There’s one tradition in Oakville that we have all participated in at some point and that is Halloween. Either we are attending Halloween parties, handing out candy to trick-or-treaters, or eating the candy ourselves.
The sugar rush that we get from eating the candy we bought in the days leading up to Halloween can leave us with a lack of energy, gut aches, headaches, and poor sleep that have far-reaching effects on our bodies.
Since much of our socializing involves participating in these traditions, how can we still be part of the fun without the negative health effects?
Bring on the fun!
If you love a good party, but also love how you feel when you eat healthily, here are some great Halloween party options that don’t involve a ton of sugar.
Veggie and Dip Platters
Fill jars with different coloured veggies such as grape tomatoes, bell pepper strips, broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots, and another jar with a ranch-style dip. Place a decorative googly eye on the outside of each jar and place all on a serving board with decorative cotton and black spiders.
Fill celery sticks with nut or seed butter and top with chocolate chips. Melt some of the chocolate chips and use a toothpick to draw spider legs on the chips you have placed on the celery.
Appetizers
Slice a large, sweet potato into medium-thin rounds and use a paring knife to cut out jack-o-lantern shapes. Toss the slices in a bit of oil and salt and bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes or until crispy.
Hard-boil some eggs, and when cool, slice them in half, scoop out the yolks, and combine with some mayonnaise and salt. Re-fill the egg whites with the yolk mixture. Cut black olives in half and cut small strips for “legs” out of half of them. Place an olive half upside down on each deviled egg and arrange the strips on each side of the olive half for the spider legs.
Fancy Fruit Displays
Quarter some apples and then cut a wedge out of each quarter like a mouth. Fill the mouth with a nut or seed butter and arrange pumpkin seeds for teeth. Put a drop of nut or seed butter on the flat side of chocolate chips and place them on the apples for the eyes.
Peel clementines or mandarin oranges and use a small strip of celery as the handle to look like a pumpkin.
Desserts
Make your favourite energy ball recipe (here is one you can try). Gather a few chocolate chips and a thin bar of dark chocolate, cut into triangles. Push 2 chocolate chips onto each ball for eyes and a triangle of chocolate into the sides of the ball for wings.
