How to Have a Healthy Halloween: Snack and Treat Ideas for Kids

Oct 24, 2022

3 min read

Updated: 23 hours ago

It's almost Halloween, a day full of children, costumes, imagination and tons of candy. Banning sweets altogether might look like the healthy option, but it's rarely the best strategy, since candy is very much part of the tradition. Here are some tips for a healthy Halloween that stays fun for everyone.

Balance happens throughout the year

A balanced diet throughout the year has a much greater impact on children's health than one Halloween party full of candy. Nonetheless, serving healthy snacks before children get their hands on the candy is a great trick: they fill up on nutrients and feel satisfied. Favouring seasonal fruit and vegetables before sweets can also satisfy sugar cravings, thanks to their natural sugar and fibre content.

Here are some ideas to make those snacks even more appealing than candy:

Choose orange fruit and vegetables (carrots, sweet potato, squash, clementines, oranges, etc.)
Mimic slime with guacamole
Turn everyday foods into Halloween creatures
Serve naturally sweetened beverages
Provide homemade treats for children to help themselves to

Healthy Halloween monster snack made with kiwi and chocolate

Serve the meal before the candy hunt

A balanced meal or snack before the candy hunt is a good way to stop your kids rushing for the sweets. Fruit, vegetables, seeds, nut spreads or hummus are the best options. If your kids aren't hungry when they leave, they'll be less likely to overindulge in candy when they get home.

Manage the candy haul

To help your children manage their haul of treats, give them a small bag: it fills up more quickly, so fewer sweets come back home.

When the party is over, encourage mindful enjoyment of the treats without strict deprivation. If you store the candy out of sight, children will quickly forget about it. Another trick is to mix leftover candy with nuts and a few pretzels to make a homemade trail mix.

Make themed homemade treats

Making your own Halloween treats lets you control the amount of sugar, the quality of the ingredients and the nutritional value. Fruit, vegetables, nuts or whole grains are great options, and homemade is always healthier than industrial products or candy.

Plus, homemade treats are a great way to get the whole family involved and make Halloween a little healthier.

Popcorn with cinnamon or fresh fruit dipped in chocolate are healthier alternatives to candy. Or try squash pastries, cinnamon-roasted pumpkin seeds, or pumpkin purée and chocolate chip muffins.

Here are some other snack ideas:

Hot apple juice with cinnamon sticks
Energy balls with dates and squash
Baked apples or pears with cinnamon, nuts and maple syrup
Chocolate-covered banana ghost popsicles
Turn sliced bananas into ghosts, with two chocolate chips for eyes.
Make a vegan caramel sauce: blend soaked, pitted dates to get a delicious caramel with natural sugar. Enjoy it with apple slices, a drizzle of nut butter and dark chocolate chips.
Turn clementines or tangerines into pumpkins: peel them and add a thin piece of celery stalk in the centre.
Cut some fruit into slices and add two chocolate chips for “eyes”, to fix with nut butter.

Make this Halloween a time to teach your child to enjoy special treats, in moderation, as part of a healthy diet.

Nutrition and zero waste tip

As you carve your pumpkin, save the flesh to make a soup, a risotto or a purée to add to your desserts and treats (our squash and saffron risotto with lentil tempeh is a delicious way to use it). The seeds are also highly nutritious and make a great snack for school: just roast them in the oven with cinnamon and a little sugar. They'll love it!