Did you know that the average American—including kids—eats almost three and a half pounds of candy every Halloween? That adds up to about 7,000 calories and three cups of sugar. Talk about a massive sugar rush!
Luckily, there are ways for schools to bring Halloween fun into the classroom without contributing to the sugar problem. One of the easiest is skipping the candy and choosing healthy Halloween snacks for school, like spooky fruits and veggies. It’s a simple swap that helps teachers and students celebrate the season in a fun and healthy way.
Spooky Halloween Fruits & Veggies
Here are ten fantastical items to consider for your Halloween activities. Some have frightfully fun colors, while others feature spooktacular shapes and textures or surprising insides.
Cauliflowers
Cauliflowers come in ghostly white, of course, but there are also orange and purple varieties! All three colors have similar flavors, but it could be fun to host a tasting and invite students to compare them. Cauliflower is a nutrition powerhouse packed with vitamins C and K and tasty both raw and roasted.
Dragon Fruits
One of the most brightly colored tropical fruits, dragon fruits are typically bright pink to red when ripe, with white to red flesh and tiny, nutty seeds. To eat a dragon fruit, wash the fruit, cut it in half or quarters, and peel away the spiky dragon skin. It may look like a monster, but it’s delicious and nutritious.
Figs
Refreshing and sweet at the same time, fresh figs are best eaten when the fruit is very soft. The magic of the fig is inside, where a funky, seedy center awaits. It looks unique because figs aren’t technically fruits—they’re inverted flowers! When you take a bite, you’re eating dozens of tiny blooms.
Finger Limes
Called “finger limes” because of their shape, this unusual citrus is full of juicy pearls. Slice the peel and pop out the little balls bursting with lime flavor. Students will love the surprise and the taste! Finger limes are native to Australia but grow beautifully in California, so they’re perfect for a spooky local snack.
Kiwano Melons
Kiwano melons, also known as horned melons, taste as exotic as they look, with spiky orange skin and vibrant green flesh inside. Native to southern Africa, their flavor is a unique blend of banana, cucumber, and lime. To eat one, slice the melon open and spoon the pulp from the rind. It’s full of healthy antioxidants like vitamin C, vitamin A, zinc, and lutein.
Passion Fruits
The passion fruit’s dark purple skin conceals a bright yellow interior filled with juicy, jelly-like arils and edible black seeds. It practically screams Halloween! The arils are rich in vitamins A and C, and a good source of potassium and iron. The seeds are high in dietary fiber: Use a spoon to scoop them out with the sweet-tart jelly.
Pepino Melons
Featuring an egg-like shape, yellow-green skin, and vibrant purple stripes, Pepinos are a source of antioxidants and vitamins A, B, C, and K. The Pepino melon’s full name is “pepino dulce,” which means “sweet cucumber” in Spanish. It tastes much less spooky than it looks—like a mix of cantaloupe, honeydew, and vanilla custard.
Rambutans
These red, plum-sized fruits have soft, hair-like spines on the outside. Inside is a large seed surrounded by translucent flesh. It looks a little like a peeled grape or, if you’re feeling spooky, an eyeball! Don’t eat the seed, but enjoy the flesh: It’s sweet, juicy, and mildly acidic, with hints of grape, passion fruit, banana, and papaya.
Star Fruits
A popular snack in tropical countries and many parts of the world, these oblong fruits are crunchy and juicy with a sweet-tart taste. When you slice them, the cross-section looks like a star! They’re a rich source of natural antioxidants and minerals. Invite students to try them raw or sprinkle them on salads.
Tamarindo Pods
The tangy-sweet taste of tamarind is a fixture in many world cuisines. Tamarindo pods are brown and brittle on the outside like dried fall leaves, but you can pop the shells open to get at the sticky sweet-sour pulp inside. The pulp has a chewy, date-like texture. It’s a good source of antioxidants, calcium, and fiber.
Where to Get Healthy Halloween Snacks for School
Some of these spooky items can be tough to find at the grocery store or through typical produce vendors, even though many of them grow in California. That’s where The FruitGuys Farm-to-School Program comes in! We partner with local farmers to offer these unique items to districts as healthy Halloween snacks for school. If you’re interested in adding them to your meal plans or hosting a Halloween tasting, you can reach our Farm-to-School Team here.