One of the things that many parents dread most about the Halloween season is the influx of candy. Sure, it’s fun at first; but you quickly tire of the sugar high, the squabbles over the best candy, and the sluggish crash that follows a sugar high. If you want to keep a little more fun in your Halloween, try some of these great treats for your kids that won’t set them to bouncing off the walls.

Quick and Easy Snacks & Treats

Halloween cookies fun snacks treats diy kids children

Sending in a fun Halloween treat in your child’s lunch or tasked with coming up with a snack to send to school for the holiday? These fun ideas will help make you the favorite classroom mom.

Mandarin pumpkins: Pull out your Sharpie and color jack-o-lantern designs on the skin of a mandarin orange (or, if you’d rather, sketch the design on a fruit cup instead).

Apple mummies: By getting creative with a knife, you can create these cute apple mummies that will be sure to appeal to the kids.

Frankenstein grapes: Place grapes in a cup to create this fun grape Frankenstein’s monster that will bring smiles to every face.

Ghostly cheese sticks: Take that Sharpie game a little further: sketch little ghost faces on cheese sticks. Place them in a Mason jar or other upright container to make it easier to see your treat!

Cheese monsters: Break out your hot glue gun and a few googly eyes, then cut open a few cheeses to create these fun cheese monsters!

Spider crackers: Spread peanut butter or cream cheese between two crackers, then use pretzel sticks for legs. Add chocolate chips or raisins for eyes, and you have these fun spider crackers!

Deviled eggs: Deviled eggs are a protein-filled favorite snack at any time of the year. Dress them up for Halloween with these fun recipe ideas.

Mini spider pizzas: Mini pizzas take on a new, fun significance when you add olive “spiders” to the top. These are a great snack for after school or a fun, fast meal before heading out to trick-or-treat!

Mummy pouches: When you need a fast treat to take on the go, wrapping masking tape around your applesauce pouches and adding mummy eyes will bring giggles from your kids–all without making a big mess.

Healthier Sweet Treats

Halloween cookies fun snacks treats diy kids children

When you want to give your little ones sweet treats, but you don’t want them to binge on candy, there are still plenty of ways to make it fun and reflect the season! Try some of these fun ideas to offer your kids their favorite flavors while still enjoying healthy additions to their diet.

Apple fondue: Cut apples into slices, dip them in melted chocolate or caramel, and add fun toppings in an apple fondue bar.

Pumpkin pie bites: This fun recipe incorporates your favorite fall flavors in a simple, gluten-free recipe.

Candy corn fruit: Layer pineapple, mandarin oranges, and whipped cream in a clear jar or cup to create a fun candy corn treat that isn’t loaded with processed sugar. You can even make your own whipped cream for an added bonus.

Bloody cups: With just a few simple ingredients, you can craft a chocolate-filled treat that will make your kids forget all about those peanut butter cups.

Coming up with great treats (or treat buffet!) for Halloween is a lot of fun. You can bring your spooky best while crafting a treat that will be sure to delight your kids, their friends, and your guests–not to mention you! By trying out some of these healthier treat ideas, you’ll quickly discover that you can have your Halloween fun without the sugar high–and maybe even find a new favorite in the process.