Few holidays emphasize unhealthy treats like Halloween does! As Americans are getting more concerned about childhood obesity, many parents are looking for ways to celebrate this holiday without filling up on Milk Duds. Here are some ways you can make Halloween treats that look and taste good.
Mummy Fingers
Part of Halloween is the creepy shape and look of the treats. Using sticks of cheese, cut slits at intervals to make “joints.” Then cut “fingernails” out of green pepper, red apple, or sliced almonds and use a bit of soft cream cheese to attach them onto the tips of the cheese “fingers.” You can also make mummy fingers with carrot or celery sticks.
Green Dip
Add food coloring to ranch dressing or cheese dip to make a green dip for the mummy fingers.
Nacho Witches
The triangular or circular shape of corn chips lends them to Halloween shapes. Try making witches by spreading appropriately green guacamole on a round corn chip. Add food coloring to cream cheese to make it grey or purple, then spread this colored cream cheese on the triangular chip – the “hat.” Place the triangular chip over the top 1/3 of the circular one, using the guacamole as “glue.” Use black olives, pimentos, or other healthy bits of veggies to make the face.
Apple Teeth
Begin this treat by cutting red or green apples into fourths. The side with the skin will be the “lips.” Using a sharp paring knife (adults only please!), cut out a wedge from the center of the peeling side. Leave peeling on the top and bottom of the mouth shape. Now the kids can help. Insert chopped nuts – slivered almonds work well – into the top and bottom of the mouth. You can use the occasional chocolate chip to look like a gap in the teeth.
Spooky Bread Shapes
Using Halloween cut-outs (or free-hand), you can make slices of bread (even whole wheat bread) into just about any creepy shape. Spread ghost shapes with cream cheese, witch shapes with guacamole or ranch dressing that you’ve colored green with food coloring, and pumpkin shapes with cheese spread or hummus. Use bits of dried fruit for eyes and other decorations.
Cheese Cut-outs
Like bread, cheese slices can be cut or carved into shapes, too. White cheese can be ghosts and yellow cheese can be jack-o-lanterns.
