23 Healthy Halloween Treats and Spooky Ideas

Does Halloween haunt your sweet tooth? Satisfy your cravings with these 23 spooky and healthy Halloween treats and snacks.

halloween-pumpkin-shaped-oatmeal-cookie
by
Caitlin Beale, MS, RDN
— Signos
Health & Nutrition Writer
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Updated by

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Science-based and reviewed

Published:
May 6, 2024
September 25, 2023
— Updated:
September 26, 2023

Table of Contents

I don't know about you, but I adore Halloween. The changing season, the excitement of kiddos dressed up in their costumes, and fun decorations all month long. But sticking to your health goals can also feel complicated this spooky season since it is technically a holiday based on sweets.

Let's admit that if treats tempt you, telling yourself you won't eat any sugar isn't realistic. You can enjoy the spirit of Halloween food without depriving yourself. Swapping a few ingredients in exchange for store-bought candy or enjoying other fun foods filled with nutrients like fiber-rich carbohydrates can make a big difference in blood sugar balance—and there's even room for your favorite treat occasionally when your overall diet pattern is balanced and full of nutrient-dense foods.

Below, we've compiled a list of the best healthy Halloween snacks and treats for toddlers, adults, and everyone in between. Enjoy the below Halloween recipes and let us know which ones you enjoy the best!

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23 Healthy Halloween Treats and Snacks

1. Frankenstein Grape Cups

Fun to make with kids, Frankenstein Grape Cups are less of a treat but still a sweet snack for Halloween. You only need green grapes, clear cups, and a black marker. Have the child decorate the outside of the cup with Frankenstein's face, then fill each cup with green grapes for a fun after-school snack (the Healthy Family Project has a great step-by-step tutorial).

2. Pumpkin Brownies

The Pumpkin Workout Brownies are a high-protein, yummy, seasonal take on the classic brownie. With ingredients like almond butter, pumpkin puree, and protein powder, these are a great way to sneak in some extra nutrients while enjoying your favorite flavor.

3. Gluten-Free Monster Cookies

Flourless, gluten-free cookies with fun add-ins like chocolate chips are a great way to enjoy your favorite sweet treat if you don't eat gluten or wheat. These Gluten-Free Monster Cookies from Nicole Addison, RD, use simple ingredients like oats and peanut butter, and you can decorate fun faces and candy eyes on them with chocolate chips.

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4. Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins

Pumpkin spice lattes may be the go-to fall flavor, but you can also get your seasonal fix with these muffins. Pumpkin is high in vitamin A and fiber, making it a great ingredient for a healthier Halloween treat. These delicious Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins from Christina Laboni, MHSc, RD, are a perfect blend of nutrition and flavor, making them an excellent choice for a healthier Halloween party snack.

5. Fun Flavored Food Skeletons

A food skeleton is a fun way to make healthy food into a spooky snack idea. All you need are some fruits and veggies, like peeled carrots and bell peppers for the bones, cucumber slices as hands, and black olives for the eyes. Add a bowl of hummus or even a mushroom for the skull, and this edible skeleton becomes an intriguing centerpiece or simple appetizer for your healthy Halloween party.

6. Cinnamon Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

After carving your jack-o-lanterns, don't throw away the pumpkin seeds! Roasted pumpkin seeds are a great source of healthy fats and minerals and an easy Halloween treat. Here's a simple recipe from Ashely Petrie, RD. You can add cinnamon when you roast them (or even cumin for a savory option).

7. Green Frankenstein Monster Smoothies

With the right ingredients, you can create a nutritious green smoothie for the whole family to enjoy. You'll need:

  • 1 cup almond milk
  • 2 cups fresh spinach
  • 1/2 cup frozen mango
  • 1 banana
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Blend in a high-powered blender until smooth, pour into glasses or mugs, and decorate with shredded dark chocolate or cacao nibs. 

8. Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars

Kid and adult-friendly, the secret ingredient in this nutrient-dense pumpkin bar recipe from Malina Malkani, MS, RDN, CDN, is beans! Canneneli or Northern White Beans provide extra fiber, protein, and other micronutrients—and don't worry, you won't even taste them.

9. Creepy Apple Snacks

Kids are likelier to eat healthy foods when they help prepare the meal, especially when encouraged to play with their food. The creepy apple snacks from Melissa E. Nieves, LND, RD, MPH use raisins and yogurt-covered raisins for teeth and nut butter (peanut, almond, or cashew butter works) for the gums. It's a fun-to-make snack but also nutritionally balanced with a little protein and fat from the nut butter and healthy carbohydrates from the fruit. Craving caramel apples? This is the perfect replacement if you are looking for a healthier alternative.

10. Pumpkin Greek Yogurt Dip

Keeping blood sugar stable with high-protein snacks can support even energy (especially helpful for late-night trick-or-treating). The creamy Greek yogurt pumpkin dip from Chrissy Carrol, RD, is simple to make and pairs perfectly with crisp apple slices, pretzels, or graham crackers. You can use plain or low-sugar Greek Yogurt to keep the sweetness in check, and the added pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice give it that classic fall flavor we all love.

11. Orange Jack-O-Lanterns

Cute and easy, these orange jack-o'-lanterns double as decoration and snack. You'll need a few oranges, some straws for the stems, and a paring knife to carve out eyes and mouths. 

Cut off the top of each orange, scoop out the insides with a spoon or melon baller, then use your knife to cut out desired faces (you may want to sketch an outline first). Don't toss the inside pulp; instead, save it to add to smoothies or yogurt bowls. Place a straw in the top for a stem. You can also add fun fillings, as seen in this recipe from Chocolate Covered Katie.

12. Energy Bite Spiders

When creepy meets tasty, these energy-bite spiders are a healthy treat. If you have an energy ball recipe you already love, you're good to go. Otherwise, this no-bake energy ball recipe from All Recipes is an easy option (and you can drop the honey in half to reduce sugar even more). Once your balls are rolled and ready, add eight pretzel sticks plus chocolate chips for the eyes, and voila!

13. Spooky Spider Deviled Eggs

Deviled eggs are a classic party snack that can be made spookier with a few additions:

  • Start by hard boiling your eggs, cut them in half, and scoop the yolks into a bowl. 
  • Mash the egg yolk with your favorite deviled egg fillings (avocado mayo, mustard, herbs, salt, and pepper) and spoon back into the whites.
  • Grab a handful of black olives and cut into thin slices. Place 4-5 slivers onto each egg half to create spider legs.
  • Add a few dots of ketchup or mustard for eyes, and you have spooky spiders! 

14. Pumpkin Energy Bites

Sweetened with dates, these energy bites from Dietitian Moushumi are a great way to get your daily dose of pumpkin (with minimal prep time). Chia, ginger, and sunflower seeds also bring in healthy fats and spices to add flavor and boost nutrient density. You can keep these on hand as an alternative when sugar cravings strike. 

15. Cheesy Witch's Broom Treats

Cheese and pretzels make for a winning combo, so why not give them the Halloween treatment? Transforming these common snacks into an adorable witch's broom is easier than you think. Simply cut string cheese in half, fraying the bottom end to create the broom bristles. Place a pretzel stick at the top and tie it with a piece of chive (or any herb) to secure it.

16. Popcorn Halloween Snack Mix

While watching your favorite scary movie, popcorn is the perfect snack to munch on. Add-ins can be fun but are often high in sugar, so why not try making your own healthy mix? Start with popped popcorn kernels and add some of your favorite ingredients like pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, raisins, dark chocolate chips, and dried cranberries. Keep it simple and add nutritional yeast or cinnamon for a colorful but nutritious mix. 

17. Halloween Snack Board

One of the best ways to avoid overdoing the sugar is to fill up on more nutritious snacks, and a snack board makes it easy and yummy to do just that. Cheese for protein, fiber-rich veggies and fruit, antioxidant-rich berries, and dark chocolate make this Halloween snack board recipe by Chelsea LeBlanc, RDN, LD, a blood sugar-supporting snack.

18. Carrot Fingers

Possibly the most classic healthy Halloween snack, carrot fingers are easy to make and can be enjoyed anytime. To create these spooky snacks, cut carrots into long finger shapes. You can add fingernails using hummus, sliced almonds, or even bell peppers cut into half-moon shapes. Not a fan of carrots? Use sweet potatoes instead!

19. Pumpkin Bread

The healthy pumpkin bread from Well Plated is another way to jump on the pumpkin season bandwagon. Made with whole wheat flour, greek yogurt, honey, cinnamon, and nutmeg, it's packed with healthy ingredients and will satisfy your sweet craving. Add some nut butter for a delicious, healthy snack that's also better for your blood sugar.

20. Pumpkin Spice Smoothie

Yes, it's another pumpkin recipe, but this one is so good it deserves its own spot. This pumpkin spice smoothie is loaded with healthy ingredients like banana, almond milk, plain yogurt, flax seeds, and pumpkin puree. It's a great way to start the day or as an afternoon snack. You'll need:

  • 1 cup almond milk
  • 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 1 banana (ideally frozen)
  • 2 tablespoons pumpkin puree
  • 1 tablespoon flax seeds 
  • 1 teaspoon pure maple syrup
  • A pinch of cinnamon, nutmeg, and ground ginger

Simply blend all ingredients until smooth. You can also add unflavored or vanilla protein powder to boost the protein content. 

pumpkin-smoothie-with-cinnamon-and-pumpkin-on-the-side

21. Meatball Eyeballs

Combine the classic Italian meatball with this spooky Halloween snack to make a delicious, protein-packed treat. Simply roll your favorite meatball recipe into balls (here's an option from Eating Well) and press in a pitted olive for the eyeball effect. Serve with marinara sauce or pesto for dipping or atop high-protein pasta made from quinoa or garbanzo beans.

22. Ghostly Banana Pops

These fun and festive banana ghosts are an excellent healthy Halloween treat for kids and adults alike. You only need bananas, plain yogurt, and mini chocolate chips for the eyes. Here's what you'll need:

  • 2 Large bananas
  • 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
  • Mini chocolate chips

Cut the bananas in half, insert a popsicle stick, dip each banana half into the yogurt, and place two mini chocolate chips for the eyes. Freeze until the yogurt hardens, serve, and enjoy. These ghostly banana pops are delicious and packed with potassium and protein, perfect for a healthy Halloween party snack.

23. Double Chocolate Pumpkin Mug Cake

The title of this recipe from plant-based dietitian Melissa Altman Traub is probably enough to sell you, but when you read the ingredient list and see superfoods like dark chocolate and olive oil—and note that the whole recipe only takes 4 minutes to make, it's a no-brainer. This treat also boasts 8 grams of protein and is made as an individual serving, so you can get your chocolate fix while still keeping mindful of portions.

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References

About the author

Caitlin Beale is a registered dietitian and nutrition writer with a master’s degree in nutrition. She has a background in acute care, integrative wellness, and clinical nutrition.

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