Fun Halloween Party Platters “in costume” – delicious produce in disguise!

Jodi Davis

| 3 min read

Photo courtesy of jpwbee
Halloween to me means pumpkins, disguises and of course, candy. The pumpkins and disguises are great, but as far as the candy goes … I could take it or leave it. I have never had much of a sweet tooth but as we know, millions of people do. It’s pretty simple to satisfy the candy craving this time of year when the sugary treats seem to be absolutely everywhere.
It’s fine to relish a piece of chocolate or two, but wouldn’t it be nice to also consume a Halloween treat that can provide you with a serving of fruit and vegetables as well? Even better, what if you provided a nutritious treat for a Halloween party that your child will be attending, with out them realizing they were eating fruits and veggies? Think of it as “produce in disguise!”
I found an awesome veggie platter that is designed for Halloween parties that are just creepy enough to delight kids and it’s nutritious too. This Skeleton and Brain Dip platter would surely be a welcomed addition to any classroom party or an office gathering as well. The ingredients to this fun recipe are located the produce department of your local grocery store and only takes a little assembling, which is fun for kids and adults!

Skeleton and Brain Dip

Ingredients

½ leaf lettuce leaf (for the skeleton’s hair)
1 cup Lite Ranch Dressing
4 cups assorted cut-up fresh vegetables:
  • Red bell pepper strips
  • Yellow bell pepper strips
  • Cucumber slices
  • Snow peas
  • Mushroom slices
  • Celery sticks
  • Carrot sticks
  • Cherry tomatoes
  • Broccoli florets
  • Cauliflower florets

Directions

Line half of small bowl with lettuce for the skeleton’s hair and then fill with Lite Ranch dressing. Place at one end of large tray or baking sheet for the skeleton’s head.
Arrange the vegetables on tray to resemble skeleton’s body.

Ingredients

30 fresh strawberries (do not remove green leafy cap as it provides a great “hairdo” for the ghost!)
8 oz. white baking chocolate – chopped
1 teaspoon shortening
1/8 teaspoon almond extract
¼ cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

Wash the strawberries and gently pat with paper towels until they are completely dry. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the white chocolate and shortening at 50% power; stir until smooth. Stir in the almond extract.
Dip each strawberry in the white chocolate mixture and place on a waxed paper-lined platter, allowing excess white chocolate to form the ghosts’ tails. Immediately press the miniature chocolate chips into the coating for the eyes. Freeze for 5 minutes.
In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the remaining miniature chocolate chips and stir until smooth. Dip a toothpick into melted chocolate and draw a round circle for the mouth on each face.
If you would like some of my other favorite healthy Halloween snacks, such as: Apple Bites, Hummus and Fingers, Cheese Fingers, Deviled Egg Spiders, Melon Brains, Orange Pumpkin Delights, Pumpkin Platter and Banana Ghosts, please take a look at the recipes here.
Do you have a favorite party platter which includes plenty of fresh produce?

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