Creepy-crawly, Icky, Slimey Halloween Treats

Halloween brings to mind images of all things that are creepy-crawly, icky, slimey and just plain gross. Unfortunately, there are expectations that even food become icky, slimey or creepy-crawly around Halloween. As moms we often want to treat our kids to such fun things, but without all the junk that's found in the "icky" treats at the store. But how do we do that?

Begin by examining what you have in the fridge. Grapes can be peeled or sliced and turned into eyeballs. Celery sticks can be smeared with peanut butter and topped with raisins, thus becoming a log with creepy-crawly ants on it. If you've got jello on hand, add some fruit and call it brain matter. Ewwww! The kids will love it though.

What's in the pantry? Perhaps the fruit leather will become dried skin from a mummy. Make a batch of muffins and add raisins to the batter. Voila! You've got bug-infested muffins.

The trick is to use your imagination. Ask your kids for help in deciding how to turn a healthy food into some icky, slimey treat that they will love. My kids won't eat celery, but they will eat ants on a log. I'm betting the same will hold true for your kids.