Halloween doesn't have to be about loading up on sugary sweets and cakes, which can be a dental nightmare for both dentists and parents. Why not get the kids involved in trying out some healthier, teeth friendly alternatives and having fun during half term? Here are some tips and tricks on how to avoid those Halloween dental horrors in Cardiff.
Teeth friendly Halloween treats using vegetables
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No-bones-about-it vegetable skeleton: Vegetables come in lots of different shapes and sizes and also make good building blocks.
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Jack-'o-lantern dip: Carve out a small pumpkin (or a few) to use as dip containers (healthier dip choices include salsa, houmous, and yogurt-based recipes). Paint a face on the pumpkin instead of cutting holes, or cut only partway through. Or if you're feeling extra-spooky, carve a large mouth and make the dip spill out through it for a "puking pumpkin" effect.
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Black-and-orange dip: Buy or prepare black bean dip, and serve it with sweet potato chips and orange bell pepper strips.
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Get seedy: Don't forget to save your seeds when you carve pumpkins. Roast them in a hot oven with a little salt and olive oil.
Healthy Halloween Treats using Fruit
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Brains Score major cool points with party guests by serving a watermelon carved to look like a brain. Choose a small, seedless melon and peel off the green skin. Score the white pith with a knife to resemble the brain's squiggly folds. Then carve to expose a little of the watermelon's red flesh.
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Boo-nanas: Make some tasty, spooky Boo-Nanas by dipping peeled bananas in orange juice, and then roll in shredded coconut to make white ghosts. Add small raisins or chocolate chips for eyes, and then insert wooden craft stick for a handle. Serve as-is or frozen.
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Witches' teeth: Core and quarter an apple. Remove wedge from skin side of each quarter to form a mouth. Insert variously shaped and sized slivered almonds for teeth.
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Orange-'o-lantern: Use a toothpick to carve features into the skin of a whole orange. Insert a piece of pretzel for a stem. Or remove the fruit's pulp and use as a small bowl to serve yogurt, low-fat pudding or apricot-applesauce
Healthy Halloween Treats with Breads
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Pumpkin muffins: Try a healthier, low-fat recipe; no one will know the difference.
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Sand-witches: Spook up ordinary sandwiches for the kids packed lunches by making them into Halloween shapes with cookie cutters. Choose whole-wheat bread instead of white bread because its healthier and opt for fillings such as peanut butter, fruit preserves or turkey slices.
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Hallo-pizzas: Next time you visit the supermarket pick up a whole-wheat pizza crust and top it with tomato sauce, low-fat mozzarella cheese, and orange bell peppers and black olives.
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Face it: Stir a few drops of food colouring into low-fat cream cheese to turn it orange. Spread in onto whole-wheat English muffins or bagels, and then give kids raisins so they can make a jack-'o-lantern face.