It’s that scary season again… no, not the sudden onslaught of small costumed visitors– when we say scary, we mean SWEETS– that’s what dentists are thinking about! Halloween is pretty much the biggest holiday when it comes to candy; most kids will eat more candy at parties on the big day itself than they will all year.
While a little indulgence is fine, Dr. Cherrington, your Redmond, OR, dentist, does get concerned when the volume of sugar consumption gets turned up– like it does around Halloween. That’s because sugar feeds cavity-causing bacteria in kids’ (and adults’) mouths– that’s a pretty mean trick! So, in the interest of celebrating the holiday in an oral-hygiene-conscious fashion, we’d like to offer some ideas for healthy treats that we love.
Boo pops
This one is a favorite for banana lovers. Take a ripe banana, cut it in half, then spear each half onto a popsicle stick. Now dip each half into yogurt (a white-colored flavor fits well with the “ghost” theme but other flavors are tasty too), or for an extra treat, use white chocolate. Make a face with three raisins, and stick that puppy in the freezer! After a couple hours you will have a tasty, healthy frozen treat that looks like a ghost!
Witchy brooms
Here’s a healthy snack that really sweeps away hunger: tiny witch brooms. Use a nice salty pretzel stick for the broom handle and stab it into a hunk of string cheese. To make the “brushy” part of the broom, tease apart the strings on the cheese and Voila! A tiny broom filled with healthy carbs and protein for a busy little witch or wizard.
Toasted mummy
This snack is sort of “pizza-like.” First, toast your bread. Spread a layer of pizza sauce on, and cover that with thick “stripes” of mozzarella; the cheese should resemble a mummy’s bandage-y wrapping– be sure to leave some bits of pizza sauce showing through for an eerie “blood” effect. Olives make great eyes and mouth. Finally, pop your mummies into the oven for a couple minutes on broil and serve– if you dare!
Crunchy bones
Don’t let the creepy name fool you– this snack is both delicious and simple. Use pre-made bread-stick dough (or for the hard core, make your own). When it’s rolled out in “stick” form, split each end so that it looks like a long bone. Cover with olive oil and salt or other spices, and bake. Great served with soup or a cheese dip, and guaranteed to please trick-or-treaters of every age.
Cute yet creepy smile
This is our favorite– even though yes, it does require marshmallows. It’s just hilarious! To make this simple treat, cut slices of a red apple– about 1/16th of an apple each. These are lips. Spread peanut butter on the “inside” of a pair of lips, and use it as the delicious glue that holds the marshmallow “teeth” in place. Your finished product will look eerily like wax lips, but it will taste way better.
Share your ideas, too!
We love to hear about our patients’ favorite Halloween tricks and treats! Tell us your recipes for healthy Halloween snacks at your next appointment to your favorite Redmond, OR, dentist!