13 Healthy Halloween Treats for Seniors

By Anna Hazard

Introduction

What often first comes to mind when the word 'Halloween' is said usually involves mobs of kids with sugary treats & less-than-nutritional candy. Yet that doesn't have to be so. Halloween is a holiday that can be enjoyed by all different ages with more healthy snacks subbed in for those treats that taste good but provide no other benefit.
 
These particular Halloween themed recipes focus on low to no sugar, natural ingredients, and are easy to serve or chew & swallow and thus quite suitable for seniors that may have hand dexterity or swallowing problems.

Recipes

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Spooks

• Combine the expected Halloween sweet with a bit of nutritious fruit for this snack-sized dessert. For an even healthier boost, use dark chocolate which is a good source of antioxidants & flavanols. Chocolate dipped strawberries & other fruit can also serve as an amusing cooking & crafting experience for those senior loved ones with enough hand dexterity to hold the fruit steady.
  
• Elder One Stop | Taste of Home | Happier Homemaker
  

Banana Mummies

• A spooky, more healthy replacement for more processed popsicles & lollipops, these different styles of mummies use various ingredients such as marshmallows, coconut sugar, and ready-made dough but all have bananas as their main base. Depending upon the recipe (and the taste of its intended audience), bananas can be served raw, cooked, or frozen.

• One Green Planet | Our Best Bites | Real Food
  

Pumpkin Dippers & Dips

• Try out these healthy pumpkin inspired dippers & dips that incorporate a variety of fresh fruit & veggies. The dips use greek yogurt & pureed pumpkin as their bases with a variety of spices for flavoring and are a particularly good choice for those senior loved ones who have trouble chewing or swallowing. For those who don't enjoy the taste of pumpkin, try out the pumpkin inspired dippers instead that recreate the Halloween friendly squash using carrots, green onions, and parsley.
• She Knows | The Domestic Geek | The Lemon Bowl
  

Edible Halloween Bugs

• Get in the Halloween spirit with these creepy-crawly edible bugs & insects that use dried fruit, rolled oats, nuts and other nutritious snack bits for their ingredients. For those recipes for sweet tooths, sub in dark chocolate over other varieties for healthiest alternative.
• Parents.com [1, 2] | Spoonful of Flavor | The Fit Cookie
  

Halloween Apple Bites

• Have a bite of apple before they have a bite of you. Depending upon the exact style of recipe, these bites could looks monstrous to cartoonishly goofy but all use fresh apples as their main base. A variety of other nutritious ingredients ranging from almonds & other nuts, grapes, strawberries round out the recipes.
• Oh She Glows | Fork & Beans | Two Healthy Kitchens
  

Healthy Candy Corn

• These candy corn replacements come in a variety of forms from parfaits to frozen yogurt bites to panna cotta. Each uses dairy (Non fat greek yogurt for the most benefits) or a dairy substitute such as coconut or almond milk as a base. For those recipes that don't directly use fruit as their coloring, sub in natural food coloring either store bought or pre-made at home.
  
• Upstate Ramblings | Studio DIY | Rubies & Radishes
  

Halloween Smoothies

• Smoothies are all the rage nowadays and are a particularly good choice for those seniors who may have trouble chewing or swallowing normal Halloween treats & candies. Instead invoke the Halloween mood & taste using these colorful smoothie blends.
• Frugal Living Mom | Green Blender [1, 2] | Healthy Smoothie HQ
  

Monster Mash Salads & Veggie Trays

• While salads & vegetable selections may not be what first come to mind when it comes to Halloween, with a bit of imagination & invention, you can create some truly spooktacular set-ups fit for this holidays eerie mood. For those with trouble chewing, go with boiled or steamed vegetables over their crunchier raw counterparts.
• Parents.com | Womans Day | Veggie Quest
  

Bite-sized Eyeballs

• These "eye"-petizing bite sized morsels can be used as hors d'oeuvres, snacks, side dishes, or even as desserts, depending upon the exact recipes and ingredients being used. Feel free to sub in non-fat greek yogurt for cream cheese and coconut oil for butter when it comes to healthier alternatives.
• Vegan Yack Attack | Woman's Day | See Lindsay
  

Healthy Jack'o'Lanterns

• Recreate a jack'o'lantern in the delicious miniature using carved bell peppers or oranges. The peppers present a more savory version, full of meat, nuts, and other vegetables that are meant to be cooked or served hot while the orange recipe presents a lighter choice with fruit options suitable as a dessert or snack.
• Super Sister Fitness | Frugal Coupon Living | Jesse Lane Wellness
  

Pumpkinless Veggie & Fruit Pumpkin Trays

• Nothing says Halloween like a nice plump pumpkin or grinning jack-o'-lantern. However, the flavor of this seasonal squash is not to everyone's taste, so instead keep up the holiday spirit (not to mention the nutritional value) by subbing in other various fruits & veggies to recreate a pumpkin lookalike.
• Mom Endeavors | Taste of Home | Wholesome Dinner Tonight
  

Monster Mash Soup

• When the temperatures start dropping, these Halloween themed soups make a hearty, healthy, and hot option especially beneficial for those who may have trouble chewing or swallowing.  Starring ingredients include carrots, sweet potatoes, and green peas to naturally give the soups their festive bright orange or green coloring.
• Peas & Crayons | Chatelaine.com | USDA.Gov
  

Spooky Smoothie Bowls

• Featuring a cross between a normal smoothie drink, cereal, and chilled soup these concoctions (depending upon their exact toppings) are another good choice for those senior loved ones who may have trouble chewing harder foods. Unlike normal smoothies, these are not meant to be sipped with straws, so may require enough manual hand dexterity to hold a spoon to properly enjoy.
• Eating Well | Super Healthy Kids | Natural Nurturer