Healthy Halloween Recipes for Kids

Find healthy, delicious Halloween recipes for kids including apple and popcorn recipes. Healthier recipes, from the food and nutrition experts at EatingWell.

Staff Picks

Carrot Soup

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This easy carrot soup recipe is a great way to use up a bag of carrots that were forgotten in your produce drawer. The carrots cook together with aromatics like onions, garlic and fresh herbs before being puréed into a silky smooth soup that's delicious for dinner or packed up for lunch.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Spiced Pumpkin Cookies

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The deep flavors of molasses, cinnamon, ginger, allspice and nutmeg make these wholesome pumpkin cookies delicious without the addition of butter--and they lend themselves beautifully to the inclusion of whole-wheat flour. They are also the perfect texture for a sandwich cookie--fill them with a slightly sweetened cream cheese frosting.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Fried Apple Pie Rolls

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In this healthy take on apple pie, egg roll wrappers stand in for pie crust, saving you calories and the headache of rolling out dough. We like to use Granny Smith apples because they hold their shape and provide tart balance to the sweet filling. Try dipping these handheld crispy treats in whipped cream.
By Breana Killeen

Classic Beef Chili

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This classic chili recipe features beef, beans and shredded sweet potatoes for a nutritional boost. The sweet potato blends into the chili so well that even picky eaters will gobble it up.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Pumpkin Chocolate Chunk Cookies

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Classic chocolate chip cookies get a fall update by mixing in pumpkin puree and pumpkin spice. Not only are these pumpkin cookies even more flavorful than regular chocolate chip cookies, they're also oh-so-soft and cakelike. Use chocolate chunks for big gooey bites of chocolate or opt for mini chocolate chips to ensure a bit of chocolate in each bite.
By Carolyn Casner

Ravioli & Vegetable Soup

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Fresh or frozen ravioli cook in minutes and turn this light vegetable soup into a main course. Look for whole-wheat or whole-grain ravioli in the refrigerated or frozen section of the supermarket. Tortellini can be used instead of ravioli as well. Recipe by Nancy Baggett for EatingWell.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Black Bean Quesadillas

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In a hurry? These satisfying quesadillas take just 15 minutes to make. We like them with black beans, but pinto beans work well too. If you like a little heat, be sure to use pepper Jack cheese in the filling. Serve with: A little sour cream and a mixed green salad.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Sweet Potato Pie with Cream Cheese Swirl

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This creamy sweet potato pie recipe is seasoned like a pumpkin pie with plenty of cinnamon and nutmeg and gets nice ginger flavor from the gingersnap crust. For the best results, roast sweet potatoes in the oven; in a pinch, microwave them instead.
By Stacy Fraser

Apple-Cinnamon Fruit Bars

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These easy apple-cinnamon fruit bars make a big batch--perfect for fall potlucks and parties.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Cherry Ice Cream Pie with Chocolate Cookie Crust

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This cherry ice cream pie is a simple summertime sweet treat! If you use frozen cherries, the pie will have a fun purple hue.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Cheese-&-Spinach-Stuffed Portobellos

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Here we take the elements of a vegetarian lasagna filling--ricotta, spinach and Parmesan cheese--and nestle them into roasted portobello mushroom caps. The recipe works best with very large portobello caps; if you can only find smaller ones, buy one or two extra and divide the filling among all the caps. Serve with a tossed salad and a whole-wheat dinner roll or spaghetti tossed with marinara sauce.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Pumpkin Seeds with Everything Bagel Seasoning

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Everything bagel spices give these roasted pumpkin seeds an extra hit of flavor that's delicious any time of day.
By Carolyn Casner
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Inspiration and Ideas

No-Bake Monster Pita Pizza
This no-bake pizza is so easy to make, and it's even more fun to eat! Kids will love this cute Halloween snack.
Cauldron Smoothie Bowl
Here's an easy way to serve up some Halloween fun at breakfast or as an after-school snack. And it's way healthier than all the candy lying around this time of year.
Candy Corn Granola Bars
Hamburger Buddy
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Nutty Pimiento Cheese Balls

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These bite-size pimiento cheese balls from Jamie and Bobby Deen are a huge hit with kids (of all ages). They're the perfect appetizer to bring to a summer picnic. Jamie and Bobby share a passion for great home-cooked food with a Southern flair with their celebrity-chef mom, Paula Deen. These brothers are following in their mom's footsteps with their own TV shows, books and website. Our favorite part of what they're up to: healthy makeovers of some of Paula's recipes! Recipe adapted from The Deen Bros. Get Fired Up, by Jamie & Bobby Deen and Melissa Clark (Ballantine Books, 2011).

All Healthy Halloween Recipes for Kids

Cranberry-Orange Fruit Bars

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These sweet-tart cranberry-orange bars are a great addition to a holiday cookie tray or cool weather grab-and-go treat.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream

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Here's a simple recipe for low-fat vanilla ice cream. Our version has all the richness you'll need but about 90 fewer calories than store-bought premium ice cream and a whopping 15 grams less total fat and 10 grams less saturated fat per serving.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Apple Cider Doughnuts

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These doughnut-shaped cakes are flavored with apple cider and glazed with maple syrup. If you do not have a mini Bundt pan, you can use a regular Bundt pan and make a coffee cake; bake it in a 375°F oven for 25 to 30 minutes.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Pulled Pork with Caramelized Onions

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Traditional pulled pork is barbecued, which gives it a smoky flavor. But the slow cooker happens to be the absolute easiest way to cook pulled pork--and you can get a hint of smoke by adding chipotle chile. Serve the pulled pork with potato salad, collard greens and grits. Or make it into a sandwich and serve it on a bun with coleslaw.
By Judith Finlayson

Spinach & Cheese Stuffed Shells

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Our stuffed shells are filled with spinach, sautéed onions and part-skim ricotta and topped with prepared marinara sauce and Parmesan cheese. The shells hold and reheat well, which makes them great for entertaining.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Almond & Honey-Butter Cookies

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This thumbprint cookie uses honey as the only sweetener and tender ground almonds to replace much of the butter found in similar cookies. Just a touch of butter mixed with honey in the filling gives it a rich flavor without too much saturated fat.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Pumpkin Pancakes

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This healthy whole-grain pumpkin pancake recipe produces fluffy cakes with a beautiful orange hue from pureed pumpkin and light crunch from toasted pecans. If you want to experiment with different types of whole grains, replace up to 1/2 cup of the whole-wheat flour with cornmeal, oats and/or buckwheat flour. Or add extra fiber and omega-3s by adding up to 3 tablespoons of ground flaxseed or chia seeds.
By Stacy Fraser

Dried-Fruit Bars

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Make a batch of these easy homemade dried-fruit bars to tuck into your kid's lunchbox all week.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Chocolate Cream Pie

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Chocolate cream pie isn't just a diner special--it's the perfect dessert for any celebration. We love the added flair of chocolate curls on top, but a pretty dollop of whipped cream on each piece would look just as elegant.
By Stacy Fraser

Salt & Vinegar Pumpkin Seeds

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Salt-and-vinegar seasoning isn't just for chips. These roasted pumpkin seeds tossed with salt and vinegar are a briny, crunchy treat. Soaking the seeds in vinegar ensures that the deep vinegary flavor remains after baking.
By Carolyn Casner

Thick & Rich Drinking Chocolate

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Rich, creamy and thick enough that you may want to scoop it with a spoon, this European-style drinking chocolate is something different from the usual hot cocoa. Serve it in a demitasse or espresso cup for an elegant treat.
By Kathy Farrell-Kingsley

Coconut-Dark Chocolate Truffles

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Coconut macaroons meet dark chocolate truffles in these little treats. Inside the snap of the dark chocolate shell lies the tender coconut-cocoa filling: a mix of naturally sweet dates, cocoa and coconut flour. Coconut flour is a healthy way to add decadent coconut flavor to this coconut-dark chocolate truffle recipe and other baked goods. It packs a whopping 5 grams of fiber per 2 tablespoons (with only 2 grams of total and saturated fat). Look for coconut flour near other gluten-free flours.
By Katie Webster

BBQ Chicken Tenders

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These crispy chicken “wings,” made with boneless, skinless chicken breast tenders, stay crispy with only a light coating of oil--no deep-frying needed. Serve as an appetizer or try them for dinner with crunchy vegetables and dip on the side.
By Hilary Meyer

Pumpkin Cookies

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Cinnamon, ginger, allspice and nutmeg add lots of flavor to these rich pumpkin cookies.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

French Onion Dip

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In our homemade version of French onion dip, we simmer chopped onions in broth and use reduced-fat sour cream and yogurt for the familiar rich and creamy flavor. All told, our version has 12 grams less fat and nearly 50 percent less sodium per serving than the original.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Pumpkin Bread

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Canned pumpkin puree and whole-wheat flour come together in this healthy homemade pumpkin bread. The canned pumpkin helps keep the bread moist and tender. If you like the flavor of pumpkin pie spice, feel free to add a pinch or two to season the bread.
By Patsy Jamieson

Mom's Apple Squares

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Traditional recipes for apple squares often use plenty of trans fat–laden shortening in the crust. We replaced it with a mixture of canola oil and butter and swapped out half the all-purpose flour for whole-wheat pastry flour for a little fiber. They are best enjoyed slightly warm. Gently reheat any leftovers in the oven or toaster oven to recrisp the crust.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Sleigh Driver

This scrumptious nonalcoholic punch adds pear, cranberries and vanilla to the traditional hot cider.
By A.J. Rathbun

Chili-Brown Sugar Delicata Squash with Pears

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Pears and delicata squash tossed with brown sugar, chili powder and bacon is a delectable combination. To make this vegetarian, omit the bacon and toss the squash and pears with the brown sugar and chili powder during the last 5 minutes of roasting.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Roasted Acorn Squash with Cider Drizzle

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Roasting squash in the oven caramelizes its natural sugars. Here we serve acorn squash with a cider reduction that's spiced with cinnamon and cloves. A touch of butter gives it a luxurious finish.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Peanut-Apple Crunch Balls

Lightly wetting your hands helps make the cereal, apple, and peanut mixture easier to shape into balls. A drizle of white chocolate tops them off.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Almond-Crusted Chicken Fingers

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Instead of batter-dipped, deep-fried nuggets, we coat chicken tenders in a seasoned almond and whole-wheat flour crust and then oven-fry them to perfection. With half the fat of standard breaded chicken tenders, you can enjoy to your (healthy) heart's content.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Chocolate-Dipped Apricots

Satisfy your sweet tooth with these chocolate-dipped dried apricots for a healthy dessert. Try this chocolate-dipped fruit recipe with slices of your favorite dried fruit.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Apple-Cranberry Crisp

A fruit crisp offers the luscious flavor of a fresh fruit pie without the fuss of making a crust. Celebrate the arrival of fall with this apple-cranberry crisp. The nut-studded topping works great with other fruit combinations too.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen
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