Nothing scary about these healthy Halloween ideas

Cooler temperatures, colorful changing leaves, hayrides, and the fun of dressing up for Halloween are four excellent reasons for hosting a party this month. You don’t need to load the buffet table with baked sweets and candy. These three healthy Halloween ideas are anything but scary: 

Serve fruit and vegetables with creative flair.
Put eyes on a banana using raisins or two small chocolate chips, and it looks just like a ghost. A clementine with a small piece of celery on top resembles a pumpkin. Apple slices covered with peanut butter and dotted with yogurt-covered cranberries might be a monster’s mouth. Baby carrots with thin-sliced almonds on the ends look like fingertips. Even a cheese stick is ghostly when you draw eyes and a mouth on the wrapper. Your imagination is the only limit! Get ideas to inspire you.

1. Set up a water bar. 
   Allow children and other guests to assemble their own potions and concoctions at a water bar stocked with a variety of fruits and herbs. You can display some recipes to get guests started. You don’t have to provide endless options—a few ingredients will work just fine.
2. Plan for active games. 
   Get kids and families moving at your party with fun activities like obstacle courses and hula hoop contests. Corn hole or a bean bag toss are also fun and easy to set up. Play up the fall theme with a dress-the-scarecrow relay race—place two laundry baskets at one end of the yard, each filled with a pair of large adult pants, a flannel button-up, bandana, straw, and a floppy hat. Teams of kids can compete to see who is fastest to race to the basket, dress up like a scarecrow, pose for a photo, take off the costume, run back to the start line, and tag the next teammate in line. Get more game ideas.
   

Party planning guide

Healthy celebrations are fun and easy to host at home, school, daycare, church, and other places where kids and families gather. Download CanDo’s “Healthy School Celebrations” toolkit for even more ideas for food, activities, giveaways, and literature connections—for Halloween and other popular events.

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