It’s the night when ghosts and goblins come out to play, but there’s nothing scarier on Halloween than trick-or-treating on an empty stomach. A filling meal with staying power is a must-have for keeping spirits high and curbing the sugar crash later. Whether you’re heading out with the kiddos or making your house a haunted HQ for friends and neighbors, fueling the fun with food beyond candy is essential. We’ve scared up a dozen quick and easy, kid-approved dinner ideas to make the night a screaming success. From Halloween-themed nibbles to fan favorites that’ll ensure your kids will dig right in without a fight, we have the Halloween dinner idea for you.
Halloween Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
Ordinary grilled cheese takes a terrifying turn with the help of Halloween-themed cookie cutters. Individual spooky sammies are easy to cook on the stovetop, but you can also make a larger batch using the oven. Simply cut out your ghosts and pumpkins, assemble, and butter the sandwiches. Finally, transfer to a parchment-lined sheet pan and bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees, flipping halfway through.
Get the recipe: Halloween Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
Spiderweb Pizza
Feeding everyone before trick or treating requires some creative thinking. Enter the frozen pizza, a parent’s best friend when time is tight. But that doesn’t mean it needs to be boring. We’ve topped a self-rising frozen pizza crust with strands of mozzarella string cheese to create creepy cobwebs. A simple technique turns pitted black olives into eight-legged spiders creep-crawling their way into the night. Mix it up by adding “bugs” to the web using pieces of your favorite toppings, such as pepperoni, mushrooms, or bell peppers.
Get the recipe: Spiderweb Pizza
Enchilada Ravioli Skillet
This monster mashup recipe combines a Tex-Mex favorite with a meaty, Italian freezer staple. Pillows of beef ravioli replace traditional tortillas in this reimagined take on enchiladas. A combination of black beans, cheddar, and green onions tossed with store-bought enchilada sauce comes together in a skillet, no rolling or layering required. Dress it up with salsa, sour cream, or any of your favorite taco night toppings.
Get the recipe: Enchilada Ravioli
Rigatoni Pepperoni Pie with Eyeballs
Everyone will shriek with excitement when they see this slice-and-serve pasta pie that looks like it came from a mad scientist’s laboratory. The base is made from tubes of rigatoni noodles with marinara and Parmesan baked upright inside a springform pan. But watch out…this spooky supper has its eyes on you! Pepperoni, mozzarella pearls, and olives stack up as the tasty “eyeballs” on top.
Get the recipe: Rigatoni Pepperoni Pie with Eyeballs
Creepy Bagel Pizzas
These palm-sized pizzas work as a kid-friendly Halloween dinner or eerie addition to the appetizer table. Mini bagels are the crust for two-bite pizzas topped with tomato sauce and melty provolone. A small cookie cutter turns the cheese into floating ghosts, vampire bats, or any of your favorite Halloween frights. Complete your creature creations with eyes made from pieces of black olive, red pepper, or any toppings you like.
Get the recipe: Creepy Bagel Pizzas
Spiderweb Black Bean Soup
This bowl of thick and creamy black bean soup is a cozy dinner made for chilly Halloween nights. It comes together from scratch with just 10 minutes of prep using canned black beans, fresh veggies, and store-bought vegetable broth. Each bowl is finished with a spooky spider’s web that’s easy to create using lime-spiked Greek yogurt and a resealable plastic bag.
Get the recipe: Spiderweb Black Bean Soup
Potato Chip Crusted Chicken Fingers
This Hall of Fame kids’ meal definitely won’t get any boos at the dinner table. Crushed potato chips make the crunchy coating for homemade chicken fingers that bake in the oven. Crank up the flavor with your family’s favorite dips and sauces or customize them with your go-to flavored chips. Serve with a side of frozen sweet potato fries for a frighteningly fun and filling meal that’ll get kids out the door in no time.
Get the recipe: Potato Chip Crusted Chicken Fingers
Mini Mummy Hot Dogs
Ten minutes of prep is all you need for this spine-tingling, no-stress Halloween dinner. Strips of refrigerated crescent dough form the bandages around cocktail-sized hotdogs to turn them into mini mummies. Assemble them up to two hours in advance and keep them under wraps in the fridge until you’re ready to bake and serve.
Get the recipe: Mini Mummy Hot Dogs
One-Pot Cheesy Beef Macaroni
This easy one-pot meal delivers two kid-friendly favorites in under 30 minutes. A box of deluxe macaroni and cheese gets a hearty upgrade with the addition of ground beef and spices simmered in store-bought marinara. The included packet of gooey cheese sauce is the finishing touch for this stick-to-your-ribs meal that can be prepped in five minutes and is trick-or-treater-approved.
Get the recipe: One-Pot Cheesy Beef Macaroni
Cowboy Casserole
Get kids to rustle up some grub before they hit the trick-or-treat trail with this meal-in-one casserole. Frozen veggies help cut down on prep work for a hearty bake layered with ground beef, corn, beans, and a taco cheese blend. A crown of crispy, frozen potato tots finishes this crowd-friendly casserole that serves a crowd.
Get the recipe: Cowboy Casserole
Lasagna Soup
Here’s a treat everyone will love—classic lasagna flavors served in 35 minutes without any layering or baking required. The trick is a combo of traditional ingredients, like ground beef, tomatoes, and two kinds of cheese, ladled up in a creamy soup. Curly noodles and a spoonful of pesto-spiked ricotta are the finishing touches on this quicker, lighter lasagna dinner that comes together with five minutes of prep.
Get the recipe: Lasagna Soup
