Make quick work of feeding the kids with these fun and yummy Halloween Dinner Ideas. These quick meals will fuel the kids for the festivities to come!
Halloween Dinner Ideas
I know that there is a lot of pressure on us parents to make every holiday meal an artistic creation or to go all out in all of the ways. But honestly? You don’t have to if you don’t want to or if it’s just too much. It’s possible to have fun, filling meals that are easy to make and that help fill those tummies before heading out for spooky fun.
This recipe collection is meant to give you some easy ideas for Halloween that are quick and nourishing.
Some are sort of themed (like green food or things that use pumpkin or squash) and some are just favorite go-to easy meals.
Add a simple side of cut up fruit, applesauce, cheese, or crackers and call it good!
Tips to Keep it Easy
- You can make almost all of these ahead of time and just warm them up as needed.
- These all work for lunch too.
- You may need to eat dinner early, so a slow cooker option might be a great idea to help you pull that off.
- Don’t worry if the kids don’t eat perfectly or every food group on any given day (and especially on holidays). They’re excited and likely distracted by other things!
And now for the recipes…
1. Pumpkin Quesadilla
These are fun and so fast to make. (They work for lunch too of course!)
Have fun with Halloween dinner in just a few minutes—and get the kids fed before the festivities—with this easy pumpkin quesadilla. (It also works for lunch too!)
2. Sweet Potato Quesadilla
We love this mix of flavors and it’s an easy way to offer up veggies in a familiar format.
Serve these quesadillas with salsa, sour cream, and/or guacamole as desired. You can leave them as simple vegetarian quesadillas or add in a protein like chicken or beans.
3. Bean and Cheese Quesadillas
Use canned beans to make this meal lightning fast.
You can make as few or as many of these easy quesadillas as you like.
4. Egg and Cheese Mini Muffins
This is an easy recipe to make ahead of time (with almost any veggie you like) and then warm up for the kids with some toast or crackers.
These soft breakfast egg cups are packed with protein and vitamins—and can be made ahead of time! Add any veggie you like, whether carrots, butternut squash, broccoli, or spinach.
5. Breakfast Burritos
Wrap scrambled eggs and beans in a tortilla with cheese and serve with salsa for an easy, but satisfying kids meal.
These are called “breakfast” burritos since they have eggs, but you can serve them for any meal of the day!
6. Avocado Pasta
Mix up this super simple avocado sauce and toss with your pasta of choice. The green color is fun for Halloween too!
Any pasta shape works in this recipe, so choose your family’s favorite! Omit the garlic if you think the flavor might be too strong for your people. My kids prefer this without the garlic. I like it with it for myself!
7. Sweet Potato Mac and Cheese
With a creamy texture and veggies right in the mix, this is an easy Halloween dinner (that lets you use up purees if needed).
I like to use a small shape to keep this dish as fast as possible.
8. Sausage Broccoli Pasta
Just 4 ingredients make this easy pasta meal sing. We love it for any night of the week, but especially busy ones.
This pasta recipe is quick and delicious and the flavor from the sausage is really key. (Just a heads up that you’ll need to reserve a little of the pasta cooking water, so keep that in mind BEFORE you drain the pasta.) Chicken sausage is usually leaner than pork, so when making this with chicken sausage, I like to add butter or olive oil before serving.
9. Snack Dinner
Cheese, crackers, bread, some fruit, and veggies—or whichever leftovers you have—turn snacks into a fun meal. This is a great option for sharing a cheese plate with kids and calling it dinner.
You can do a big family-style platter or individual ones for the kids depending on your preference. Add anything else that sounds appealing and know that the nutrition info will vary according to what you use.
10. Slow Cooker Black Bean Soup
Throw the ingredients into the slow cooker in the morning and dinner will be ready and waiting when you are.
11. Alphabet Soup
Pair ABC pasta with frozen veggies and broth in this super simple (and yummy) soup. You can even customize it by using only the veggies that the kids like.
You can use ABC pasta, orzo, pastina, or ditalini—or any other very small pasta shape in this Alphabet Soup recipe. And you can start with fresh or frozen veggies. See below for options.
12. Spinach Eggs
A fun color for the holiday and nutritious? Yes!
Packed with spinach (and iron!), these bright green eggs are fun and delicious. You can serve them as you would scrambled eggs, or use in a breakfast burrito or egg sandwich.
13. Pumpkin Muffins
Make a batch of muffins, pair it with fruit or a smoothie, and you have an easy meal ready to go.
Use a gluten-free flour blend or whole wheat depending on what works best for your family. This recipe has very little flour—that is not a mistake. They bake up wonderfully, so have faith! Adapted from Against All Grain.
14. Spinach Muffins
Call them “monster muffins” or any fun name you like and serve them up for a festive (and easy) kids meal with fruit and milk.
These healthy muffins taste like a delicious banana muffin, but with the added nutrition of a big handful of spinach. These store well, so you can make them ahead of time and pull them out of the fridge or freezer to serve.
15. Chocolate Protein Muffins
These blender muffins have veggies right in the mix, but taste like brownies. How’s that for a fun meal?!
These simple blender muffins pack a serious nutrition punch and are dairy-free, with a nut-free option. I prefer the flavor of these once they are fully cooled and chilled in the fridge.
16. Cottage Cheese Pancakes
With just a few ingredients, these protein-packed pancakes are a favorite easy breakfast-for-dinner idea.
These 4 ingredient pancakes are packed with nutrients and are so yummy. Double the ingredients to make a larger batch to feed a family of four as this recipe is on the smaller side.
17. Broccoli Mac and Cheese
With an easy method that uses just one pan, this is a comforting pasta dish to share with the kids.
The method on this recipe is streamlined to cut down on dish washing. Add the optional spices for more flavor if you like! Double it to make more.
Best Tips for Success
- Keep expectations low for intake as the kids may be more excited about Halloween than they are interested in eating much. (Or could be the opposite!)
- Review tips for toddlers and candy year-by-year for Halloween.
- Offer a drink with dinner to ensure the kids are hydrated.
Related Recipes
I’d love to hear your feedback on any of these, so please comment to share—and also chime in about your go-to Halloween dinners!
This post was first published September 2020.
