Healthy, Spooky Halloween Party Fare

Halloween is not a traditionally health-conscious holiday. Candy and other sugary treats tend to steal the spotlight. But that doesn't mean your little boys and ghouls can't enjoy more nutritious party fare. We already know that great snacks don't skimp on flavor. To tempt the kids even more, give your table a spooky twist.

A relish tray is a natural choice for any party. Trim the ends of carrot sticks to a dull point for "stakes." Look in your grocery store for feta-filled olives. They can be "eyeballs" right out of the jar. Tint a store-bought dip with food coloring or serve salsa instead. For a show-stopping presentation, serve red, blue or purple celery. Trim the root end from fresh stalks of celery. Stand them in a tall glass filled with water and food coloring and let them sit overnight.

Macaroni and cheese is a great base to build a main dish. Use angel-hair or spaghetti for a creepy "guts" appearance. If you'd like to include more protein, add meatballs, ham or chicken. Slice a green sweet pepper with a vegetable peeler. The shreds add a pop of color. Then stir in other body parts: a heart cut from a sweet red pepper, a halved roma tomato for "lungs," and a skewer of mushrooms for a "backbone." Not only will the little monsters eat their vegetables, they'll be clamoring to get the best "innards."

What's a party without a bowl of snack mix? So many pre-packaged mixes are full of excess salt and sugar. Fortunately, you can easily make your own. Combine pretzels, cheese crackers and roasted nuts for a savory treat. Calm a sweet tooth with dried fruit and sesame sticks. If you'd like a unique flavor, toss pretzels and whole-grain cereal with a little melted butter or oil and sprinkle with the seasoning of your choice. I really like Cajun blends. When the mix is coated, spread on a cookie sheet and bake in a slow oven to dry. Be sure to check your snacks often or they'll scorch.

Are you thinking of serving breadsticks or rolls? Take a few moments to add a spooky touch. If you plan to bake your own breadsticks from scratch or with a packaged dough, try making "bones." Use small balls of dough to make the cleft ends of the "bones" and bake as directed. Turn pre-baked rolls into scary mouths with "teeth" cut from onions or sweet peppers. Split the buns on one side and add the teeth before serving. The same technique turns purchased breadsticks into snakes.

Some foods are naturally strange, or might be new to your little goblins. Slices of kiwi are fuzzy on the outside, green on the inside, and delicious! Serve them in a bowl with slices of starfruit, figs and canned lychees. Have your partygoers tried grits? The texture is unique and they can be seasoned with butter and garlic, cheese and scallions, or snipped herbs. Most kids - and adults, for that matter - think that sushi is made of raw fish. Adding two sprigs of parsley to each roll gives them a buggy look. Try putting a platter of rolls on the table and watch the grossed-out faces. Imagine their delight when you reveal that your rolls are made with cucumber spears!

Gelatin is a favorite of children everywhere, and can be purchased in sugar-free form. Imagine all the things you can stir in while it sets! Grapes, melon balls and cherries make great "eyes." Dried fruit looks yucky but tastes great. It's tempting to add kiwi or figs, but they prevent the gelatin from setting. If you'd like to make individual desserts, try this: Make sugar-free gelatin, reducing the hot water and cold water by half. Pour the mixture into a clean ice cube tray and drop a fruity bite into each one. When set, remove them from the tray and pile into a bowl. Let the kids use these cubes, tinted yogurt and sliced almond "fingernails" to make yummy parfaits.

Halloween is a time for imaginative costumes and devilish fun. But the bags and bags of sugar can be very scary. Rationing trick-or-treating candy can seem monsterous, but not if you set an exciting and healthy table. Enjoy the holiday with creepy, tasty dishes and your children will have the best Halloween ever.

Sources: personal experience.