Toddler-Approved Dinners Before Trick-Or-Treating

When it comes to trick-or-treating, the first thing that toddlers are going to want to do when they get home from walking around the neighborhood and collecting candy is eat it. And because it is the one night per year where most parents let their little ones have more sugar than normal, making sure that Halloween night starts off with a decent dinner is a must. As such having a toddler-approved dinner is key to little ones eating without a fight.

Halloween is a night that many of the nighttime rituals that toddlers have go out the window. Their bedtime is later, they get to eat sugar before going to bed, and participate in different activities throughout the evening, including trick-or-treating. As such, making sure that the night starts off on the right foot with a good meal that toddlers will enjoy before the festivities begin is key to ensuring that few if any, meltdowns are had especially while collecting Halloween candy.

Here are some toddler-approved dinners before trick-or-treating.

8 Fingers On A Plate

For many people, eating food that looks like a human finger might be enough to make them lose their appetite. For toddlers, having a dinner item that is in the shape of something they can identify not only makes the dinner fun but also sets the mood for the evening.

To help complete this frightfully fun hot dog dinner, including a fruit and vegetable and perhaps even a yogurt will give toddlers the energy they need to walk around the neighborhood collecting candy while announcing "trick-or-treat" if not too shy to do so.

7 Graveyard Tortilla Bowls

Not only do the tortilla bowls make for a great presentation, but the beauty of using them for dinner before going out to trick-or-treat is that they can be filled with ingredients that toddlers love to eat.

By putting ingredients like beans, cheese, olives, and avocados, or even sweet potatoes, chicken, cheese, or any other combination that toddlers enjoy together, a healthy and filling meal is made. And the best part is because it looks like a fun piece of Halloween decor, little ones will love to eat it up without complaint.

6 Ghost Pizza

What toddlers do not love pizza? As such, create a scene on the pie that includes cheese ghosts and watch how quickly the pizza disappears.

The beauty of making ghosts out of cheese is that they do not need to be in any particular shape. Therefore, if parents do not have a cookie-cutter in the shape of a ghost, creating little circular shapes spots of cheese and including bits of olive for eyes will do the trick to give the illusion of ghosts flying around on the delicious pizza pie.

5 Eyeball Tacos

An easy and delicious meal for toddlers to enjoy before going out to collect their candy treats is tacos. And much like the tortilla bowls where a multitude of ingredients can be added per toddlers' specifications, it makes for a meal that parents know their little ones will love.

To make the tacos spookily fun, adding two dabs of sour cream with some olive tapped in, make for some fun eyes on the top of the taco. And what toddlers could resist a dish like that?

4 Brain Mac & Cheese

A go-to for many parents of toddlers is mac and cheese. And for many parts of the country where Halloween night tends to be on the cooler side, having a hearty meal for toddlers before they set out to trick-or-treat will ensure there will not be any hungry stomachs while collecting candy.

To make this dish Halloween-specific, serving it in the form of a brain does just that. And because all that needs to be done to make the shape of a brain is compacting the macaroni and cheese into a bowl, letting it cool a bit, turning it over, and separating the mold in half, it is a very easy meal that toddlers will enjoy, indeed.

3 Mummy Hotdog

For those toddlers who enjoy hot dogs wrapped in breadstick dough, creating a mummy hot dog will bring a smile to their faces when they see that is what is for their dinner.

The true name for the way these hot dogs are prepared is sweater dogs. When eyes are added to the hot dog, a silly little mummy comes to life though that is not only whimsical but delicious to eat as well.

2 Mini Monster Sandwiches

An easy way to ensure that toddlers will eat their meal in the midst of all the Halloween excitement is to make small sandwiches with fillings they will enjoy.

Because these sandwiches are small in size, it is possible to make several different types to include with dinner. All that is needed is a monster face that is on the more adorable rather than creepy side to complete the look of the sandwich and toddlers will get into the spirit of the holiday before they even set foot out the door for the evening.

1 Jack-O-Lantern Lasagna

For a big night of trick-or-treating, a meal that sticks to the ribs is in order. And that is something that lasagna does without fail.

To make the lasagna irresistible to toddlers, creating a jack-o-lantern out of cheese and olives will make them excited to eat dinner, regardless of their level of excitement for the evening ahead of them. And knowing that they will not be filling their bellies only with candy will make parents feel a bit more comfortable when the candy is attacked after their candy loot makes its way home.

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