{Guest Post} Kid-Friendly, Healthy and Tasty Halloween Desserts

Written by Leslie Johnson

On Halloween night, your children will return home will pillowcases full of candies, chocolates, and sweets. As a mother who always puts her children's health and nutrition first, you can imagine my horror whenever I see them devouring piece after piece of sugary, unhealthy Halloween treats. It can be extremely frustrating to let your children indulge in Halloween candy when you know with absolute certainty that what they're eating isn't good for them. Sure, a little candy here and there won't hurt, but it's always important to incorporate some healthy choices into your Halloween celebrations if you can. For those of you who want to prepare some healthier sweets for your children, her are four scrumptious ideas.

Apple Mouths

When I was a kid, my mother used to make me "apple mouths" – a mouth-shaped dessert made with apples, almonds, and peanut butter. They're extremely easy to make and kids love them. I find myself snacking on them, too! If your children don't like almonds, you can substitute them for marshmallows.

What you need:
Apple Corer, apples, peanut butter, sliced almonds (or marshmallows)

How to make it:
Take as many apples as you like and core them. Next, cut the apples into quarters and slice wedges into the skin side of each quarter. Spread a small serving of peanut butter on the wedges and press the slivered almonds (or marshmallows) in place. Enjoy!

Less Sinful Dirt & Worms

Whenever someone first told me about the famed dirt & worms dessert, I shrieked; it sounded nasty, but once I tried it at a friend's Halloween party, I was hooked. The chocolate pudding with Oreo topping and sweet gummy worms dish was sinfully delicious, but it definitely wasn't nutritious. I'm a fan of taking high-calorie recipes and making them lighter, so I was grateful when a friend gave me the recipe to her "less sinful" version of dirt & worms.

What you need:
2  (1.5 ounce) packages of fat-free instant chocolate pudding mix, 4 cups of skim milk, 15 gummy worms (chopped into thirds), and 12 reduced-fat Oreo cookies (smashed into pieces)

How to make it:
Combine pudding mix and milk and beat with a whisk for 4 minutes. Pour the pudding mixture into a serving bowl and refrigerate for at least one hour. When ready to serve, sprinkle the gummy worms and Oreo cookies on top. Eat up!

Spooky Bananas

I always have a bunch of bananas in my kitchen so I can throw them into oatmeal, cereal, lunches, desserts, and a number of other delicious dishes. Around Halloween time, bananas are a favorite in my household. On Halloween night, I love to make spooky bananas for my kids.

What you need:
1 cup shredded coconut, raisins, mini chocolate chips, 3 bananas, 2 cups of orange juice, and popsicle sticks or skewers
How to make it:
Cut the bananas in half and insert a popsicle stick or skewer at the sliced end. Freeze the bananas for two hours and then dip them in the orange juice followed by the shredded coconut. Once the coconut flakes adhere to the banana, place two chocolate chips (for the eyes) and a raisin (for the mouth) on the bananas.

 

Two-Ingredient Pumpkin Cupcakes

Pumpkin is one of my favorite ingredients to use during the fall. I incorporate it into a number of dishes, including ravioli, burgers, chili, and cupcakes. My mother gave me her recipe for pumpkin cupcakes, and it's so easy to make. All you need is one box of yellow cake mix and one can of pumpkin, and that's it; try for yourself if you don't believe me!

What you need:
One 18-ounce box of yellow cake mix and one 15-ounce can of pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)

 How to make it:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Next, pull out 24 cupcake wrappers and place them in your muffin pans. Mix the cake mix and pumpkin in a bowl until smooth and then pour the mixture into the liners. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Cool on a rack and then devour!

Don't let the upcoming holidays derail your commitment to keeping your children healthy. Utilize delicious, nutritious recipes like these in order to keep your children's health in check!

About the Author: Leslie Johnson is a freelance writer and journalist who writes about physical and mental wellness for http://www.mastersinhealthcare.com. Feel free to send a comment her way!