39 Halloween Foods That Aren’t Just Candy
Though you better believe we've got lots of sweets here too!
If you think the only treats on Halloween are candy, you're dead wrong. It IS possible to prepare better-for-you Halloween eats that won't taste like you've been tricked. From homemade candy bars to spooky savory snacks, we’ve got tons of super-flavorful options that won’t leave you feeling deprived. Check out our 39 healthier Halloween foods for ideas—you might just end up liking them better than store-bought candy. 😈
We know health looks different to different people, so we’ve included recipes here for a variety of diets, whether you’re avoiding gluten, carbs, animal products, or even processed foods. Craving a candy bar? Try making your own, like our keto copycat Snickers bar, our copycat Take 5 bars, our Caramellows, or our keto (and vegan) peanut butter cups—they’re still decadent, but you can feel better knowing everything that goes into them (no mystery ingredients here). Are you more into the fruity flavors? Try our Sour Patch grapes, our strawberry ghosts, our chocolate cuties, or our caramel apples to satisfy those sweet cravings.
Want a savory snack to munch on during scary movie nights or pumpkin carving parties? Try our roasted pumpkin seeds (get them straight from your jack-o'-lanterns), our stovetop popcorn, our avocado hummus, or our Brussels sprouts chips. We’ve even included a few better-for-you Halloween breakfast foods here, like our vegan pumpkin spice latte, our apple pancake dippers, and our pumpkin muffins—they’ll fuel you up for a long day of costume-wearing and trick or treating.
Want more Halloween inspiration? Check out our top Halloween desserts, dinners, and cocktails too.
Keto Copycat Snickers Bar
We’re going to tell it to you straight: Homemade candy takes time and patience, especially when you’re making chewy caramel and nougat. But it’s worth it 1,000 times over when you take a bite and realize that it’s even better than your favorite store-bought packaged treat.
Get the Keto Copycat Snickers Bar recipe.
Stovetop Popcorn
Want a crunchy, flavorful snack in a flash this Halloween? Try this easy stovetop popcorn technique! The resulting popcorn is light and crisp—all it needs is your signature popcorn seasoning. (We love nutritional yeast, paprika, and lots of salt, but feel free to add your favorites.)
Get the Stovetop Popcorn recipe.
Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
Pumpkins are pretty amazing. You can carve them, roast them, serve them savory or sweet. One of their best (and often overlooked) attributes is their seeds! They’re super-easy to prepare and make a seriously delicious (and healthy) snack. They're great prepared super simply, roasted with salt and melted butter, but the variations are completely endless, so get creative.
Get the Roasted Pumpkin Seeds recipe.
Pumpkin Cheese Ball
Part retro, part cult classic, it’s hard to go wrong with a cheese ball. This festive pumpkin rendition may not contain any actual pumpkin, but it’s full of fresh herbs, minced jalapeño, and of course, plenty of cheese. Make a cheeseboard featuring one for the easiest, low-key healthy weeknight meal that'll still feel a little festive this Halloween season.
Get the Pumpkin Cheese Ball recipe.
Sour Patch Grapes
This magical recipe transforms green grapes into a sweet-and-sour snack that tastes suspiciously like Sour Patch Kids.
Get the Sour Patch Grapes recipe.
Pumpkin Deviled Eggs
These pumpkin deviled eggs are way easier to make than a jack-o'-lantern. Paprika gives each its bold color, while a fresh chive makes for the perfect stem. So cute!
Get the Pumpkin Deviled Eggs recipe.
Keto Peanut Butter Cups
Sorry Reese's ... there's a new guy in town. If you love chocolate + peanut butter (and who doesn't?!), then these three-ingredient fat bombs are for you. Tip: Store them in the fridge to help them hold their shape, making them a grab-and-go dessert to satisfy your candy craving any time of day.
Get the Keto Peanut Butter Cups recipe.
Vegan Pumpkin Spice Latte
Use your favorite nondairy milk to make this ultra-cozy, reduced-sugar pumpkin spice latte—no espresso machine necessary! If you're feeling extra festive you can even whip up your own homemade pumpkin spice.
Get the Vegan Pumpkin Spice Latte recipe.
Healthy Pumpkin Muffins
Honey, Greek yogurt, and whole-wheat flour come together to make these "healthier", but they sure don't taste like it! We love them fresh from the oven, or days later toasted in a skillet with butter.
Get the Healthy Pumpkin Muffins recipe.
Chocolate Cuties
You already know about chocolate-covered strawberries, but have you tried chocolate-dipped oranges? They're super-satisfying and too cute.
Get the Chocolate Cuties recipe.
Keto Red Velvet Cake
We love a blood-red cake around Halloween, and this keto version perfectly fits the bill. The cream cheese frosting, made with Swerve confectioners, tastes just like the creamy, slightly tart icing you know and love.
Get the Keto Red Velvet Cake recipe.
Cheesy Witch Brooms
Refashioning a string cheese as a witch broom is so much easier than it sounds: Simply halve it, add a pretzel stick, and tie with a fresh chive or scallion. 😍
Get the Cheesy Witch Brooms recipe.
Caramel Apples
Not only are caramel apples easy to make (we use store-bought caramels, though you could make your own!), they're also super-fun to personalize with nuts, chocolate, or whatever you'd like. Follow our easy step-by-step instructions here, and you'll be biting into a gooey tart treat in no time.
Get the Caramel Apples recipe.
Avocado Hummus
This ghoulish green dip is the best of hummus and guacamole combined.
Get the Avocado Hummus recipe.
Cinnamon Sugar Vegan Donuts
Dairy-free donuts that are delicious and vegan?! You better believe it. We opted to toss ours in a classic cinnamon sugar mixture, but feel free to coat these in a non-dairy glaze if you prefer.
Get the Cinnamon Sugar Vegan Donuts recipe.
Pumpkin Pie Energy Balls
These "energy balls" are exactly what they sound like: Perfect little bites that will help you curb cravings for something sweet (like Halloween candy). Made with oats, coconut, almond butter, and pumpkin puree, they're totally healthy, satisfying, and pleasantly seasonal.
Get the Pumpkin Pie Energy Balls recipe.
Brussels Sprout Chips
Not only are are Brussels our favorite veggie side, they're now our favorite salty, crunchy snack! We love this garlic-Parm variety dipped in Caesar dressing, but ranch wouldn't be a bad idea either.
Get the Brussels Sprout Chips recipe.
Caramellows
Skip the store bought and make your own Caramellows featuring homemade marshmallows, caramel, and dark or milk chocolate.
Get the Caramellows recipe.
Sweet Potato Bites
Sweet potato casserole is always a favorite at our holiday celebrations, but we don't want to have to wait 'til Thanksgiving to enjoy it. In lieu of a whole casserole, we made these little bites that are the perfect healthy sweet treat all fall long, including around Halloween.
Get the Sweet Potato Bites recipe.
Cinnamon-Sugar Pumpkin Seeds
Roasted pumpkin seeds are one of our favorite crunchy fall snacks. We usually go savory and simple, with just a little salt and butter, but they're equally as good with a light dusting of cinnamon sugar. They've also got a good amount of fiber, great to keep you feeling satisfied even if you're avoiding Halloween candy.
Get the Cinnamon-Sugar Pumpkin Seeds recipe.
Camille Lowder is the digital food producer at Delish, otherwise known as our resident queen of recipe galleries. Previously, she attended the Natural Gourmet Institute for culinary school and worked at/managed a number of New York restaurants. She loves anything vegan, foods masquerading as other foods (hello, cauliflower), and a well-used Oxford comma.
