Your One Stop Halloween Post for Halloween Recipes and More:
Thank you to Barb who pulled together this amazing Halloween post for you, she didn’t miss anything! There are even plenty of party food Halloween recipes below, and fun pictures, too. Here’s what I want to know: Barb, where have you been all my life? (Have you ever felt like writing a blog post but don’t want the headache of a blog? Consider guest posting here!)
UPDATE: Here are a few more Halloween/Fall posts that have gone up in recent years, to add to Barb's ideas below…
- Ideas for Halloween Party Food (Plus I did something BAD…)
- What to Give Out Instead of Candy for Halloween {10 Ideas + Party Bag Stuffers}
- Boo! Three Foods Too Scary for the FDA and Three Foods Too Scary for ME
- Grain-free Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bars
- Halloween Pancakes – Grain-free, Gluten-free, fluffy and tasty!
- Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream
- Stags Antlers – Festive Fall Cookies or Thanksgiving Cookie Recipe
It’s October. You know what that means, not only is winter around the corner but also stores are stocking shelves with decorations, costumes and candy. Some families are preparing for parties and trick-or-treating and any other spooky event that revolves around junk food.
So what do the rest of us do?
My family only began our real food journey a few years back and are still learning, but I’ve picked up a few things so far. First, kids don’t HAVE to trick-or-treat. Granted this is easier for those of us with children that haven’t yet been exposed to this. For some, a once in a while indulgence like trick-or-treating isn’t a big deal. However you decide your family will be spending this Halloween is up to you, but here are some ideas if you’re looking for something different.
There are many other activities that can easily replace trick-or-treating.
For instance, where I grew up (Madison, WI) they had an event at the zoo with a haunted house and there was one notorious home in the High Point area where people lined up to experience the haunted house that family created. There was more I’m sure but I grew up trick-or-treating so I don’t remember… (Share your ideas, too!)
We now live in a town rich in alternative education and a connection to local farmers and organics located in the Driftless Region of Wisconsin. Every year, the Waldorf elementary and middle school holds a theme enchanted forest walk. Last year was The Wizard of Oz, the year before was Peter Pan. The students dress up and have lines just like a play but you’re taken on a walk through the woods and interact with the story. They do offer treats but they could be far worse and not all are edible. When the theme was Peter Pan, the mermaids offered seas shells, the lost boys offered feathers and someone somewhere along the line offered cookies. During the Wizard of Oz adventure we received apples and homemade popcorn balls. We also have an “alternative” tick-or-treat list and on this list are the homes offering natural, organic and homemade goodies instead of the conventional fare. The local home school cooperative held a pumpkin carving party and provided popcorn, apples and cider. 
If you can’t find activities like this in your area, consider starting some.
Maybe plan something with a parenting group that you’re a part of, or your neighbors, or your child’s class? How about hosting a party?
If you decide to host a party, consider having it AFTER Halloween when decorations and favors are on clearance. Check out your local craft store and find tons of fun Halloween crafts projects and supplies on the cheap. They even carry costumes, supplies to make costumes and party favors. Or keep this in mind and buy for a party next year.
My son, Harrison, is planning to be the Mad Hatter this year so we’re having a Halloween tea party where I plan to serve spiced cider, vanilla mint tea, fresh milk, deviled eggs, mini pizzas, witch finger cookies, apples with honey caramel and soaked pumpkin muffins with probiotic cream cheese frosting (recipes below). We’ll also make a piñata and fill it with ginger 
chews, dark chocolate somethings, temporary tattoos and some other inedibles for the kids to take home. The kids can also spend some time doing some Halloween crafty stuff with pipe cleaners, pom poms, googly eyes and the like.
The point is, Halloween doesn’t have to be about candy, or even food for that matter.
You can make it whatever you want to make it. It can be about whatever it is to your family. To us, a family that’s lived most of its Halloweens as a typical American holiday AND that’s grown to cherish tradition even if that means making our own meaningful traditions, it’s an opportunity to enjoy a little bit of both.
If you’re taking your child to a party or trick-or-treating and are concerned with they’re junk intake, you can make sure your child gets a good, nutrient dense meal before hand so that they’ll be less likely to overindulge at the party.
Halloween Recipes
- Deviled Eggs
- Mini Pizzas: Quick compromise version & Homemade Version
- Simple probiotic cream cheese frosting (scroll down at that link)
- Honey Caramel Apple Dip or Ice Cream Topping
- Witch's Fingers (pictured above – scroll down at that link)
- Vanilla Mint Tea
- Spiced Cider
WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE HALLOWEEN RECIPES? DID YOU HAVE TO ADAPT THEM TO BE A LITTLE HEALTHIER?
Barb's bio: “I'm a stay at home mom, beginning sustainable homesteader, heritage (everything) enthusiast and real foodie living in the Driftless Region of Wisconsin.” Check out Barb's blog: www.wholeandthensome.weebly.com
LibertyJen says
What a fun post! My parents were sort of raving fundies when I was a child, so trick-or-treating did not happen for us. Our church had events (candy-filled, of course) instead, but my mom never let us have sugar so Dad took it all to work the next day. LOL
Thanks for the caramel recipe. It is one of my favourite toppings so I’m eager to try it!
Laurie says
Thanks for sharing, Barb. Nice to hear from a fellow Wisconsinite. I’ve been looking for some different autumn celebration ideas.
I was wondering, are there any other WI real foodies around from the area between Beaver Dam and Milwaukee? We may need to relocate to that area, and I’d love to have contacts before the move.
Susan, OCC says
My son’s orthodontist “purchases” his patients’ trick or treat candy with tokens good towards prizes. Last year ALL his “loot” went towards a stainless steel water bottle.
Morgan says
Those Witch’s Fingers look so scary!!!
This is my first Halloween in the suburbs (where we are waaay more likely to get real life trick-or-treaters, and I can’t wait) and my first as a Mom! My son will be 6 1/2 months and is still breastfeeding so I’ll just have to take his share of the goodies 🙂
OMG I love the idea of the switch fairy, btw!
Sally O'Boyle says
Wow, that is an excellent suggestion! My kids are too old now — I’d have to leave them a car on the porch, lol! But I will share with friends who have little kids. Thanks.
Gina says
I love all these ideas, luckily for us our little guy is too young to trick or treat yet!
I wanted to share a way of dealing with the candy if your child does trick or treat that someone shared with me. That night they can enjoy candy and then they leave a big pile of candy at the door for the switch fairy. The next day the candy is gone and a toy has replaced it, then you can simply take the candy to work for others to eat. 🙂
Stanley Fishman says
When my son was little, he would dress up in costume every Halloween, and go trick or treating with his friends. He would collect the candy he was given, but he had the good sense not to eat it. At the end of the evening, he would give most of it to his friends, and the rest to us.
This was before we learned about real food, but even then we knew better than to encourage him to eat candy.
Barb says
It’s too bad he zoo changed what they do. And here I was thinking of going this year :(.
Raine- thanks! Your neighborhood celebration sounds like a blast.
Leah, I’m glad you were able to find something fun and useful in my post. Despite dark and terrible things that happen (on any given day of the year as well), there are some beautiful and wonderful things that go on during Halloween all over the world- however, this isn’t a spiritual holiday for everyone, that’s why I kept with the mainstream and was vague on details regarding tradition and what it means to my family.
And you’re right Beth, all of these recipes can be used NOT in celebration of Halloween. That’s what I like so much about them.
Robin- there are some “ciders” on the market that are simply refined apple juice, true cider is not clear or yellow. Just to clarify in the case that you haven’t had the real thing. One could certainly heat it up and drink it warm or hot, and it is lovely hot. I can only imagine how good it would be warmed up with caramel…….
Robin says
Okay, I’m very curious now about the honey caramel, sounds yummy! I also LOVE apple cider but mostly drink it hot (if it’s cold it just feels like drinking spiced apple juice!), and ever since I tried Starbucks caramel apple cider, that’s become my favorite way to drink cider, although I have to admit it is on the sweet side, so not super healthy but oh so yummy and creamy. I’ve been making it myself by taking a little brown sugar and melting in a pan, then adding some cream, bring to a boil, then add cider and heat thru. Now I’m wondering about using that honey caramel instead…bet it would work great!
Beth says
Tina,
I love the eggplant idea. Do they get mooshy and soft if kept in the refrigerator overnight?
Barb/Kelly,
Great ideas! Even though we do not celebrate Halloween I plan on using lots of the ideas for Autumn cooking and treats!
Leah says
Hi Barb,
As conservative Christians, we’ve chosen not to have our children participate in Halloween festivities..especially after learning many of the dark and terrible things that go on throughout the world on Halloween night! However, I do appreciate you’re desire to bring a healthier twist into a holiday that many Americans innocently celebrate. I love those little pom pom bugs and I will definitely be checking out that soaked pumpkin muffin recipe! Great job with the post- though I must say…those witch fingers are a bit much for me! Cree-eeepy!
Raine Saunders says
Barb – this is a great post! I don’t have a lot of friends who are keen on doing natural treats for Halloween, but I am hoping to make some this year anyway. We are doing the traditional trick-or-treat with our close friends (who aren’t especially worried about their children eating the kind of candy kids get going door-to-door) this year, as we always do. I just severely limit what Tristan eats both Halloween night and afterwards. These ideas are great, and I am impressed at how motivated you are to make these ideas happen. Sometime I am hoping to talk our friends into having a quaint little party at one of our houses where we make a lot of real food treats, but until then we’ll be doing the yearly trick-or-treat venture. We really do enjoy this night though, because it’s down on one of our historic neighborhood streets and there is a lot of stuff going on, it’s quite crazy in fact how much effort the residents of this street and other locals go to put on a show for all the trick-or-treaters and their parents who show up. It’s really more like a holiday street fair than anything else, and we look forward to it as much as the kids do. 🙂
Thanks for sharing this post Kelly!
Barb says
And thanks again Kelly for the opportunity to share!
Erin says
I’m loving all your ideas! Unfortunately, the Vilas Zoo in Madison has replaced its haunted house with a trick-or-treat at the zoo event. All junk food, and completely corporate-sponsored. We make a point to go to the zoo in mid-October, before the event, so that we’re not tempted to go that weekend by mistake.
We made the mistake of starting trick or treating when my daughter was 2, so we’ve had to keep going. This year at 4, we’re introducing the “Great Pumpkin”. You get to eat some candy Halloween night, but before bed, you leave the candy on the front stoop. The Great Pumpkin loves candy, takes it, and replaces it with a fun toy. Is it ideal? No. Does it get the candy out of the house after Oct 31? Yes.
Barb says
Sally, you can find me on facebook, Barb Schuetz. I am just starting a new blog but I’m afraid there’s not much exciting going on there yet. $100 on candy to hand out- yikes!!! Sounds like you’d have fun experimenting with your older kids creating a new tradition- maybe making a haunted house in your garage or Halloween games in your yard for the trick-or-treaters to enjoy. I’ve always wanted to create a haunted house, in fact, Hubby and I have fantasized about it. Wouldn’t you know that our four year old just experienced his first this year and had to go in twice!
Yvonne, candy for the rehab center, I don’t even know what to say.
And ANY holiday can be transformed into something more personal and unique than the mainstream. That’s what I like about recipes like these, they aren’t exclusive to Halloween! Have fun with it. Take some of your favorite recipes and tweak them just a bit to make them fit :P.
Elizabeth- a fellow Madisonian! Such a small world 😀
I’ll have to try the eggplant crusts, they sound great in a pinch when one doesn’t have time to soak flour!
Thanks for all the kind words, I’m glad this post will be useful!
Tina~ says
Great ideas!
We make a gluten free “Pizza” crust by peeling eggplant, slicing it into 1/4-1/3 inch rounds, lightly salting and letting rest for 30 mins to debitter, then rinsing and dehydrating until soft and warm- usually an hour to two. It makes a great mini pizza crust, or a sandwich crust. You can make up ahead of time and then top, warm in oven until cheese melts etc.
Elizabeth says
What a great post! Barb, I live in the Madison area, love the driftless region, and definitely know and love the Vilas Zoo Halloween happenings! Your ideas and recipes are great. Thank you! And thank you, Kelly, for including great guest posts like this one.
Yvonne says
Barb….. Can I come be your neighbor?! I am so impressed with the community you live in and the access you have. Here in
Connecticut, it is a very different picture, although our school collects candy for a local drug rehab center-yikes, from one addiction to another! You give me hope that I don’t need to give in to the holiday craziness that kicks off this month. Kefir dough? Wow! We all need your fabulous ideas Halloween through Easter- Pretty pleeeeze, Kelly!
Sally says
Love this! While my kids were growing up, we lived on one of the main trick or treating arteries in town… no way to avoid it. I let my kids eat candy from dark till they went to bed… then threw it away little by little until it was gone in a couple of days. I know: shifty mom.
They loved going out but tired quickly. It was really fun to discover that they really loved being at the door with me handing out treats. Even as little kids — they laughed and teased and got a great big kick out of it.
This year, they are 17 and 18 and, once again, we live on a main artery… need to buy about $100 worth of candy, that’s how many kids will be coming to our door. Or pretend we aren’t home. But no can do: we love the kids! I YEARN for a Halloween like Barb describes!!! Or a neighborhood. Wow.
So Kelly, now I love Barb almost as much as I love you. What a great photo! Where do I find her? Is she a blogger?
In fact, I’m wild about this group of people in the whole foods world. Love it. Have a great day, you all!