Halloween is just around the corner, and you know what that means: trick-or-treating, overdosing on candy, and funny costumes. But for those trying to make healthy choices, Halloween can be a tough time of year. After all, how do you turn a holiday based around treats into a healthy affair?
Turns out, there are some great ways to maximize your Halloween fun without going overboard on sugar and sweets! In fact, it just takes a few conscious choices and a little bit of prep to create a spooktacular Halloween celebration that’s so fun and tasty that you (and your kids) will barely notice a difference. Whether you're gathering ideas from Spirit Halloween or adding your own creative twist, it's easy to make this holiday both exciting and memorable!
Here are some easy ways to make your Halloween celebrations healthier, whether you’re prepping for trick-or-treaters, hosting a ghostly get-together, or just enjoying some scary time at home.
Healthy Halloween Treats
Celebrating Halloween without candy might seem daunting, but don’t fear! There are some excellent and healthy Halloween alternatives that you can make or buy that are big on flavor and ghoulishly good appeal. The trick is making sure they max out the spooky vibes and flavor so they flawlessly fit into your celebrations.
DIY Healthy Halloween Snacks
The easiest way to ensure that your Halloween snacks meet your health goals is to make them yourself. Using fruit, healthy sweeteners, and dark chocolate to create healthy alternatives to Halloween candy is delicious and adorable! Plus, it allows you to control the ingredients, amount of sugar, etc. Here are a few healthy Halloween recipes that are sure to be a hit!
Fruit Monsters
Ingredients
- Green apples
- Nut butter
- Strawberries
- Edible eyes, blueberries, or dark chocolate chips
Instructions
- Cut apples into quarters and remove the core.
- Cut a wedge along the outer curve of each apple quarter to make a “mouth.”
- Spread a thin layer of nut butter in the wedge.
- Slice strawberries into thin pieces and place a slice in the wedge to create a “tongue.”
- Use a bit more nut butter to stick the “eyes” on the top of the apple.
- Store in the fridge until ready to serve!
Pumpkin Oranges
Ingredients
- Clementine or mandarin oranges
- Celery sticks
Instructions
- Peel the fruit, taking care to keep them whole.
- Cut some small celery sticks (about 1–2 inches long)
- Insert a celery stick into the center of each orange to create a stem.
- Arrange on a platter and keep in the fridge until ready to serve!
Healthier Store-Bought Alternatives
If you’re uncomfortable putting together creative Halloween snacks from scratch, you can also buy low-sugar treats from the store.
Some great options include dark chocolate and low-sugar treats, yogurt-covered pretzels in fun shapes like ghosts or bats, and organic fruit snacks shaped like Halloween icons.
Creative Alternatives to Sweets-Focused Activities
Rather than having your guests eat donuts off a string, decorate cookies, or crack open a Halloween pinata, why not replace the sweets with craft-centered fun that suits the season without involving food?
Pumpkin Carving Contest: Gather some small pumpkins and carving tools, and hold a contest for the most creative or spookiest designs!
Halloween Makeup: This is a great choice for kids or adults. Get some face paint, and let everyone paint spooky designs on each other!
DIY Halloween Costumes: Grab some old clothes and allow guests to create their own costumes to wear at the party or for trick-or-treating. You can even get creative by using old activewear pieces to craft funny or unique DIY costumes. Be sure to vote on the best one!
Pumpkin Crafts: Planning for an adult crowd? You can’t go wrong with pumpkin crafts, like pumpkin painting, pumpkin succulent planters, or pumpkin yarn garlands that they can use for decoration after the party.
Healthy Halloween Party Ideas
Trying to plan a get-together that’s not candy-centric? No problem! There are plenty of fun Halloween activities you can do that don’t revolve around sweets and sugar. Choose from active games, non-candy activities, or a mix of both to create the perfect celebration for your party!
Fun, Active Halloween Games
Your Halloween activities can and should include more than seeing who can eat the most candy. By including fun, active games in your Halloween celebrations, you can ensure everyone offsets their treats while still having a spooktacular time! Here are a few fun ideas:
Monster Freeze Dance: Have kids (or adults) dance to Halloween music —you can’t go wrong with the Monster Mash! —and freeze when the music stops. Whoever moves after the music stops is out!
Pumpkin Relay Races: Divide players into teams and have them race while carrying pumpkins or rolling them through obstacles.
Halloween Scavenger Hunt: It’s hard not to hustle when you’re on a timed scavenger hunt! Instead of trick-or-treating, consider setting up a scavenger hunt for kids with clues that lead to healthy treats or ghostly prizes!
Zombie Tag: Put a twist on the classic game by having players pretend they’re in a zombie apocalypse! Whoever is “It” must walk with arms outstretched like a zombie while they try to tag other players. Be sure to set boundaries on the play area to ensure the zombies have a chance to catch their “prey.”
How to Navigate Trick-or-Treating
The hardest part about having a healthy Halloween season with kids is undoubtedly trick-or-treating.
Depriving your kids from going altogether can seem cruel, but how do you ensure that all the candy they collect doesn’t put them into a sugar coma?
And, of course, there’s the question of what you’ll hand out to kids that come to your door. Many other parents will be suspicious of homemade treats, and those banana ghosts wouldn’t travel well in a candy bucket, anyway.
So what do you do? Here are a few tips for handling this tricky situation so that all the kids involved can have a tremendous time.
- Set expectations with your kids: If you’re initiating healthy Halloween protocols, make sure your kids know what’s happening before their buckets are full of candy! Be sure to talk with your kids about moderation and any expectations on how their treats can be consumed. You can also encourage them to find a balance between their favorite treats and any healthier options neighbors offer.
- Create a candy trade-in program: Want to decrease the amount of available candy your kids have on hand? Consider a special trade-in where your kids can trade some of their candy for a healthier alternative, like a toy, experience, or money! You can even take things a step further and bring your child to donate the traded candy to a shelter or buy-back program that distributes candy to less fortunate kids or military troops.
- Offer non-edible treats: Party favors are making a big comeback on the trick-or-treat scene this year! Consider replacing your candy stash with Halloween-themed fidget toys, bouncy balls, glow-in-the-dark items, etc., for a calorie-free treat that kids will still love to receive!
Even with healthy goals, Halloween can still be hauntingly fun and tasty! It just takes some creativity, planning, and dedication to make the holiday enjoyable without overdosing on sugar.
Just remember that it may take a little bit for your kids to come around to the idea of fewer treats. We recommend whipping up a few of the tasty treats above and staying positive to help the news go down easier.
And don’t forget, if you need cozy athleisure wear to snuggle in for the season or create comfy yet fun costumes for your kids, you can check out Stelle’s large collection of kids’ clothes for plenty of options! Happy Halloween!
