Clean Eating, Gluten-Free, and Dairy-Free Halloween Treats for Children for Autism
Halloween is a time of joy and excitement for children, filled with costumes, candy, and spooky decorations. However, for children with autism, it can also be a challenging time due to the abundance of sugary, artificial treats that can have a negative impact on their behavior. Steering clear of high-sugar and artificial food dyes is crucial for children with autism and can lessen sensory overload reactions. See below for some fun and healthy Halloween treats!
The Impact of Sugar and Artificial Food Dyes on Behavior
Before we delve into our recipes, let's discuss why avoiding high-sugar and artificial food dyes is essential for children with autism. Research has shown that these ingredients can potentially exacerbate behavioral issues in children with autism. Here's why:
Blood Sugar Spikes and Crashes: High-sugar treats can lead to rapid blood sugar spikes, followed by crashes. These fluctuations can affect mood and behavior, potentially leading to irritability, restlessness, and meltdowns in children with autism.
Artificial Food Dyes: Artificial food dyes are commonly found in candies and processed snacks. They have been linked to hyperactivity, inattention, and mood swings in children. For kids with autism, who may be more sensitive to external stimuli, these artificial dyes can be particularly problematic.
Gluten and Dairy Sensitivities: Many children with autism may also have sensitivities to gluten and dairy. These sensitivities can cause digestive discomfort and mood disturbances, making it important to opt for gluten-free and dairy-free treats.
Clean Eating and Halloween
So, what is clean eating, and how does it relate to Halloween? Clean eating is a dietary approach that focuses on whole, minimally processed foods, while avoiding artificial additives and excess sugar. While it may seem challenging to incorporate this philosophy into Halloween treats, it's entirely possible. Clean eating can be just as fun and delicious, without the negative effects on behavior.
Five Clean and Nourishing Halloween Treats
Here are five scrumptious Halloween treat recipes that are gluten-free, dairy-free, and free from artificial food dyes, making them suitable for children with autism. These treats are not only kind to their behavior but also delightfully spooky and perfect for the occasion.
Monster Apple Bites
Ingredients:
Apples
Sunflower butter (or any nut or seed butter of choice)
Sunflower seeds (for teeth)
Strawberry slices (for tongues)
Raisins or dark chocolate chips (for eyes)
Instructions:
Slice apples into wedges.
Spread a layer of sunflower butter on one side of each apple slice.
Press sunflower seeds into the sunflower butter for teeth.
Add a strawberry slice as the tongue.
Attach raisins or dark chocolate chips as eyes. Get creative with different expressions!
Pumpkin Spice Energy Balls
Ingredients:
1 cup gluten-free rolled oats
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 cup almond butter
2 tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice (or a mix of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves)
1/4 cup dairy-free chocolate chips
Shredded coconut (for rolling)
Instructions:
In a mixing bowl, combine rolled oats, pumpkin puree, almond butter, maple syrup, and pumpkin pie spice.
Fold in the dairy-free chocolate chips.
Roll the mixture into small balls, and then roll them in shredded coconut.
Place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to firm up.
Spooky Veggie Platter
Ingredients:
An assortment of colorful vegetables (e.g., carrots, bell peppers, cucumber)
Hummus or dairy-free dip
Olive slices (for eyes)
Instructions:
Cut the vegetables into various Halloween-themed shapes, like bats or pumpkins.
Arrange them on a platter with a bowl of hummus or dairy-free dip.
Add olive slices as eyes to some of the veggies to make them look extra spooky.
Banana Ghosts
Ingredients:
Bananas
Dairy-free white chocolate chips or small raisins (for eyes)
Instructions:
Peel the bananas and cut them in half.
Insert small white chocolate chips or raisins as eyes to create ghost faces on the cut ends.
Gluten-Free and Dairy-Free Pumpkin Spice Halloween Cookies
Ingredients:
For the Cookies:
1 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour
1/2 cup almond flour
1/2 cup coconut oil (solid, but not too hard)
1/2 cup pure pumpkin puree
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice (or a mix of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves)
1/2 tsp baking powder
A pinch of salt
For the Decorations:
Dairy-free chocolate chips or dark chocolate chips (Enjoy Life)
Orange and black dye-free food coloring (make sure it's gluten-free)—Mix blue, red and green to make black
Piping bags or plastic sandwich bags
Instructions:
Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Prepare the Cookie Dough:
In a large mixing bowl, combine the gluten-free all-purpose flour, almond flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, and a pinch of salt.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the coconut oil (make sure it's not too hard; if needed, you can slightly melt it), pure pumpkin puree, pure maple syrup, and pure vanilla extract.
Gradually add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and mix until a cookie dough forms.
Shape the Cookies:
Roll the cookie dough into a ball and place it between two sheets of parchment paper.
Roll the dough out to your desired thickness (about 1/4 to 1/2 inch) and use Halloween-themed cookie cutters to cut out shapes.
Bake the Cookies:
Transfer the cut-out cookies to the prepared baking sheet.
Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges start to turn golden.
Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool on a wire rack.
Decorate the Cookies:
Melt dairy-free dark chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl at 30-second intervals, stirring between each until smooth.
Melt dairy-free white chocolate chips in a separate bowl using the same method.
If desired, add orange and black food coloring to the white chocolate to create Halloween-themed colors.
Place the melted chocolate in separate piping bags or plastic sandwich bags with a tiny corner snipped off.
Create Halloween Designs:
Use the melted dark chocolate to outline the cookies and create the base for your decorations.
Use the melted colored white chocolate to add details, such as faces, stripes, and other Halloween-themed designs.
While the chocolate is still wet, sprinkle with dairy-free sprinkles for an extra touch of fun.
Let the Chocolate Set:
Allow the cookies to sit until the chocolate decorations are completely set. You can speed up the process by placing them in the refrigerator for a short time.
Enjoy Your Halloween Cookies:
Once the chocolate decorations are firm, your clean eating gluten-free and dairy-free Halloween cookies are ready to be enjoyed.
Enjoy Life also offers an assortment of dye-free, allergen-free Halloween Candy! (These still contain sugar, so make sure you are monitoring the sugar intake :)