Halloween is easily one of the most exciting times of the year for kids, and we all know snacks are a massive part of that thrill. Interestingly, research shows that almost all kids aged 2–12 are daily snackers, and usually, those snacks lean towards sweets and treats rather than the green stuff.

Since snacking actually makes up nearly a third of a child’s daily energy, Halloween is a brilliant opportunity to do things differently. Instead of just a sugar rush, a Halloween platter kids can get excited about is the perfect chance to mix those playful treats with healthier options. It’s all about supporting a balanced diet while still keeping the spooky fun alive.

This guide isn't just about creepy shapes and colours; it's about creating a spread that delights your little ghouls while keeping nutrition in the back of your mind. Here are some creative ideas that balance fun, flavour, and a bit of mindful eating.

Enjoy Halloween Without the Mealtime Meltdowns

Halloween food doesn't have to equal chaos. In Healthy Parents, Healthy Kids, Dr Nick Fuller shares how to approach themed celebrations with total confidence. His strategies are all about balance and keeping your child’s relationship with food positive, even when there's chocolate involved!

Celebrate without the stress this year. Grab your copy of Healthy Parents, Healthy Kids today and make Halloween a happy memory for everyone.

Step-by-Step: How to Make Your Halloween Platter for Kids

Now that you’ve got the spooky theme in mind, let’s roll up our sleeves and turn it into a show-stopping Halloween platter for the kids.

What You'll Need:

• Spooky Crunch & 'Slime' (Guacamole): Blue corn tortilla chips, avocado, garlic, lemon juice, and salt.
• Mandarin / Clementine 'Pumpkins': Mandarins (or clementines) and celery sticks.
• Spider Web Pretzels: Pretzel sticks (or coconut rolls), white chocolate, and raisins.
• Mummy Cookies: Vanilla wafer biscuits, white chocolate, and candy eyes.
• Fruit & Veggie Skewers: Black grapes, cherry tomatoes, white marshmallows, and a little extra chocolate for faces.
• Ghost Bananas: Bananas and chocolate drops (large and small).
• Cheese Monsters: Babybel cheeses and candy eyes.
• Ants on a Log: Celery sticks, peanut butter, and raisins or candy eyes.

How to Put it Together:

Building your platter is much easier when you think of it as a collection of fun, spooky bits and pieces. You can prep each element separately and then just arrange them on the board for a colourful, playful spread. Here’s how to tackle each part:

Spooky Crunch & 'Slime' (Guacamole + Corn Chips)

Place the crushed garlic, lemon juice, and salt in a bowl, and mix to combine. Add the destemmed and peeled avocado, and mash until you reach the desired consistency. Serve with the blue corn chips.

Mandarin / Clementine Pumpkins

Peel the mandarins and remove any excess pith. Cut the celery into small sticks. Insert the celery sticks into the centre of the mandarins/clementines, voila, they are now little pumpkins!

These can be made up to 7 days in advance if stored in an airtight container in the fridge.

Spider Web Pretzels

Lay out a piece of baking paper or parchment paper. Arrange the pretzel sticks into five 8-pronged stars. Melt the white chocolate. Pipe the white chocolate over the pretzel sticks to make spider webs. Add the raisins to be flies. Leave to harden.

These can be made up to 7 days in advance if stored in an airtight container in the pantry.

Mummy Cookies

Lay out a piece of baking paper or parchment paper. Lie the vanilla wafer cookies on top. Melt the white chocolate. Pipe the white chocolate over the wafers in squiggly lines to make bandages. Add the candy eyes. Leave to harden.

These can be made up to 7 days in advance if stored in an airtight container in the pantry.

Fruit & Veggie Skewers

Thread the grapes, cherry tomatoes, and marshmallows onto the skewers so that you end up with 2 of each on each skewer in an alternating pattern. Optional: Melt the chocolate and pipe ghost faces onto the marshmallows.

These can be made up to 1 day in advance if stored in an airtight container in the fridge.

Ghost Bananas

Cut each banana in half. Add the small chocolate drops as eyes and the large ones as mouths.

Cheese Monsters

Remove the cellophane wrapper from the Babybel cheese, then remove the middle wax strip from the Babybel. Use a small, pointed, sharp knife to create some fang shapes. Then add some candy eyes.

These can be made up to 4 days in advance if stored in an airtight container in the fridge.

Ants on a Log

Spread each celery stick with a tablespoon of peanut butter. Top the peanut butter with a few evenly spaced raisins (these are your ants). You could also add a few candy eyes.

These can be made up to 4 days in advance if stored in an airtight container in the fridge, just don't add the raisins or eyes until you are assembling the snack board.

Setting the Spooky Scene:

Now for the best part! Arrange all of the Halloween treats and Halloween snacks you have made onto a platter or grazing board. Add a few extra decorations, like some spiders, and your Halloween Charcuterie Board is ready!

Tips to Make an Interesting Halloween Platter for Kids

Creating a Halloween platter that grabs kids’ attention is all about colour, variety, and a little bit of spooky fun. Here are some tips to make your platter both exciting and easy for little hands to enjoy:

• Go big on colour: Use bright fruits, veggies, and snacks to make the whole spread pop. It’s the easiest way to make the healthy stuff look just as enticing as the treats.
• Mix your sweet and savoury: Balance is everything. Pairing fruity snacks with mild cheeses or crackers keeps their taste buds happy and prevents that dreaded sugar crash.
• Keep it bite-sized: Small portions are much easier for kids to grab and munch on without any fuss.
• Stick to simple, familiar shapes: You don’t have to overcomplicate it. Circles, sticks, and triangles are fun and familiar for little ones.
• Build from the big items down: Start by placing your larger pieces, like the mandarin pumpkins, banana ghosts, or Babybel cheeses, to anchor the board.
• Fill in the gaps: Use smaller snacks like raisins, chocolate drops, or pretzel sticks to fill up any empty spaces. It makes the platter look full and festive.
• Let the eyes do the work: A few candy eyeballs or chocolate drops can instantly turn an ordinary piece of fruit into a spooky character.
• Keep the flavours mild: Avoid anything too spicy or overwhelming so even your pickiest eaters can get involved.
• Use a bright tray: A colourful board or tray instantly makes the whole thing feel like a party.

Add some colour and fun to your Halloween treats! These Quick Fruit Snack Ideas For Picky Kids are perfect for little hands and a healthy twist on festive snacks.

Final Thoughts

And there you have it—a Halloween platter that’s colourful, playful, and perfect for little hands! By mixing sweet and savoury, adding simple spooky shapes, and keeping everything bite-sized, you’ll create a spread that’s as fun to look at as it is to eat. 

If you’re planning a party or just a special Halloween snack at home, these tips and step-by-step ideas make it easy to put together a platter that will have kids coming back for more. Now all that’s left is to grab a tray, get creative, and let the spooky snacking begin.

Looking to make your Halloween platter even more kid-friendly? Check out our Simple Snacks For Picky Eaters for quick, tasty, and spooky-fun snack ideas.

Stay informed with fresh tips, expert guidance, unique deals, and tailored support!

Click Here

Meet Dr Nick Fuller

My Story

As a father, I know first-hand that raising healthy and happy children is tricky. Children are fussy, particularly at the end of the day when they are shattered. We also live in a society where companies seek to profit from what we feed our kids; incorrect and damaging advice is pushed on us and marketed towards our children, and we have no time.

But with these recipes and resources, you and your children can enjoy simple and well-founded food and lifestyle choices for lifelong health.