A terrific Halloween treat is sweet or salty, fun, and a little bit spooky. That doesn’t mean you have to choose between doughnuts and candy corn.
Consider these fun ideas:
- For trick or treaters, think about small boxes of raisins, lunchbox-ready containers of mandarin orange slices, or packets of microwave popcorn. Individual packets of pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, or whole-grain chips can be fun. If it just has to be candy, think about small dark chocolate treats.
- For Halloween parties, use some imagination to make ordinary food party-ready. Use Halloween cookie cutters to gussie up grilled cheese sandwiches, make spooky faces with veggies on whole-grain pizza crust, or cut a Jack o’ Lantern face in a hollowed-out orange and fill it with fruit salad. Serve hot apple cider and cut up veggies with dip for appetizers.
- Halloween family meals can center on colorful, tasty dishes like chili or baked pasta. Add black olives and orange carrots to keep your color scheme festive.
Non-food items are fun for trick or treaters, too. Here are some ideas:
- stickers
- festive pencils
- fancy erasers or pencil toppers
- bottles of bubbles
- whistles
- toothbrushes
- holiday bookmarks
- temporary tattoos
- mini magnifying glasses
- little bouncy balls
- yo-yos
For your own kids, start with a healthy meal before they head out in their costumes. Make sure kids understand that they should bring all their loot home to be checked before they eat it, and help them choose a few pieces for immediate enjoyment and put the rest away.
- Learning to enjoy treats in moderation is a healthy lesson!