As Halloween draws near, I’ve been pulling out the pumpkins and making my list of tricks and treats. So whether you’re looking for festive recipes, some healthy alternatives (that won’t get your house toilet-papered), or spooky party ideas, I’ve got all the ideas here to create the ultimate Halloween party, for kids as well as adults. Happy haunting!
Build the perfect haunted house
Martha Stewart
Need some ideas for creating a fashionably spooky environment? Head to the queen of scream, Martha Stewart! The grand dame of entertainment has more tricks up her sleeve than Houdini when it comes to Halloween. From making paper mache bats to creating a corpse centerpiece with a cake stand and skull, there are numerous ideas for creating your haunted house.
Add some spooky accents to your haunted house
Food & Wine
Now I can’t give Martha all the credit when it comes to frightfully brilliant ideas for Halloween. Here we have some great ideas for creating your very own Victorian era bar, filled with witch’s potions and brews. Forget about a glass of red wine or brandy, anyone up from some Eye of Newt?
Create the perfect costume
Popsugar
Looking good on Halloween doesn’t have to mean spending lots of money on a costume. You can easily have the coolest costume on fright night without spending a lot of money. From creating a cute bag of Jelly Belly’s costume for your kids, to bringing Beetlejuice back from the dead, with some makeup and little bit of skill you can create the ultimate costume.
Sip on the ultimate Halloween punch
Chowhound
Floating eye balls, glow in the dark hands, even a smoking swamp, with a few simple details you can turn your punch bowl into the centerpiece of horror. Get our Halloween Punch recipe.
Create the perfect trick or treat for kids and adults
Food.com
This is the perfect opportunity to finally get to play with your food. Making jelly worms is a fun and easy project. It’s also a simple way to create some edible and realistic looking decorations. All you need is a little water, some straws, and gelatin. For a lighter and healthier version, simply replace the heavy cream with an equal amount of fruit juice. Get the recipe here.
Bake a cemetery cake
Martha Stewart
Halloween simply wouldn’t be the same without some treats to share with all your guests. Forget about bowls of candy. You inevitably end up with leftover candy bars that you’re still eating 6 months later. Instead, offer guests a treat that will fit in perfectly with your spooky theme. Get the recipe here.
Offer the ultimate hors d’oeuvres
Woman\’s Day
A few ghoulish accents strategically placed on the buffet table, perfectly completes the Halloween theme. Edible accents make the party that much more entertaining. A simple and tasty idea, bloodshot deviled eyeballs. Who’s hungry? Get the recipe here.
Break with Halloween candy tradition
food.com
Coming up with some sweet alternatives if you’re dealing with dietary restrictions (gluten free, vegan, dairy free) can be a challenge. If you have a little extra time to spend in the kitchen this year, the best alternative is some do-it-yourself vegan candy corn. Get the recipe here.
Make some monster face cupcakes
My monster face cupcakes are a lighter and quicker alternative to the cemetery cake. They may look complicated, but they’re quite simple to make. They’re always a hit with kids and adults. All you need is a little imagination, and you can create a cast of spooky characters to display on Halloween night. Get our Orange Monster Face Cupcakes recipe.
Related Video: Spooktacular Dishes for Halloween
Header image: Orange Monster Face Cupcakes from Chowhound
