Happy Halloween! It’s almost time for families to go trick-or-treating around the neighborhood or, as I recently learned from my son’s daycare, a trunk. Here are some tricks for making this year’s Halloween a treat for the entire family.
Enjoy fun and festive snacks for all month long.
Halloween means that kids will have more access to candy than usual. Parents can serve fewer treats leading up to the holiday to balance this out. Families can still celebrate the holiday season without serving more candy by making festive snacks like clementine pumpkins or banana ghost pops. Try using Halloween-themed cookie cutters to cut fun shapes out of fruits, vegetables, or sandwiches.
Find more Halloween treat suggestions here.
Honey Mustard Snack Mix
If you can find big enough creepy crawly toys that they won’t present a choking hazard, mix them in with the snack mix to add a festive touch. You can make this snack mix peanut-free by swapping in almonds, pumpkin seeds or soy nuts.
View recipe »Eat a balanced meal or snack before leaving the house.
The time between work or school and trick-or-treating is short enough as it is. Add on last-minute costume adjustments and it can be easy to forget to eat a balanced meal or snack before leaving the house.
Be sure your small meal or large snack provides these three nutrients: fat, fiber, and protein. This combo will keep everyone full longer and help handle the inevitable spike in sugar from candy.
If your little ones are too excited to eat something substantial, try something simple like Ants on a Log with natural peanut butter.
Berry Scary Shake
Get your kids in the Halloween spirit with this delicious and healthy shake! If blueberries aren’t a favorite in your house, swap them with an equal amount of strawberries, raspberries, or blackberries instead. If serving these for a party, consider handing them out in paper cups and let the kids draw scary faces while they’re waiting to be served.
View recipe »Deal with that pile of candy.
It’s no spooky surprise that after trick-or-treating there will be a pile of candy for parents to deal with. It’s wise to have a plan for how you will manage candy with your kids. Of course, the goal is to balance sweets with more nutritious foods, but that can be easier said than done when we’re talking pillowcases full of candy.
Read more about mindful treats to craft your plan for Halloween and the other upcoming holidays.
Consider non-food treats.
Non-food treats are great for all kids, but especially those with food allergies or other food conditions. Fill up small fun bags with bouncy balls, glow sticks, stamps, temporary tattoos, or Halloween glasses.
Have you heard about the Teal Pumpkin Project? It promotes inclusion for trick-or-treaters with food allergies or other conditions. You can participate by having non-food treats available on Halloween and putting a teal pumpkin on your doorstep.