6 Halloween Snacks Kids Love (and Parents Won’t Feel Guilty About)

A Halloween spread can be bright and fun without sending kids into a sugar rush. These six snacks are easy to make, budget friendly, and built from everyday ingredients. They look festive on a tray and hold up well at classroom parties or before trick‑or‑treating.

Apple Monster Mouths

Crisp apple slices become quick “mouths” with a thin swipe of peanut butter or sunflower seed butter. Slip a row of mini marshmallows or sliced strawberries between two slices for “teeth.” The apples bring crunch and fiber. The nut or seed butter adds protein and healthy fat so the snack feels satisfying without being heavy.

Ingredients

• 2 crisp apples (Honeycrisp or Gala), cored and sliced into 16 wedges
• 1/3 cup peanut butter or sunflower seed butter
• 1/2 cup mini marshmallows or 6 large strawberries, thinly sliced
• Optional: lemon juice to brush on apples to prevent browning

Instructions

1. If using, lightly brush the apple slices with lemon juice.
2. Spread a thin layer of nut or seed butter on one side of half the slices.
3. Press marshmallows or strawberry slices along the edge for “teeth.”
4. Top with the remaining apple slices to close. Serve at once or refrigerate up to 2 hours.

Pumpkin Patch Hummus Cups

Spoon a few tablespoons of hummus into small cups and top with carrot sticks and snap peas so they stand up like a mini patch. Add a pretzel stick for a “stem.” Serve with whole‑grain crackers on the side. It’s colorful, scoopable, and easy for small hands to manage.

Ingredients

• 2 cups plain or roasted‑garlic hummus
• 12 small paper or reusable cups
• 24 thin carrot sticks
• 24 snap peas, trimmed
• 12 pretzel sticks
• Optional: whole‑grain crackers for serving

Instructions

1. Divide hummus among the cups, about 2 to 3 tablespoons each.
2. Press two carrot sticks and two snap peas upright in each cup.
3. Add a pretzel stick “stem.”
4. Arrange on a tray with crackers alongside.

Mummy Pizzas

Toast whole‑grain English muffin halves, spread with marinara, and layer thin bands of mozzarella so they look like wrapped cloth. Two sliced black olives become eyes. Bake until the cheese melts. These little pizzas are warm, familiar, and portion‑controlled.

Ingredients

• 6 whole‑grain English muffins, split (12 halves)
• 3/4 cup marinara sauce
• 8 ounces low‑moisture mozzarella, cut into thin strips
• 1/2 cup sliced black olives
• Olive oil or cooking spray

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 400°F. Lightly oil a sheet pan.
2. Arrange muffin halves cut‑side up. Toast 5 minutes.
3. Spoon about 1 tablespoon marinara on each.
4. Lay mozzarella strips in crisscross bands to resemble wrappings.
5. Add two olive slices for eyes.
6. Bake 6 to 8 minutes until cheese melts and edges crisp.

Ghostly Yogurt Bark

Line a sheet pan with parchment and spread vanilla Greek yogurt about a quarter‑inch thick. Press in sliced bananas for “ghosts” and use mini chocolate chips for eyes and mouths. Freeze, then crack into pieces. It tastes like ice cream but carries protein and calcium, and you can make it days ahead.

Ingredients

• 3 cups vanilla Greek yogurt
• 2 bananas, sliced into 1/4‑inch rounds
• 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment.
2. Spread yogurt into an even 1/4‑inch layer.
3. Press banana slices into the yogurt, spacing slightly.
4. Add chocolate chips for eyes and mouths.
5. Freeze until firm, at least 3 hours. Break into pieces and serve straight from the freezer.

Jack‑O’‑Lantern Oranges

Use a permanent marker to draw simple pumpkin faces on clementine peels, or peel them and add a tiny celery stick at the top for a “stem.” Sweet, juicy, and mess‑light, these go fast on any buffet and help balance out richer treats.

Ingredients

• 12 clementines or mandarins
• Optional: 2 thin celery stalks, cut into 1‑inch sticks
• Optional: food‑safe marker for drawing faces on unpeeled fruit

Instructions

1. For unpeeled: draw simple jack‑o’‑lantern faces and serve.
2. For peeled: remove peel and gently insert a celery stick into the center as a “stem.”
3. Keep chilled until serving.

Cocoa‑Dusted Popcorn Mix

Air‑pop popcorn and toss with a drizzle of melted coconut oil or butter. Dust lightly with unsweetened cocoa powder and a pinch of cinnamon. Stir in a handful of pretzels and roasted pumpkin seeds. The result is crunchy, chocolatey, and salty with far less sugar than a standard candy mix.

Ingredients

• 10 cups air‑popped popcorn
• 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil or butter
• 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup mini pretzels
• 1/2 cup roasted pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
• Pinch of fine salt

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, toss warm popcorn with melted oil or butter.
2. Whisk cocoa, cinnamon, and salt. Dust over popcorn and toss to coat.
3. Fold in pretzels and pumpkin seeds. Serve immediately.

How to Pull It Together

• Keep pieces small and easy to grab. Kids eat what they can see and hold.
• Offer water or milk alongside. Sweet drinks aren’t needed when snacks are flavorful.
• Mix store‑bought and homemade. A few crafted items make the whole table feel special without extra work.

These snacks are made to be shared, handled, and enjoyed. They deliver the spirit of the holiday while keeping energy steady for the main event: a night of costumes and neighbors at the door.

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