Halloween Fun Snacks Kids Will Love: Spooky, Cute and Easy to Make
Frankenstein avocado toast, a pumpkin hummus face, banana ghosts and a mandarin orange spider: the plate from the pin, then eleven more no-fuss Halloween snacks and a week of Halloween lunchbox ideas.
- 15 snacks
- Mostly no oven
- Lunchbox week plan
- Nut-free swaps
The plate from the pin: Frankenstein avocado toast, a pumpkin hummus face, banana ghosts on chocolate toast and a mandarin spider.
The best Halloween fun snacks are real food with a face on it. Avocado, hummus, banana and mandarin become Frankenstein, a jack-o’-lantern, two ghosts and a spider, in fifteen minutes with no oven. The card makes the plate from the pin, and eleven more snacks follow for lunches, after school and the party.
In this post:
- Why these snacks get eaten
- The four snacks on the pin, step by step
- Four rules for faces that look right
- A week of Halloween lunches
- 11 more snacks: savory, fruity and party
- School and allergy swaps, make ahead and 14 FAQs
Why These Halloween Snacks Get Eaten
Real food in costume
Avocado, hummus, banana and mandarin, dressed up as monsters. Children eat things they would normally push away when the toast is looking back at them.
Fifteen minutes, no oven
Toast, spread, cut a few shapes with scissors. Nothing to bake, and every snack here is assembled, not cooked, except the pizza bagels and hot dogs.
Lunch, after school or a party
The four on the pin make a plate for two. The lunchbox table below turns the ideas into a week of Halloween lunches.
Fifteen ideas, one method
A base, a spread, two eyes and a mouth. Once children see the trick, they make their own.
The Halloween Fun Snack Plate
Numbers 1 to 4, the snacks on the pin. One plate serves 2 children; the card is set for 2 plates. Tap a size and the shopping list changes.
Halloween Fun Snack Plate
The plate from the pin: Frankenstein avocado toast, a pumpkin hummus face, banana ghosts on chocolate toast and a mandarin orange spider. No baking, fifteen minutes, real food. Tap a size and the shopping list updates.
How many plates?
Ingredients
- 3 slices6 slices12 slices18 slices sandwich bread, lightly toasted
- ½123 ripe avocado, mashed with lemon juice and a pinch of salt
- ¼½11½ nori sheet (Frankenstein hair and bolts, pumpkin faces)
- 2 + 24 + 48 + 812 + 12 cucumber slices and black olives (eyes)
- 1246 red bell pepper strips (smiles)
- 3 tbsp6 tbsp¾ cup1 cup + 2 tbsp pumpkin hummus, or hummus with a pinch of paprika
- 1246 small basil leaves (pumpkin stems)
- 1½ tbsp3 tbsp6 tbsp½ cup + 1 tbsp chocolate spread (sunflower-cocoa for nut-free)
- ½123 banana
- 6122436 mini chocolate chips (ghost faces)
- 24812 mandarins or clementines (spiders)
- 24812 candy eyes, or yogurt dots with a chocolate chip
Nori cuts cleanly with kitchen scissors and is the easiest way to make faces; black olive slivers work too. For school or nut-free tables, use a sunflower-seed chocolate spread. Candy eyes are usually gelatin-free; check the label. Under-4s: quarter the olives and skip the candy eyes.
Instructions
Toast and cool
Toast the bread lightly and let it cool 2 minutes on a rack, so the avocado and chocolate do not melt and the toast stays crisp under the toppings.
Frankenstein avocado toast
Spread the mashed avocado to the edges. Snip a zigzag strip of nori for the hair along the top and two small squares for the neck bolts at the sides. Two cucumber slices with olive pupils for eyes, a red pepper strip for the smile.
Pumpkin hummus toast
Spread the pumpkin hummus thickly. Cut two triangle eyes, a nose and a zigzag mouth from nori or olives and press them on. Tuck a basil leaf at the top as the stem.
Banana ghost toast
Spread the chocolate. Halve the banana lengthwise, then cut each half into a ghost shape, round at the top and wavy at the bottom. Lay them on and add mini chocolate chips for eyes and a surprised mouth.
Mandarin spider
Peel one mandarin whole for the body. Separate a second into segments and curve four along each side as legs. Stick on candy eyes with a dot of yogurt.
Plate and serve
Arrange the three toasts and the spider on a plate and serve within 30 minutes; the avocado browns after that. Cut each toast in half to share between two children.
Four Rules for Snack Faces That Look Right
Making the plate: toasts spread with avocado, pumpkin hummus and chocolate, nori and scissors, cucumber, olives, banana and mandarins.
Cool the toast first
Hot toast melts the chocolate and turns avocado gray. Two minutes on a rack keeps everything crisp and bright.
Scissors, not knives
Kitchen scissors cut nori, cheese slices and pepper strips into faces in seconds, and children can help.
Two eyes and a mouth
That is all a face needs. Bold, simple features read from across the table; tiny details get lost.
Faces last
Assemble within 30 minutes of eating. Avocado and banana brown, and crackers soften, when they sit.
Halloween Lunch Ideas for Kids: A Week of Lunchboxes
Up close: Frankenstein avocado toast with nori hair, cucumber eyes and a red pepper smile.
Each day uses snacks from this post: a main, a side and a small treat.
| Day | Main | Side | Treat |
|---|---|---|---|
| DayMonday | MainGhost cheese sandwich | SideClementine pumpkins | TreatTwo banana ghosts |
| DayTuesday | MainMummy pizza bagel (cold or warm) | SideCucumber and carrot sticks | TreatMonster mouth apple bite |
| DayWednesday | MainSpider crackers with cheese | SideGrapes, halved for little ones | TreatA few candy-corn popcorn pieces |
| DayThursday | MainPumpkin hummus wrap with a nori face | SidePepper strips | TreatMandarin spider |
| DayFriday | MainMummy hot dog in a thermos | SideWitch broom cheese sticks | TreatCaramel apple bites |
Savory Halloween Snacks for Kids
Numbers 5 to 9, for lunch boxes and hungry after-school children:
Mummy Pizza Bagels Lunchbox
Mini bagel halves with pizza sauce, thin strips of mozzarella laid criss-cross as bandages, and two black olive slices for eyes, baked at 400°F for 6 to 8 minutes. Good warm, and fine cold in a lunchbox.
Spider Crackers No cook
Two round crackers sandwiched with cream cheese or sunflower butter, four pretzel-stick legs pushed in on each side and two raisins for eyes. Children can make these themselves.
Mummy Hot Dogs Warm
Beef or chicken franks wrapped in thin strips of crescent or puff pastry with a gap for the face, baked at 375°F for 12 to 15 minutes, with two mustard dots for eyes. Ketchup for dipping.
Ghost Sandwiches Lunchbox
Cheese and turkey sandwiches cut with a ghost cookie cutter, with two raisins or olive slivers for eyes. Save the offcuts for an adult lunch.
Deviled Egg Eyeballs Make ahead
Classic deviled eggs with an olive slice pressed into the filling as the pupil and thin red lines drawn with a toothpick dipped in beet juice. They keep 4 hours in the fridge.
Fruity and Sweet Halloween Snacks
A Halloween lunch spread: ghost sandwiches, clementine pumpkins, spider crackers, mummy pizza bagels and monster mouth apple bites.
Numbers 10 to 13, mostly fruit:
Clementine Pumpkins 2 minutes
A peeled clementine with a short piece of celery or a pretzel stick pushed into the top as the stem. The easiest healthy Halloween snack there is, and a lunchbox staple.
Monster Mouth Apple Bites No cook
Two apple slices with a layer of sunflower butter between them, mini marshmallows pressed in as teeth and a strawberry slice for the tongue. Toss the apple in lemon water so it stays white.
Witch Broom Cheese Sticks Lunchbox
A string cheese cut in half, the bottom snipped into a fringe, with a pretzel stick pushed into the top as the handle and a chive tied around. Five minutes for a dozen.
Caramel Apple Bites Party
Apple chunks on short picks, patted dry, dipped in caramel sauce and rolled in crushed graham crackers or sprinkles. All of a caramel apple in two bites.
For the Halloween Party
Numbers 14 and 15, for a table of children:
Spider Web Hummus Platter Party
Hummus spread across a plate, rings of thinned tahini or yogurt piped on top and a toothpick dragged outward for the web, with an olive spider in the middle and vegetable sticks around.
Spiced Pumpkin Smoothie Cups Drink
Pumpkin puree, frozen banana, milk or yogurt, a little maple syrup and pumpkin pie spice, blended thick and poured into clear cups with a jack-o’-lantern face drawn on the cup.
School Swaps, Make Ahead and Troubleshooting
Swaps for nut-free classrooms, halal tables and little ones:
| Instead of | Use | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Instead ofChocolate hazelnut spread | UseSunflower-seed chocolate spread | WhyNut-free classrooms |
| Instead ofPeanut butter | UseSunflower butter | WhySame texture, nut-free |
| Instead ofGummies and marshmallows | UseHalal-gelatin or pectin versions | WhyMost standard ones contain pork gelatin |
| Instead ofCandy eyes | UseYogurt dot with a mini chocolate chip | WhyIf the label is unclear |
| Instead ofWhole grapes, olives, popcorn | UseHalved or quartered, or left out | WhyChoking risk for under-4s |
| Instead ofHot dogs | UseBeef or chicken franks, sliced lengthwise for little ones | WhyHalal and safer to eat |
Make Ahead
| When | What | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| WhenNight before | WhatPumpkin hummus, deviled egg filling, cut cheese and pepper shapes, nori shapes in a dry box | NotesCovered, chilled |
| WhenMorning of | WhatSpider crackers, cheese brooms, clementine pumpkins, sandwiches | NotesLunchbox-ready |
| WhenLast 30 minutes | WhatAvocado and banana toasts, apple bites | NotesThey brown if made earlier |
| WhenWarm items | WhatPizza bagels and mummy dogs: shape ahead, bake just before | NotesThermos for lunchboxes |
More Halloween food for kids:
- For the class party: Frankenstein grape cups
- For a Halloween birthday: 25 Halloween birthday party snacks
- A whole party menu: kids Halloween food party ideas
- For toddlers: spooky toddler party food
- Number 9, in full: Halloween deviled eggs
- A sweet one: monster donuts with teeth
Troubleshooting
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| ProblemAvocado turned gray | Likely causeMade too early | FixLemon juice in the mash; assemble within 30 minutes |
| ProblemChocolate melted | Likely causeToast too hot | FixCool the toast 2 minutes |
| ProblemNori shapes curling | Likely causeDamp from the spread | FixPress on just before serving |
| ProblemBanana ghosts brown | Likely causeCut too early | FixCut last, or brush with lemon juice |
| ProblemSoggy toast | Likely causeWet toppings sat too long | FixToast a little longer; serve straight away |
| ProblemSpider falls apart | Likely causeSegments too dry to stick | FixUse a dot of yogurt or nut-free butter as glue |
Nutrition (approximate, per child)
Half a plate: one and a half toasts and half the mandarin spider. Enough for a lunch or a big after-school snack. The other eleven snacks vary.
Halloween Fun Snacks: FAQs
What are easy Halloween snacks for kids?
Frankenstein avocado toast, pumpkin hummus faces, banana ghosts on chocolate toast and mandarin orange spiders, the four on the pin, plus clementine pumpkins, spider crackers, witch broom cheese sticks and mummy pizza bagels. Most take five minutes and no oven.
What are healthy Halloween snacks for kids?
Anything built on fruit, vegetables and whole foods with a face added: avocado and hummus toasts, clementine pumpkins, mandarin spiders, apple monster mouths, cheese brooms and a spider web hummus platter with vegetable sticks.
How do you make Frankenstein avocado toast?
Spread mashed avocado with lemon and salt on cooled toast, add a zigzag strip of nori for hair and two nori squares as neck bolts, cucumber slices with olive pupils for eyes and a red pepper strip for the smile.
How do you make a mandarin orange spider?
Peel one mandarin whole for the body, separate a second into segments and curve four on each side as legs, then stick on two candy eyes with a dot of yogurt.
How do you make banana ghosts?
Halve a banana lengthwise and cut each piece into a ghost shape, round at the top and wavy at the bottom. Lay them on chocolate-spread toast and add mini chocolate chips for the eyes and mouth.
What are good Halloween lunch ideas for kids?
Ghost sandwiches, mummy pizza bagels, spider crackers, a pumpkin hummus wrap or a mummy hot dog in a thermos, with clementine pumpkins or cheese brooms on the side. The lunchbox table above plans a whole week.
Are these snacks nut-free for school?
They can all be. Use sunflower-seed chocolate spread and sunflower butter instead of nut spreads, and check cracker and candy labels. The school swaps table above lists each change.
Can I make Halloween snacks ahead?
The hummus, egg filling, cheese and pepper shapes can be made the night before, and crackers, cheese brooms and clementine pumpkins the morning of. Make the avocado and banana toasts within 30 minutes of eating.
How do I keep the avocado from turning brown?
Mash it with lemon or lime juice and a pinch of salt, and assemble the toast just before serving. Within 30 minutes it stays bright green.
What Halloween snacks are safe for toddlers?
Clementine pumpkins (segments separated), avocado and hummus toasts cut in strips, banana ghosts and cheese brooms without the pretzel. Quarter grapes and olives, and skip candy eyes, popcorn and whole nuts for under-4s.
What are Halloween snacks without candy?
Every savory snack here, plus clementine pumpkins, mandarin spiders, banana ghosts and the pumpkin smoothie. Swap candy eyes for a yogurt dot and a raisin.
Are these snacks halal?
Yes with beef or chicken franks, and gummies or marshmallows made with halal gelatin or pectin. Standard marshmallows often contain pork gelatin, so check the label.
How many snacks do I need for a Halloween party?
For 10 children, plan 4 to 5 kinds and about 3 pieces of each per child. One savory warm item, one toast or cracker, two fruity snacks and a drink covers it.
Can kids help make these?
Yes, that is half the fun. Children aged 4 and up can make spider crackers, cheese brooms and clementine pumpkins on their own and add faces to the toasts with child-safe scissors.
Save the pin so the snack plate, the lunch week and all 15 ideas are one tap away.
More Halloween Food for Kids
The class party, the birthday table, a party menu, toddlers, deviled eggs and a sweet treat.
Frankenstein Grape Cups
The class party version. See the snacks → Birthday25 Halloween Birthday Party Snacks
For a party on the 31st. See the list → PartyKids Halloween Food Party Ideas
A whole menu. See the ideas → ToddlersSpooky Toddler Party Food
For the littlest guests. See the ideas → Number 9Halloween Deviled Eggs
Eyeballs, in full. See the recipe → SweetMonster Donuts With Teeth
The sweet treat. See the recipe →A base, a spread, two eyes and a mouth. Real food dressed up for October, made in fifteen minutes.
Pin these Halloween fun snacks for the kids.
