I’m a purist when it comes to trick-or-treating: I pass out chocolate and let my kids have free reign over their stashes (read: “How I Handle Halloween Candy Craziness“). But I think it makes sense to dial it back for classroom Halloween parties. Most kids already haul in loads of sugar from trick or treating. At my children’s school, many of the teachers actually request healthier party foods.
I’ve planned or pitched in food for many classroom bashes, and here’s what I’ve learned: The kids are pretty happy with whatever you give them, and the food is usually secondary to the fun anyway. Which is why I’m unwilling to pull an all-nighter prepping food for grade schoolers.
These are all foods I’ve made for parties (or am making this year). They’re all fun, healthy–and most importantly, totally doable.
I made these Green Goblin Smoothies for my son’s preschool class at Halloween. I brought my Vitamix blender to the classroom, and the kids took turns pressing the buttons (free entertainment!). Try this easy recipe: 2 bananas, 2 cups water, 1 cup pineapple (fresh, frozen, or canned in juice), and 2 large handfuls spinach or kale. Use permanent marker to decorate plastic cups with silly faces.
I got this idea from Grapes From California, which happen to still be in season. This makes a fun centerpiece, and kids can nibble the jack-o-lantern’s hair (or brains!).
You can also thread grapes onto skewers and serve them fresh or frozen, branded as “Eyeballs on a Stick” for maximum Halloween creepiness.
You’ve probably seen these guys online. Sometimes they’re dipped in yogurt and rolled in coconut. I take the easy way out: Cut a banana in half, press in two mini chocolate chips for eyes, and insert a lollipop stick (get those at Target, a craft store, or Amazon
).
Use those same sticks for these easy Kiwi Pops. Just peel kiwis, cut into thick slices, insert a popsicle stick in one end, and freeze. You’ll get about 3-4 pops per kiwi.
I’ll admit: These Popcorn Hands are slightly more labor intensive, but I couldn’t resist because they combine two of my favorites, popcorn and candy corn. Be sure to use foodservice-grade gloves (find them at a restaurant supply store or on Amazon
). Drop a piece of candy corn into the tip of each finger, then fill with popcorn, and close with a twist-tie. (Get my no-fail recipe for stovetop popcorn.)
I nabbed this idea from a classmate’s mom, who brought her old-fashioned apple peeler
and a bag of apples to a classroom party years ago. Each child took a turn peeling an apple. I thought that was brilliant! Since then, I’ve done this for a few parties, and I love seeing how much the kids enjoy eating their spirals (and peels).
What’s not to love about easy-to-peel clementine cuties? You can draw the faces on the outside with a Sharpie or let kids decorate their own.
For more ideas, visit my “Healthy Halloween Snacks” Pinterest board.
Do you have any good ideas for healthy classroom party treats? I’d love to hear about them!
Disclosures: I’m happy to be working with Grapes From California this year as a Blogger Ambassador. I am compensated for my time. All opinions expressed are my own. This post may contain affiliate links. If you purchase a product through this link, your cost will be the same, but I will receive a small commission to help with operating costs of this blog. Thanks for your support!
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