On Halloween night, once the pumpkins have been carved, the costumes are complete, and the trick-or-treat bags are waiting by the door, what do you do…? Why not make a few pre-trick-or-treat snacks for your wee goblins? Keep those little zombies and vampires from foraging for brains and blood, and the princesses and superheroes ready to inherit the earth with these simple but seriously spooky snacks for Halloween.

Pro Tip: Do the wee monsters’ make-up AFTER they eat. That way it won’t get ruined!

Zombie Slime Spirits

What do zombies drink when they’re not munching on human brains? Why Zombie Slime Spirits, of course! Give your wee zombies and zombie hunters this libation on Halloween night; they’ll love it.

Ingredients

• 3 cups pineapple juice
• 3 cups organic lemonade
  
• Green food colouring
• Jelly eyeball candies (if desired)

Directions

1. Combine the juices and stir through a few drops of green food colouring.
2. Garnish with eyeball candies for effect.

Mummy Dogs

Wrap up a hot dog in spooky style in this fun and tasty Halloween treat.

Ingredients

• 1 can refrigerated breadstick dough
• 12 hot dogs (veggie, beef or regular — your pick!)
• toothpicks if necessary

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 F. Unroll breadstick dough, and separate into 12 strips. Gently stretch each strip to about 8 inches.
2. Wrap 1 dough strip lengthwise around each hot dog. Secure with wooden toothpicks, if necessary. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
3. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Let stand 5 minutes. (If using wooden picks, remove) Dot on eyes with ketchup, mustard or balsamic vinegar glaze and serve.

Goop Soup

Even if your wee ones think they don’t like squash, this soup shouldn’t be a write-off. When they taste it (and they will if you garnish it with a spider web!) they’ll be squash lovers.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, diced
• 1 medium carrot, chopped
• 2 medium potatoes, cubed
• 1 medium butternut squash – peeled, seeded, and cubed
• 1 container chicken stock
• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• Greek yogurt for topping

Directions

1. Melt the butter in a large pot, and cook the onion, celery, garlic, carrot, potatoes, and squash 5 minutes, or until lightly browned. Pour in enough of the chicken stock to cover vegetables. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover pot, and simmer 40 minutes, or until all vegetables are tender.
2. Transfer the soup to a blender, and blend until smooth. Return to pot, and mix in any remaining stock to attain desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Place a few tablespoons of Greek yogurt in a sealable plastic bag. Cut one corner of the bag (the bigger your cut, the fatter your web will be). Starting in the centre of your bowl make a circle spiralling outward in your bowl. Drag a knife through the yogurt toward the outside of the bowl. Do this several times, until you have created a spider web.

Monster Brain Sorbet

This might look a little gruesome but it tastes delicious, and kids love it for a light Halloween morning breakfast or for dessert just before going trick or treating.

Ingredients

• 1 cup orange juice
• 1 cup frozen berries (black, blue, raspberries)
• 1 whole banana, sliced
• ½ cup plain yogurt
• 1 teaspoon honey
  
• 1 teaspoon ground flax seed

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Serve in monster cups or small bowls.