Once again, its that time of year…Halloween.

Halloween always seems to be the opening act for an 8 week long parade of sugary, processed treats consumed in the name of holiday celebration. Halloween is especially guilty of harboring candy loaded with high fructose corn syrup, artificial dyes, allergenic foods, and boat loads of additives to keep them “fresh” on shelves for longer periods of time. Basically all the stuff I work so passionately to keep out the mouths of the little (and big) people in my life.

Fruit Mummies by My Fussy Eater  Fruit Mummies by My Fussy Eater 

It’s tricky, as a parent and care giver, to keep the consumption of crap to a minimum this time of the year without feeling like a big ‘ol party-pooping Halloween Scrooge. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not stupid. Whether I know it or not, I’m sure some highly processed piece of candy will cross my daughter’s lips this Halloween. Either a peer will hook her up with some of their own stash, a well-meaning family friend will hand her a cupcake after she bats her eyes and asks them nicely with her very best “pllleeeaassse”, or because she sneaks some on her own when I’m not looking (she is, after all, a red blooded kid who loves candy just as much as the rest of them). I embrace and accept (while cringing) that candy, sugar, and highly processed foods have (sadly) become part of childhood and celebration. I feel that there is no way to keep it totally out of her hands without making her feel left out or hiding her in a cave for her entire childhood.   Luckily, I don;t have to do either since there is the internet and plethora of creative food bloggers out there to help find that balance between fun, festive, and healthy.

Chocolate Cashew Butter Cups by The Movement Menu Chocolate Cashew Butter Cups by The Movement Menu

Pumpkin Pie Smoothie by The Natural Nurturer Pumpkin Pie Smoothie by The Natural Nurturer

  1. Banana Ghost Pops by Super Healthy Kids
  2. Pumpkin Pie Smoothie by The Natural Nurturer (For extra Halloween fun, serve in mason jars. Draw jack-o-lantern faces on the mason jar with a black sharpie and serve with a green paper straw to represent the stem of the pumpkin) 
  3. Clementine “Pumpkins” by The Natural Nurturer
  4. Chocolate Cashew Butter Cups by The Movement Menu 
  5. Almond EnJOY Bars by Meghan Birt
  6. Chocolate Pumpkin Candies by Veggie Staples
  7. Pumpkin-Pear Gummies by A Squirrel In The Kitchen
  8. 5 Amazing Apple Fruit Leather Recipes by Savory Lotus
  9. Pumpkin Pie Peanut Butter Cups by The Lean Green Bean
  10. Power-Up Green Smoothie by the Natural Nurturer (this one would be fun served in a mason jar with a Frankenstein or monster face drawn on the glass)
  11. Pumpkin Spice Cocoa by Nummy For My Tummy
  12. “Boo”nanas by The Natural Nurturer
  13. Paleo Pumpkin Muffins by Raindrops Wellness
  14. Almond Butter Pumpkins by Living Healthy With Chocolate
  15. Whoopie Pies with Pumpkin Filling by Living Healthy with Chocolate
  16. Homemade Fluffy Marshmallows by Happy Food Healthy Life
  17. Slow Cooker Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal by Super Healthy Kids (serve this with some strategically placed raisins or chocolate chips to create a jack-o-lantern for Halloween breakfast)
  18. Fruit Mummies by My Fussy Eater
  19. Pumpkin  Ice Cream Sandwiches by Super Healthy Kids
  20. No Cook Caramel by Real Food RN

Pumpkin-Pear Gummies by A Squirrel In the Kitchen Pumpkin-Pear Gummies by A Squirrel In the Kitchen