our favorite) or a more traditional filling, bake, and enjoy!
Or make it a Halloween appetizer. Prepare an orange bell pepper the same way, but leave it raw and fill it with radish cream cheese sauce and chopped vegetables.
5. Watermelon Monster Head
You’ve seen watermelon-shaped fruit baskets…how about a watermelon monster head? It’s much healthier than sweet apples and much tastier than sweet corn (sorry if you like sweet corn!). Cut a watermelon in half, remove the peel, and cut out a serrated mouth. Turn it over onto a plate of fruit salad and add some sliced fruit eyes to the “head” of the watermelon. It looks like this spooky Halloween monster has lost his lunch, which kids will love and devour!
6. Meatloaf Mummies
We make meatloaves regularly (like mini meatloaves with whipped sweet potato “frosting”). For Halloween, we dressed them up for the occasion using white mashed potatoes with a flat tip of frosting on top. Add two green peas for eyes and you have a meal that looks like a mini mummy, all wrapped in bandages!
7. Witches Brew Milkshake
Shhh…this is just a green smoothie recipe that I make all the time! The cucumber and lime give it a bright green look perfect for Halloween. Just call it by a new name and serve it with a side of peeled grape (eyeball) and you’ll have a spooky snack that kids won’t turn down.
8. Mulled cider (or wine!)
This “gift” is one of the best ways to add a touch of natural hygiene and make the house feel more welcoming and inviting. Plus it smells amazing! Simply simmer, mull the spices into cider (or in my house, wine for the adults!) and serve hot.
9. Pumpkin or Chili Soup
If you haven’t tried a creamy, velvety pumpkin soup for a fall meal, you’re missing out! Pumpkins abound in the garden and at the market this time of year. This soup is a budget-friendly option that is also a great potluck food idea. It’s easy to prepare, requires minimal prep, and is easy to keep warm until you’re ready to eat.
You can also add pumpkin to chili, one of my favorite tricks for boosting vegetables.
10. Zoodles or Shirataki noodles (for “brains”)
I have a whole post on shirataki noodles, but these unusual noodles have that slippery feel perfect for passing off as “brains”! Peeled zucchini noodles made with a spiralizer will also work well for this. Serve with alfredo sauce or Thai peanut sauce and present it as brain goo to gross them out and delight them at the same time.
11. String Cheese Ghosts
If you’re packing lunches, these super easy String Mozzarella Cheese Ghosts are a cute, high-protein treat. Just use a Sharpie to draw your own friendly or spooky ghost faces!
12. A chilling charcuterie board
With a charcuterie board, there is no end to how creative you can be. Especially when it’s Halloween themed! Cut out cheese with Halloween-shaped cookie cutters, add clementine squash (above) and olive “eyeballs.” The string cheese and bell pepper “fingers” are also a nice touch. You can add a cheese ball to dip some vegetables.
13. Deviled eggs (of course!)
I didn’t even have to come up with a name for this one! Make deviled eggs even more sinister by adding black olive spiders. Or mix the filling with some beet puree and top with olives for “bloody eyes.” Either way, they’re packed with protein and fat to help kids feel full and regulate blood sugar.
14. Vegetable Tray Skeleton
Who says vegetables can’t be garnished too? My children have inherited this Halloween tradition and have fun creating a different character each year. And I’ll be happy to provide you with the vegetables! They learned knife skills in an online cooking course for kids years ago, and now they’re paying off!
Serve with hummus or real food ranch dip.
15. Halloween Cookies
Instead of frosted sugar cookies with sprinkles or Oreos, try some healthier homemade cookies. Make some delicious gingerbread cookies, but use Halloween-themed cookie cutters instead. Or mix cream cheese and honey to make a pipettable frosting and decorate molasses cookies with a “spider web.”
16. Creepy Meatballs
Here’s another protein-packed Halloween main dish or appetizer. You can add a sliced green olive on top to make a meatball “eyeball.” Wrap it in spaghetti squash noodles and tomato sauce to give it a spooky mummy look.
17. Ghost Marshmallows
These spooky ghost marshmallows are made with honey and contain gelatin and gut-healthy probiotics. Instead of eye candy, apply melted dark chocolate with a toothpick to the ghosts’ faces. Mom (or older kids) can make the marshmallow mixture and the kids can place it on the tray and decorate.
Do you have ideas for a fun and spooky Halloween menu? Share your favorite real food ideas for Halloween!
