Halloween Dinner Ideas for a Ghoulish Party
on Sep 02, 2024
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Looking for Halloween Dinner ideas for a scary good time before trick or treating? Get ready to put the ‘boo’ in your food with a spine-tingling Halloween dinner party menu.
It’s the perfect time to gather friends and family for a frightening feast. I’ve conjured up 33+ irresistible Halloween dinner ideas that combine fun and scary.
From ghoulish appetizers, hauntingly good main courses, and even dessert, you’ll transform your dinner table into a festive Halloween memory. Grab your cauldron, light those candles, and prepare for a spooky good time.
Table of Contents
Tips for Halloween Party Recipes
In the past we have tried to limit the amount of candy our kids gorge on while trick-or-treating with a healthy dinner beforehand. The hope is filling up the bellies first, means they will eat less candy afterwards. Can’t blame us for hoping, right?
We’ve had a tough time in the past getting healthy food in our kids’ bellies because trick-or-treating starts much earlier than our normal dinner time. Who wants candy corn for dinner? Not us! I try to focus on food we already have such as:
- Fresh fruits and veggies carved into fun shapes or to add scary details
- Crackers and cheese come in all shapes and sizes for easy party food
- Dips such as hummus, beans, or yogurt are kid favorites.
- Seasonal produce such as pumpkins and apples are wholesome and nutritious.
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Pin ItHalloween Parties for Adults and Kids
When making Halloween food, keep your guests in mind. For children, I try to make the food ideas more silly than scary. For adults, amp up the spooky factor.
If you’re hosting a Halloween party for families, keep a mix of games and activities that both adults and kids will enjoy. Parties are more successful if there is something to do for everyone.
Make it more fun by coming up with Halloween-themed names for everything. For example, Spider soup, Witches’ brew, Mummified Monsters, etc. Be creative and have fun with it!
With a little planning and a cooking session earlier in the day, it is possible to provide a fun and healthy(ish) dinner before sending the kids out to gorge on candy! I make scary Halloween food from main dishes to dessert. The kids (and adults) love the playfulness on their plates.
Halloween Party Appetizers
If you’re looking for Halloween meal ideas or inspiration for a fun party – we know you will like this list! Serve appetizers as a snacky meal or do a Halloween sit down dinner. These Halloween recipes make a good party menu for a fall party, too.
If all you have time for are Halloween-themed appetizers, that’s fine. These are kid friendly, healthy-ish and will still put some nutrition in the tummies. They are some of my kids’ favorite Halloween snacks.
Spooky and Delicious Halloween Appetizer Ideas
These fun Halloween appetizer ideas will inspire a spooky party or be great for finger foods before heading out to trick or treat.
Halloween Veggie Platter with Spinach Ranch Dip
Make sure your kiddos or party goers have access to fresh and healthy veggies with this lovely Halloween veggie platter!
Delicious Homemade Ranch Dressing
Serve this delicious homemade ranch dressing with your Halloween veggie platter and watch as the vegetables disappear before your eyes!
Halloween Deviled Eggs Mommy Musings
Deviled eggs are always a hit and I love making them because I usually have an overabundance of farm-fresh eggs. I like this spider idea because it doesn't use any artificial dyes and we all love olives!
Frankenstein Guacamole Dip | National Guacamole Day!
No party is complete without guacamole and wouldn't gobble this Frankenstein shaped appetizer right up?
Creepy Witches Fingers Halloween Treat
Use mozzarella sticks and pumpkin seeds to make this fun Halloween treat everyone will love!
Meatball Mummies - Easy Halloween Appetizer
These Meatball Mummies are a fun, easy, and delicious Halloween finger food idea. You can store-bought meatballs or make your own!
Bacon Jalapeno Dip in a Baked Pumpkin
This recipe might be for the adults unless your kids like spicy foods (a few of mine actually do!) so run over and grab this easy recipe for Bacon Jalapeno Dip in a baked pumpkin!
Halloween Charcuterie Board
We think Charcuterie Boards make the perfect meal every once and a while, and I love this spooky take on a party favorite!
Bacon Jalapeno Mummies Recipe -Butter Your Biscuit
These bacon jalapeno mummies are stuffed with cream cheese, pepper jack cheese, and pieces of smoky bacon. Wrapped in strips of flaky, buttery crescent rolls - I know these would be a hit on our Halloween dinner table!
Side Dishes for a Spooky Halloween
Now that you have Halloween appetizers out of the way, how about a few easy Halloween side dishes as well? These easy side dishes for Halloween parties will make everyone laugh or shudder.
Creepy Halloween Side Dish Ideas
If you need side dish ideas to accompany your Halloween main dish, here are a few you might consider!
Upchuckin' Pumpkin Loaded Pasta Salad
Here's a fun spin on a classic pasta salad that looks like it's being upchucked by a pumpkin! Impress your kids or guests with this fun Halloween Side Dish idea!
Halloween Roasted Veggies
Sweet potato jack-o-lanterns, beet root witchโs hats, and spooky potato ghosts make a great Halloween Side Dish!
Keto Cauliflower Brain
This Keto Cauliflower Brain features a roasted head of cauliflower with a sweet and spicy curry sauce that looks spooky but tastes incredible!
Fun Halloween Food Ideas for Main Dishes
Halloween dinner recipes are fun twists on classic dinner ideas. Make a spooky meatloaf, witches’ fingers hot dogs, spaghetti and meatballs, or a funny pizza to serve your kids on Halloween. Use seasonal ingredients such as butternut squash, pumpkins, and apples in the recipes.
Spooky Main Halloween Dinner Ideas
I love these fun takes on recipes you may already be making at home! Take my popular spinach mozzarella meatloaf and turn it into a spooky shape, or have fun with classic spaghetti and meatballs - the choice is yours!
Spinach Mozzarella Meatloaf Halloween Skull
This funny skull meatloaf was our Halloween dinner last year! I used my popular spinach mozzarella meatloaf recipe but shaped it like a skull. We wrapped it with bacon and used cloves of garlic to make teeth! So fun and delicious!
Savory Halloween Recipe: Spooky Spaghetti and Cheese Stuffed Meatballs
Here's a twist on classic spaghetti and meatballs! Check out how to use your favorite recipe but make it spooky!!
Mini Halloween Pizzas
Pizza is always a hit at our house. Here are a few different ways to make your homemade pizza a great Halloween dinner!
Chicken Pot Pie with Crawling Hands
I love the idea to make your own spooky Chicken Pot Pie! This might by our dinner solution for Halloween this year!
Monster Burgers are Deliciously Scary!
How fun are these amazing monster burgers? I know my kids would thoroughly enjoy a bit of dinner time creativity!!
Frankenstein Halloween Sandwich Wraps
If you're looking for a vegetarian options, these wraps are loaded with veggies and cheese! Fun idea to send in the lunch box, or also a great dinner as well.
Taco Soup Recipe - Quick, Easy & Filling
This is not a spooky recipe, but taco soup or homemade chili are also on our go-to lists for quick, easy, and filling Halloween night dinner ideas.
Creepy Halloween Dessert Ideas
You’ll definitely get enough Halloween candies with trick or treating, but do you need dessert ideas for your Halloween dinner? Probably not, but if you’re throwing a Halloween party, you might want a few. We found a few healthier options for you. We try to live by the 80/20 (80 good, 20 junk) so here are a few fun healthier sweet ideas to choose from!
Halloween Dessert Ideas
Just because it's Halloween doesn't mean we have to gorge on sugar. Try these healthier versions of dessert for Halloween parties.
Chocolate Covered Apple Kabobs
Chocolate and apples make the perfect combo in this Halloween dessert.
Vegan Peanut Butter Cups.
Dark choclate and peanut butter is the perfect homemade treat.
Healthy Halloween Snack Candy Corn Fruit Cocktail
Replicate candy corn that tastes way better than the real thing.
Halloween Cocktails and Mocktails
Halloween Mocktails and Cocktails
You'll want to check out this list of Halloween mocktails and cocktails - there's even a non alcoholic punch thrown in!
Witches Brew Punch
Every Halloween party needs an amazing punch. This is one recipe my kids love!
Jack-O-Lantern Smoothies
Here's healthier Halloween drink that makes the perfect after-school snack or quick breakfast!
Harry Potter Inspired Pumpkin Juice
Harry Potter inspired Pumpkin Juice is made with real pumpkin, apple juice and cozy autumnal spices! It's Gluten Free + Vegan + Paleo if you're on a special diet!
VooDoo Punch, Perfect Halloween Party Drink!
This VooDoo punch is sure fun to look at! It does have kool-aid and quite a bit of sugar, if you're tryin to limit sugar on Halloween. LOL
Pumpkin Pie Smoothie
Here's another great smoothie - made with pumpkin pie spice and other fall flavors.
Hocus Pocus Witchโs Brew
Gin based cocktail - I just love the color that comes from the Blueย Curacao.
Blackberry Mule - A Halloween Moscow Mule
Love the twist on the Moscow Mule using fresh blackberries!
Dracula's Blood Cocktail
Dracula's Blood Cocktailย get its color from black cherry juice and grenadine!Drop in some plastic vampire teeth to add to the Halloween cocktail fun!
Dusk Til Dawn
Another vodka based drink that gets its color from activated charcoal! And how about that eyeball gummy? Spooooky!
Franken-Rita: Green Halloween Margarita
I'm not big on tequila, but I do love the color of this fun margarita!
How to Make Ordinary Dishes Look Creepy?
Use creative food styling and decorations like edible “blood” (raspberry sauce) or sliced olives for eyes when making your Halloween recipes. Pay attention to shapes and colors to give foods a spooky factor.
Repurpose for Halloween Decor
Save money on decor with your creativity. Transform glass jars into lanterns, use old newspapers to make paper mâché pumpkins, or turn wine bottles into sinister potion bottles. The uses are literally endless.
More Halloween Party Ideas We Love
Halloween is a festive holiday. I love the variety of traditions to create family memories on Halloween. If you liked these Halloween dinner party ideas, get more inspiration with these :
- Free Pumpkin Carving Patterns
- Easy Ways to Decorate Pumpkins without Carving
- 10 Amazing Pumpkin Patches to Visit in Iowa
One of the best Halloween treats is making scary and silly food. It’s one of my kids’ favorite traditions. Whether you have a formal dinner party or a snacky party to carve jack o lanterns, these recipes will not disappoint.
What are your favorite Halloween dinner ideas? Share them below!
These are so fun! Thanks for including my Frankenstein Guacamole!
You’re so welcome, Alyssa! I love that dip! ๐