Whether you’re prepping snacks for a spooky sleepover for the kiddos, pulling together appetizers for a Halloween shindig, or just trying to give your weekend noshing some festive flair, you’ll likely have noticed something. Search for Halloween-themed snacks and the majority of ideas, though cute, aren’t exactly healthy and are more likely to be laden with processed sugars than not.
Never fear, though — with a little ingenuity, inspiration, and the right ideas, you can put together some healthy Halloween snacks that can be enjoyed on the daily, rather than in moderation. Here are a few of our favorite ideas.
1. A Healthful Char-boo-terie Board
Sure, traditional charcuterie boards are delicious — but they’re also filled with processed meats and cheeses that may not be a good fit for every lifestyle or diet. So, swap out your finger foods for a spookier option this season, using fresh veggies, fruits, and a few accompaniments to create charming characters, creatures, and pumpkins your kids will love. This example features banana ghosts, tangerine pumpkins, kiwi Frankenstein monsters, and more.
2. A Fruit-Filled Jack-o-Lantern
Tired of all your standard pumpkin recipes? Carve up another piece of produce when you reach for some oranges and create these adorable fruit-filled jack-o-lanterns. They may take a little artistry, but otherwise, they come together in a snap.
3. A Tropical Treat
Don’t want to fiddle with carving jack-o-lantern faces into small oranges and need something a little larger to work with? Go for a watermelon, like this option suggests. Then, arrange your watermelon so that it’s filled with diced watermelon and pineapple chunks, for a colorful, tasty display.
4. A Veggie to Die For
If you’re trying to get your veggies in for the day, ditch carving the oranges and watermelon and, instead, carve a smiling jack-o-lantern face into a bell pepper. Clean out the pepper’s seeds and other innards, and then fill the pepper with other, sliced veggies, such as carrot sticks, sliced bell peppers, and celery sticks. Serve alongside your favorite healthy dip.
5. A Ghostly Skewer
You don’t have to give up all the processed sugars and foods, all the time. It is Halloween after all. However, for a bit of balance, pair that processed sugar with the natural stuff — like these ghostly fruit kabobs do. Use a little melted chocolate or icing to draw ghostly faces on marshmallows, then skewer them alongside your favorite fruits, including strawberries, grapes, melon balls, and more.
6. Candy Corn Parfaits
Similarly, this candy corn parfait keeps a bit of sugary goodness but ditches the sus candy corn ingredients. All you have to do is layer chunk pineapple with mandarin orange segments and whipped cream in a glass (stemless wine glasses work well for this).
7. Pumpkin Hummus
Looking for a truly easy option that you can throw together in mere minutes (we’re talking less than five)? Enter “pumpkin” hummus. Open up a container of your favorite hummus, scoop it into a bowl, and, using a spoon, create ridges across the top of the hummus, to replicate the ridges on the exterior of a pumpkin. Use a partially peeled cucumber as your pumpkin stalk and you’re done.
