Halloween Dinner Ideas – Monster Brains

Posted on October 19, 2016 by Carmen

Each year for Halloween I love to dive into the food and all the creative ideas there are. There are so many fabulous ideas on how to create spooky, fun and healthy meals and snacks that I often have a hard time picking just one.

We usually have an entire day of Halloween meals and snacks, starting with pumpkin pancakes in the morning in fun Halloween shapes, then boo-nanas for snacks and something creative for supper. In the past I have made dinners such as monster face pizzas and hot dog mummies.

Last year I happened to be at my girlfriends house just before Halloween and she had this cooking show on tv that was highlighting some spooky Halloween dinner ideas. Of course they had lots of fun things going on but the one that stood out for me was the idea for Monster Brains. It is a super easy creative idea to make spaghetti and meatballs and give it a Halloween twist. I loved it! and decided right then that I was going to make it for Halloween dinner.

I was super excited as it was not only going to be fun but quick and easy to make. I am all about getting creative but sometimes I need creative to be fast!

Monster Brains

red, yellow, orange peppers (number of peppers depends on how many people you’re serving as it is 1 per person)

cooked spaghetti

cooked meatballs

tomato sauce

Cut off the top of your pepper like you would when carving a pumpkin – around the top in a circle so you can take the lid off. Clean out the seeds.

Cut a face on the front of your pepper. Design it any way you like. You can go with fancy but that takes more time! I went with simple triangle eyes, nose and slit mouth.

Bake meatballs in oven (I make my own and premade these the day before and just reheated them). Cook spaghetti according to package directions. Rinse spaghetti with hot water in a colander. Fill each pepper with spaghetti and meatballs. Top with tomato sauce and place ‘lid’ of pepper on top. Have some of the spaghetti spilling out the sides for effect. Voila! one spooky monster brain supper!

My kids of course absolutely loved these and are already asking me if they can have that again for Halloween dinner this year. We may… or I may get creative and do something else!

Spooky Halloween Appetizers – Bat Bites

Posted on October 30, 2013 by Carmen

One of the things that I have enjoyed about Halloween over the past few years is the unique fun recipes that I have discovered. Now when I say unique and fun I mean ways of taking healthy food and making it into something Halloween themed.

I know I could have been doing this years ago, but since eliminating sugar and going to a sugar free Halloween, my focus has shifted to seeking these things out. I wanted to take the focus off the sugar fest at Halloween and show the kids the other fun aspect of things, like the decorating, festivities and food.

As a result I have made things like Boo-nanas and Apple Bites, which are banana ghosts and ghoulish looking smiles with teeth. I have found veggie platters made into skeletons and this year Bat Bites!

Apple Bites

These I think are by far the most fun yet. They are made from goat cheese, cream cheese and pesto (of which I have all non dairy substitutions for) and they are not only easy to make but look super cool. These treats are likely more for the adult crowd as some kids may not like the tastes and texture of them.

The trick was when do I make them? Luckily I had planned a wine and cheese for my neighbors and friends very close to Halloween, so I was able to try them out. Of course they were a hit! People loved them, not only how they looked but how they tasted as well.

So if you’d like to get a little creative this Halloween with your eats definitely give these a try! And there are all kinds of ideas out there. Hop on the net and Google it to find a variety of ideas to fit every taste bud.

Bat Bites

4 oz. vegan cream cheese

8 oz. soft mild goat cheese

1/4 c. pesto

2 tbsp. coarsely ground pepper

2 tbsp.poppy seeds

8 pitted olives, sliced

32 triangular corn chips (I just used Tostitos and broke them into smaller triangles)

Mix together cream cheese, goat cheese and pesto. Chill for 40 minutes.

Shape mixture into 16 2 inch balls, about 1 heaping tsp. each. Mix pepper and poppy seeds together in a bowl. Roll balls in poppy seed mixture to cover. Press olives into ball for eyes and insert chips on either side for wings.

Boo-nanas

Happy Halloween!

Fun Healthy Halloween Snacks

Posted on October 25, 2012 by Carmen

Getting around the sugary treats at Halloween can be a challenge. But with a little creativity you’ll find that not only will your kids love the alternatives you provide but you will have a lot of fun making them.

Halloween is one of the best holidays to get creative! There is so much you can do, especially with your snacks! You can carve and shape your food into something gruesome! healthy (without all the sugar) and that the kids will enjoy.

Last year I planned a whole menu of healthy Halloween meals and snacks, starting with pumpkin pancakes for breakfast, pumpkin smoothies for afterschool snack and spooky mini pizzas with a veggie man for dinner. It was awesome and so much fun!

Matthew’s class also decided that they were going to have a Horribly Healthy Halloween, and as a group decided not to bring in sugary treats for the class party. So everyone who brought food had to make sure that it was sugar free. They had veggie trays, fruit, cheese and crackers. Our contribution of Witches Teeth and Boo-nanas were a big hit and the kids gobbled them up, with the Boo-nanas being the favorite!

I’ve found that it is really easy and fun to go healthy at Halloween if you choose to. And I have found that the kids will eat what is put in front of them and the things that look fun and cool are the ones that go first, regardless if it’s healthy.

Witches Teeth

Apples

Slivered Almonds (if you can’t do nuts use shelled sunflower seeds)

Quarter and core an apple, cut a wedge from the skin side of each quarter, then press slivered almonds in place for teeth.

Tip – If you are not going to serve them right away, baste the apples with orange juice to keep them from browning.

Boo-nanas

Bananas

Unsweetened shredded coconut

Raisins

Orange juice

Popsicle sticks

Depending on the size of your banana, cut them in half or thirds. Dip peeled bananas in orange juice, then roll them in the shredded coconut. Add raisins for eyes. Insert a stick in the bottom to make them “float”. Can be served as is or frozen.

Tangerine Pumpkins

tangerine or mandarin oranges

stalk of celery with leaves – cut into small pieces

This is the easiest and fastest fun treat yet! Peel your orange, do not take it apart and section it, keep it together. Cut small piece of celery and stick it in the middle of your orange (there is a natural hole there). Use a celery leaf and stick that in beside your stem. Voila! Done

Spooky Drinks

Make your own juice ie. apple carrot and then add some carbonated water and a few peeled grapes. The kids will think it’s gruesome, but they will love it and likely squeal with glee!

Nina Manolson of Healthy Yummy Kids shares many healthy Halloween recipes such as Caramel Apples (my favorite!), Banana Candy and many more. They are easy to make with ingredients that you likely have and use in your home already; and your kids will love them!

Looking for more? There are lots of websites out there that have many ideas for healthy, fun, cool snacks and meals for Halloween. If you google “Healthy Halloween snacks for kids” you’ll have a plethora to choose from. Enjoy and have a spooky, fun and healthy Halloween!

Momma On The Move

Tag Archives: Boo-nanas

Halloween Dinner Ideas – Monster Brains

Spooky Halloween Appetizers – Bat Bites

Fun Healthy Halloween Snacks