Healthier Halloween Treats

With all of the candy flooding your home on Halloween night, why not find a few homemade healthier Halloween treats to serve? One way to cut down on candy consumption is to feed your kids before they dive into their goodie bags. Here are a few simple recipes to cut down on the candy overload and increase healthy ingredients while still maintaining the Halloween spirit!

“Rotten” Deviled Eggs

If you want to make a food that looks positively poisonous but tastes delicious, try these “rotten” deviled eggs. Packed with protein and healthy fat, these will fuel your little trick or treaters for a busy night knocking on doors. Add avocado to your favorite deviled egg filling recipe, and create creepy web designs on the whites by soaking cracked, boiled eggs in colored water.

Zombie Apple Bites

Here is a healthy treat that will your kids will want to take a bite out of! This simple snack is easy to make and includes two types of fresh fruit, two types of nuts, and a little sweetness for the eyes. Quarter an apple and carve out the middle, skin side, to create a mouth. Fill with your favorite type of nut butter (almond, peanut, sunbutter, etc…). Stick a few sunflower seeds into the top of the “mouth” for teeth, and add a sliced strawberry as a tongue. You can create edible eyes with white and dark chocolate. Fresh fruit and nuts? Healthier Halloween treats never looked more adorable!

Pumpkin Spice Ice Cream Sandwiches

Pumpkin Spice is officially the flavor of fall, and what better way to incorporate it than in an ice cream sandwich? Pumpkin puree is rich in fiber and high in beta carotene, and you can use it to make simple, healthy cookies for the outside of your ice cream sandwich. If you want to keep the sugar content low, use Whole Earth stevia & monk fruit sweetener. For the filling, use Chicago-born PureCircle Ice Cream. They use stevia instead of sugar to sweeten, so the end result is a zero sugar added ice cream with no artificial sweetener. This is a great alternative dessert for children with diabetes, or adults following Keto protocol. It is truly one of the healthier Halloween treats that tastes just as good as it looks!

Here is a link to a recipe for the pumpkin cookies, you can omit the chocolate chips and add a little pumpkin spice if you like!

Black and Orange Pasta

I recently discovered squid ink pasta, and thought it would be perfect for a Halloween meal. Black Bean pasta is also black and more widely available, and has an incredible amount of protein. You can add roasted butternut squash and serve with a homemade savory sauce. Squid ink is mainly used for a natural color, but also contains nutrients and antioxidants. Butternut squash is high in vitamin A, C magnesium and potassium. This is a color-coordinated way to get your children to try something new (and healthy!) for a Halloween dinner, and carb load before the main event.

Frankenstein Smoothie

If you want to kick off Halloween with a frightful breakfast feast, whip up some Frankenstein Smoothies! This is an excellent way to start your kid’s day with both fruit and vegetables. Simply blend frozen bananas with mango and spinach until smooth. You can use apples, kiwi, strawberries, etc… as well. Pour into a clear plastic cup and draw Frankenstein’s face on it with a permanent marker. Top smoothie with blackberries for “hair.” These healthier Halloween treats are scary good!

Cheers to keeping the kids happy and healthy (and EASY recipes that accomplish both!)