Fall

13 Halloween Dinner Ideas for Before the Candy Feast

Trick-or-treating gets cold. These dinners will warm you up.
13 Halloween Dinner Ideas for Before the Candy Feast
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Laura Rege

Between handing out candy and taking kids through the neighborhood to collect their haul, dinner still needs to happen on Halloween. And as tempting as a plate full of Twix and Sour Patch Kids may be, you need Halloween dinner ideas to line the belly and ward off the shivers if it's a chilly evening. Below you'll find our recommendations: some dishes hued appropriately orange with pumpkin, squash, and sweet potato, others just the kind of fall fare that feels comforting on a particularly busy Monday night. They're all easy to make, which is ideal if you're fussing with costume adjustments, face paint, and homemade fake blood. You'll find chili, soup, and creamy polenta below—plus some spooky breadsticks to stay on the Halloween theme.

  • A bowl of black bean chili with sour cream cheese and cilantro.
    Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich
    1/13

    Vegetarian Black Bean Chili

    We're not exactly sure how chili after trick-or-treating because a tradition, but it's one of the Halloween dinner ideas we come back to year after year. This recipe has an active prep time of just 30 minutes, and it's ready to serve in 45—less time than it'll take for the kids to start sorting all their candy.

    Get This Recipe
  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Laura Rege
    2/13

    Butternut Squash Soup With Apples and Bacon

    It's not exactly a jack-o'-lantern in a bowl, but close enough. This warming squash soup don't require toppings, but they are the fun part.

    Get This Recipe
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