Celebrate Spooky Season All Month Long With These Simple Recipes

October is Halloween month, and while kids revel in a marathon month of monsters, ghosts, and ghouls, parents know that the actual scariest thing about Halloween season may just be the sugar intake. 

The average American child collects between 4,000 to 7,000 calories worth of candy on Halloween night. Compared to an average kid’s sugar intake of 32 teaspoons of sugar per day, on Halloween the average American trick-or-treater consumes about 3 cups of sugar on Halloween. That’s about 144 teaspoons of sugar per child on Halloween—roughly 16 times the recommended by the American Heart Association. 

And that’s just on Halloween night! Sweet and scary treats abound in the run-up to Halloween, and if you’re not careful it’s easy for October to become a month-long sugar rush that crescendos as we near the 31st. 

One way health-conscious parents can help their kids stay healthy and still enjoy Halloween to the fullest is to reduce the sugar content in the weeks before it’s time to put on the costumes and go trick-or-treating. That’s why we put together our list of 5 low-prep, healthy, and fun Halloween-themed treats to keep your family in the spirit of the season without so much spooky sugar in their diets.

1. Make Halloween Banana Ghosts

High in fiber, antioxidants, and nutrients, Ghost bananas make irresistible after school snacks! You can find full instructions here. 

Supplies needed: 

• Popsicle sticks
• Bananas
• Parchment paper
• Cookie sheet
• White chocolate baking chips
• Candy or raisins for the eyes and mouth

2. Serve Eyes As an Appetizer 

Incredibly low prep given how creepy they turn out, olive-stuffed mozzarella eyeballs are sure to be a new family favorite appetizer. All you have to do is push your olives into the mozzarella balls and assemble the prosciutto around them for an instant Halloween crowd pleaser!

Supplies needed: 

• Olives stuffed with red peppers
• Strips of prosciutto
• Balls of mozzarella

For more Halloween appetizers, check out guacamoldy eyeballs for a twist on the same concept or creepy pizza fingers for pickier eaters.

3. Tiny Tangy Pumpkins!

For an easy halloween treat packed with vitamin C and natural sugars, make tiny tangy pumpkins out of oranges and celery! To assemble these cute little snacks, simply peel a few oranges, and insert a small piece of celery for the stem. For even less prep, you can take a sharpie to an unpeeled orange to create tiny Jack O’Lanterns to pack in your children’s’ lunches!

4. Monster Avocado Toast: Assemble With Your Kids!

Here’s a family-friendly Halloween activity and a healthy Halloween treat all rolled into one! Monster avocado toast is a versatile bit of food fun that the whole family can get into, and can be customized for picky eaters. Simply Mash avocado on toast, and create the face with whatever suits your family’s tastes. Use olives or radishes for eyes, chop up some red bell pepper to shape a mouth, or use seaweed to make a tuft for your very own Frankenstein’s monster. Your family can get creative with this one, and if you want a recipe to start off with, you can find one here.

The thing about monsters is, once you make one, you start to see monster-making potential in every meal, from granola to wraps. For another monster-themed Halloween snack that can become a favorite family activity, try out these hummus monsters. 

5. Try Making Strawberry Ghosts for a Sweet and Spooky Treat!

How about a Halloween treat that’s still sweet, but much healthier than candy? Try making these adorable strawberry ghosts! You can find the full recipe for these healthy Halloween treats here.

Supplies needed: 

• Fresh strawberries
• White baking chocolate
• Shortening 
• Almond Extract
• Miniature semisweet chocolate chips

Alternatively, for a make-ahead option for school lunches, try making mummy apple sauce snacks with applesauce pouches, crepe paper, hot glue, and some googly eyes.

If you end up trying any of these recipes with your kiddos for Halloween or if you have other fun healthy Halloween recipe ideas, comment below! 

From all of us at Hospitality Health ER, we hope you have a Happy Halloween! 

For health-related topics, tips, and recipes, make sure to follow along with our Hospitality Health ER blog, where we explore more Halloween-themed topics like “How are Pumpkins Good For Your Health?” For giveaways, updates, and COVID-19 tips, like us on Facebook and Instagram.