‘Healthy’ and ‘Halloween’ – two words that we rarely see together and despite Halloween being a fun opportunity for children of all ages to dress up in ghoulish costumes and roam the neighbourhood with their parents, collecting sweets and treats, most of us dread the inevitable sugar-rush that follows – usually right around bedtime!
While it tends to be inevitable when out trick or treating, Halloween doesn’t have to be all about the sugar. And if you’re throwing a Halloween party, it is possible to combine spooky fun with healthier options that kids will enjoy without the accompanying sugar overload. What’s more – healthy treats needn’t be tricky to make (see what we did there) and whether it’s for a packed lunch or a party, Halloween is a good opportunity to get the kids excited about food.
Fruity snacks
Fruit is a great place to start; turn the humble banana into a ghost by cutting it in half before adding a pair of edible googly eyes (or chocolate chips, sliced grapes or raisins) or try dipping the banana halves in white chocolate, adding the eyes and sliding onto a lolly stick before freezing. Peeled satsumas topped with a tiny piece of apple or celery resemble cute mini Halloween pumpkins.
Spooky Smoothies
Blitzed carrots, orange and pineapple juice make a bright pumpkin-coloured smoothie or for a bit of ‘Frankenstein fun’, combine strawberries, apple juice and a handful of spinach (most children won’t detect the taste) before pouring into a glass and topping with edible eyes and mini marshmallows for the teeth.
Yummy Mummies
Mummified sausage rolls are easy to make together, using pre-packaged puff pastry cut into thin strips and wound (not too neatly) around the sausage meat before baking. Or for a sweet version, drizzle white chocolate or icing in a zigzag across a rectangular-shaped brownie.
Savoury treats
Kids love to combine decorating with cooking, so let them go to town with a plain shop-bought or homemade pizza base and a selection of ingredients (try pepperoni, cheese, tomatoes, olives, bacon) to make scary faces, spiders, bats or ghosts.
String cheese tied round the bottom of a long carrot or celery baton makes a great witch’s broom while mini mozzarella balls stuffed with a sliver of black olive or basil become spooky eyes, ideal for topping a plate of pesto or tomato spaghetti.
Cupcakes and cookies also provide a great base for decorating and can be transformed with shop-bought icing (black, white, green or orange). Again, add edible eyes, mini marshmallows, Oreos cut in half for bat wings for some seriously spooky effects.
The main thing is to have fun, so plan ahead and get your child excited about creating some healthy (or healthier) snacks, treats and meals. At least then, when the inevitable sugar rush comes, you can feel just a little less guilty!
Crafts Ideas for Halloween
Finally, as Halloween usually coincides with October Half Term, it’s a great time to dig out the art and craft box and get creative! As well as showing off your best pumpkin carving skills (always supervise young children when it comes to knife cutting), there are plenty of spooky things to do with everyday things you might have at home or even in the recycling box – lolly sticks, jam jars, felt, paint, cardboard, cotton wool and so on:
– Create bloodshot eyeballs, spiders, bats or pumpkins from leftover egg cartons – even better – make a whole collection! Just cut out individual pieces, paint and decorate or add extras such as black pipe cleaners for spider’s legs – or black felt for the bat wings.
– Wrap jam jars in thin white gauze and add some googly stick-on eyes for a ghoulish mummy – or orange tissue paper for a pumpkin and draw on a face using a black pen. A small LED tealight can be added to make it glow!
– Save up any wooden lolly sticks and glue them together, paint, add googly eyes and decorate with pieces of felt or tissue to make mini vampires, mummies or monsters!
There is no need to worry about any mess when getting creative, as we have you covered with our award winning Wipeezee wipe clean sleeved bibs and Wipeezee Splash Mat. Both easy to wipe clean after use.
Enjoy making things with your kids and have fun and stay safe this Halloween!
