It doesn’t feel like fall until the air becomes crisper, until you see the leaves change color and hear them crunch under your shoes as you make your way from place to place, or until you’ve had your first pumpkin spice treat of the season – all these little signs let us know that fall is officially upon us.
Speaking of fall, Halloween — every kid’s favorite day of the year next to Christmas if your household celebrates the holiday — is right around the corner and all the grocery stores are overflowing with candy. With all of that candy comes with it the fear of cavities and weight gain.
Thinking about cutting back on your child’s intake of candy this year? That might not be such a bad idea considering the ongoing problem with childhood obesity in this country.
Here are five fun, non-candy Halloween recipes that are healthier and are sure to please everyone in your home. And the best part? The kids can help, too. Enjoy and happy fall!
1. Banana Ghosts
What you’ll need:
- Bananas
- Chocolate chips (can also substitute with raisins)
Directions:
Press chocolate chips into half of a peeled banana so that they resemble a ghost face.
Recipe: [Spaceship & Laser Beams]
2. Clementine and Celery Pumpkins
What you’ll need:
- Clementines
- Celery sticks
Directions:
- Peel little clementines or small oranges.
- Insert a one inch piece of celery into the top so that it looks like a pumpkin stalk.
Recipe: [Spaceship & Laser Beams]
3. Halloween Spider Sandwiches
What you’ll need:
- 8 slices whole wheat sandwich bread
- 1/2 cup softened cream cheese
- 32 pretzel sticks, thin carrot strips
- and/or thin celery strips
- 8 raisins
- Variation
- Substitute flavored cream cheese or peanut butter for the cream cheese
Directions:
- Cut out the spider bodies
- Use a 21/2-inch cookie cutter to cut a circle from each slice of bread.
- Place the circles on a cutting board.
- Add the spread
- Spread the cream cheese on half of the bread circles using a table knife.
- Decorate the spiders
- Place eight pretzel sticks on the side of the bread circles for the spider legs.
- Place the remaining bread circles on top.
- Press two raisins into each circle to be the eyes.
- Draw a web on a paper plate with a black marker and place the spiders on the plate to serve.
- You can also serve the spiders on a round wire rack to resemble the spider web.
Recipe: [Autism Leaning Felt]
4. Hot Dog Mummies
What you’ll need:
- 1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury™ refrigerated crescent dinner rolls or 1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury™ refrigerated Crescent Dough Sheet
- 2 1/2 slices American cheese, quartered (2.5 oz)
- 10 large hot dogs
- Cooking spray
- Mustard or ketchup, if desired
Directions:
- Heat oven to 375°F.
- If using crescent rolls: Unroll dough; separate at perforations, creating 4 rectangles. Press perforations to seal. If using dough sheet: Unroll dough; cut into 4 rectangles.
- With knife or kitchen scissors, cut each rectangle lengthwise into 10 pieces, making a total of 40 pieces of dough. Slice cheese slices into quarters (1/2 slice cheese, cut in half).
- Wrap 4 pieces of dough around each hot dog and 1/4 slice of cheese to look like “bandages,” stretching dough slightly to completely cover hot dog. About 1/2 inch from one end of each hot dog, separate “bandages” so hot dog shows through for “face.” On ungreased large cookie sheet, place wrapped hot dogs (cheese side down); spray dough lightly with cooking spray.
- Bake 13 to 17 minutes or until dough is light golden brown and hot dogs are hot. With mustard, draw features on “face.”
Recipe: [Pillsbury]
5. Candy Corn Fruit Cocktail
What you’ll need:
- Pineapple, cut into bite-sized chunks
- Oranges, cut into bite-sized chunks (or Cuties)
- Whipped cream
- Candy corn
Directions:
- In a clear glass, layer pineapple, then oranges and top with whipped cream and a couple pieces of candy corn.
- Serve right away or refrigerate until ready to serve.
Recipe: [Family Fresh Meals]
