Our family loves Halloween! It’s true, in the early days we were trick-or-treating holdouts (all that sugary store-bought Halloween candy… shudder!). Now that my kids are older I’ve figured out a healthy balance with these Halloween food ideas. We just buy candy with better ingredients (and make sure to have non-candy treats too).

Reinventing our Halloween dinner plan is another way I made peace with this sugar-happy holiday. These festive but healthy Halloween recipes are perfect for a bite to eat before or after trick-or-treating, or just a way to make Halloween fun at home! You can even serve up some of these healthy Halloween treats at your next Halloween party.

You’ll find a few healthier dessert treats on this list, but many of these recipes work well for appetizers or a meal. Halloween cake, caramel apples, brownies, and Halloween cupcakes may be crowd-pleasers, but they really add to the sugar load of the night!

Healthy Halloween Recipes & Halloween Food Ideas (Mom Approved!)

Some of these recipes are our original creations and some are great ideas we’ve adopted from others. I made sure to choose Halloween food ideas that:

• Have nutrition (healthy fats, protein, vitamins, etc.)
• Are made with real food
• Are easy for kids to make (see my parenting rule: mom doesn’t have to do everything!)

Ultimately, playing with our food is a lot of fun. These low-prep recipes leave time for all the costume making and face painting you desire!

1. Spiderweb Pancakes

Start the day off with some grain-free pumpkin pancakes. Melt some chocolate (because, Halloween) and drizzle off a spoon in a quick, spider-like fashion to “spin” a dramatic and delicious web on top of each stack. You can even melt cocoa butter wafers with a little honey to make a white chocolate version.

2. Banana Ghosts

My youngest daughter looks forward to making these super simple banana “ghosts” every year. Simply peel a banana, cut it in half, and press chocolate chips into the tip of the banana as eyes and a sliced almond as an open, wailing mouth! Stand upright on the flat end of a plate drizzled with chocolate for a cute, self-serve Halloween dessert.

3. Clementine “Pumpkins”

Halloween party food doesn’t get easier (or healthier) than this. Peel a mandarin or clementine orange, being careful to keep the orange segments intact. Insert a short piece of thinly sliced celery in the opening of the orange and voila! You have an adorable pumpkin-esque Halloween snack that little kids (and grown ups) will love.

Make up a whole platter or serve on a small dessert plate with dinner (since they’ll get plenty of actual dessert later!).

4. Jack O’Lantern Stuffed Peppers

Most of us have made some version of stuffed peppers before. You can easily make them into a fun and healthy spooktacular meal!

Use 8-10 bright orange peppers. Slice off the top, remove the seeds, and cut a smiling (or scary) Jack o’ lantern face into the sides. Stuff with Philly cheesesteak toppings (our favorite) or a more traditional filling, bake, and enjoy!

Or, make it a Halloween appetizer. Prepare an orange bell pepper the same way, but leave it raw and fill with radish cream cheese dip and cut veggies.

5. Watermelon Monster Head

You’ve seen watermelon fruit baskets… how about a watermelon monster head? It’s a lot healthier than candy apples and way tastier than candy corn (sorry if you like candy corn!). Cut a watermelon in half, scoop out the shell, and cut a jagged mouth. Turn upside down on top of a fruit salad plate and add some fruit slice eyes to your watermelon “head.” It looks like this spooky Halloween monster has lost his lunch, which kids will love and gobble up!

6. Meatloaf Mummies

We make meatloaf cupcakes regularly (like mini-meatloaves with whipped sweet potato “frosting”). For Halloween, we dress these up for the occasion by using white mashed potatoes piped on top with a flat icing tip. Add two green peas for eyes and you have a meal that looks just like a mini mummy, all wrapped up in bandages!

7. Witches’ Brew Smoothie

Shhh… this is just a green smoothie recipe I make all the time! Cucumber and lime give it a bright green look that’s perfect for Halloween. Just call it by a new name and serve it with a peeled grape (eyeball) garnish and you have a spooky snack kids won’t turn down.

8. Mulled Cider (or Wine!)

This “treat” is one of the best ways to add a touch of natural hygge and make it feel extra cozy and inviting in the house. Plus it smells amazing! Simply long-simmer mulling spices in cider (or around my house, wine for the adults!) and serve warm.

9. Pumpkin Soup or Chili

If you haven’t tried a velvety, creamy pumpkin soup for a fall meal, you’re missing out! Pumpkins are plentiful in the garden and market this time of year. This soup is a budget-friendly choice that’s also a great party food idea for a potluck. It’s easy to make, takes minimal prep, and is easy to keep warm until you’re ready to eat.

You can also add pumpkin to chili, one of my favorite sneaky veggie-boosting tricks.

10. Zoodles or Shirataki Noodles (for “Brains”)

I have a whole post on shirataki noodles, but these unusual noodles have that perfect slippery feel to pose as “brains”! Peeled zucchini noodles made with a spiralizer will also work well for this. Serve with alfredo sauce or Thai peanut sauce and present it as brain “goo” to gross them out and delight them at the same time.

11. String Cheese Ghosts

If you’re packing lunches, these super easy mozzarella string cheese ghosts are a cute, high-protein treat. Just use a Sharpie to draw your own friendly or spooky ghost faces!

12. A Chilling Charcuterie Board

With a charcuterie board, there’s no end to how creative you can be. Especially when it’s Halloween themed! Cut cheese with Halloween-shaped cookie cutters, add clementine pumpkins (above), and olive “eyeballs.” String cheese and bell pepper “fingers” also make a nice touch. You can add a cheese ball to dip some veggies in.

13. Deviled Eggs (Of Course!)

I didn’t even have to make up a name for this one! Make deviled eggs even more sinister with the addition of black olive spiders. Or mix filling with some beet puree and top with olives for “bloody eyeballs.” Either way, they’re packed with protein and fats to help fill kids up and regulate blood sugar.

14. Veggie Tray Skeleton

Who says vegetables can’t dress up too? My kids have taken this Halloween tradition over from me and have fun making a different character every year. And I’m happy to supply the vegetables! They learned knife skills from an online cooking course for kids years ago, and now they’re paying off!

Serve with hummus or real-food ranch dip.

15. Halloween Cookies

Instead of frosted sugar cookies with sprinkles or Oreos try some healthier homemade cookies. Make some tasty gingerbread cookies but use Halloween themed cookie cutters instead. Or mix cream cheese and honey to make a pipeable frosting and decorate molasses cookies with a “spider web.”

16. Spooky Meatballs

Here’s another protein-packed main dish or Halloween appetizer. You can add a sliced green olive to the top to make a meatball “eyeball.” Wrap it up in spaghetti squash noodles and tomato sauce for a spooky mummy appearance.

17. Ghost Marshmallows

These spooky ghost marshmallows are made with honey and feature gut-healthy gelatin and probiotics. Instead of candy eyes, dab on melted dark chocolate with a toothpick for the ghost faces. Mom (or older kids) can make the marshmallow mixture and kids can pipe it onto the tray and decorate them.

Do you have ideas for a spooky and fun Halloween menu? Please share your favorite real-food Halloween food ideas!