A Suitably Spooky and Totally Delicious Menu That's Perfect for a Kid-Friendly Halloween Party

Whether you're hosting a Halloween party for kids this year or are bringing a dish to someone else's celebration, we've got plenty of options to serve to your little trick-or-treaters; what's more, these recipes will tempt them to eat something beside candy on this sweetest, spookiest day. We find the best way to encourage kids to eat savory foods on Halloween is to offer a combination of fun themed foods and crowd pleasers like mac and cheese. Here are our favorite kid-friendly Halloween party menu ideas.

To start, grab their attention with an array of spooky snacks, such as Vampire Lips, pictured here, where apples, peanut butter, marshmallows and blanched almonds come together in a creeptacular edible mouth. Goblin Flatbreads, which are salted flatbreads cut up into the shape of goblins, are another great idea. Sweet and Spicy Popcorn Crunch is another must-make; use as much or as little spice as you'd like depending on your crowd.

For main courses, we love Mummy Dogs, in which puff pastry serves as the bandages wrapped around hot dogs, or Grilled Cheese Sand-Witches (get it?). If you're just looking for good, old-fashioned crowd pleasing entrées, consider Sloppy-Joe Sliders, Test Kitchen's Favorite Mac and Cheese (which relies on three different kinds of cheese—American, cheddar, and Parmesan—for deep flavor), or Mini Deep Dish Pizzas (a muffin pan transforms homemade and your favorite toppings into a homey and tasty individual meal). They're filling, wholesome options that'll keep little ones from experiencing a sugar crash.

And don't forget the drinks: Shrunken Heads in Cider are super fun. You carve faces on apples and then bake them until they dry out, which is what gives them a shrunken appearance. Float the "heads" in a punch bowl with apple cider and lemonade. Another creative idea is to whip up Blood-Moon Punch, which consists of a mixture of grape juice, ginger soda, seltzer, and fresh lime juice, with a frozen glowing moon (made from orange juice and water) floating within. And Pumpkin-Pie Milkshakes are a great dessert-beverage combo, made with vanilla ice cream and canned pumpkin purée, along with cinnamon, ginger, and cloves.

Although there's no shortage of sugar on Halloween, we wouldn't pass up an opportunity for a themed cake. Our Halloween Graveyard Cake features headstone cookies, meringue bones, and scary ghosts (and kids can help make it). If a cake's too ambitious, there are always Chocolate-Spot Cookies, spotted with orange and black candy-coated chocolates.