These fun and healthy Halloween themed Jack O Lantern Roasted Sweet Potatoes are the perfect side dish for a family friendly meal this fall. Take a few extra minutes to carve up these delicious vegetables into frightful faces the kids will love!
Healthy Halloween Recipe
I love a good theme when I’m hosting a party or making a cute lunch box for my kids. These Jack O Lantern Roasted Sweet Potatoes are the perfect healthy Halloween recipe that will get your kids to gobble up their vegetables.
It’s easy to default to candy and sweet treats like these Halloween Mummy Nutter Butter Cookies, but it’s also nice to find some healthier options for balance throughout the holiday.
Halloween Vegetables
There are so many fruits and vegetables you can transform into a healthy snack or side dish for this beloved holiday. From Jack O Lantern Stuffed Peppers to this spectacular Halloween Charcuterie Board which is a showstopper for any party, you can always offer a little bit of indulgence along with wholesome recipes. It’s all about balance!
Sweet Potato Recipes for Toddlers
We all know how much fun it is to get toddlers and young kids to eat their vegetables. Instead of making it a fight, it’s often easier to try different approaches like involving them in cooking, hiding veggies in their mac and cheese, or making them into fun shapes like pumpkins for Halloween or carving cucumbers into flowers.
Halloween Lunchbox Ideas
My kids recently started school and I am loving the days when they ask for me to pack their lunch. It lets me get creative with their food and offer a healthier variety than the school typically offers. These Jack O Lanterns are definitely going to make a few appearances this fall!
If you are looking for more healthy and fun lunchbox inspiration, be sure to follow my Instagram and check out the ‘Kids Lunches’ highlight.
How to make Halloween Themed Sweet Potatoes
To get started, grab the biggest sweet potatoes you can find at the grocery store. This will allow you to make all size pumpkins for cute variety and size.
- Cut the sweet potatoes into 1/4 inch thick slices. Use pumpkin cookie cutters or a paring knife to cut pumpkin shapes out of the vegetables.
- Using a small paring knife, cut the faces on your pumpkin slices. Avoid knives with wide blades in this process. Remove the cut pieces slowly to avoid breaking the shapes and details in your jack-o-lantern faces. Make them as cute or creepy as you want!
- Place your sweet potatoes on parchment lined baking sheets. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, and rosemary. Gently toss the vegetables to evenly coat them.
- Bake at 400F for 45 minutes, or until soft throughout. Allow them to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
- Enjoy this delicious and healthy snack or side dish with your family!
What to dunk sweet potatoes in?
If you are like me, you need a dipping sauce for just about any vegetable. Here are a few of my favorite healthy sauces that go great with roasted sweet potatoes,
Can I use different vegetables?
If you have some really big carrots available, sliced them lengthwise and you can cut small pumpkins from them. They will make the cutest little side dish for kids.
Can I use regular potatoes?
If you don’t think your kids will go for the sweet potatoes, by all means try these with russet, Yukon Gold, or red potatoes. You may need to adjust the baking time ever so slightly, but they will taste great. If you want to get a little bit of color on them, try sprinkle a little paprika on the potatoes.
What to serve with roasted sweet potatoes?
When it comes to making dinner, you can serve sweet potatoes with so many entrees. From a simple grilled steak to lots of hearty fall meals. Here are some of our favorites,
- Roasted Peach BBQ Chicken Bake – this one dish meal has all the goodness of sweet fruit paired with savory chicken.
- Smoked Over the Top Chili – this hearty soup is infused with extra smoky flavor by making it in your Traeger.
- Roasted Pineapple Honey Chipotle Ham – Whip up this surprisingly easy ham dinner and have flavorful and spicy ham for the week!
Jack O Lantern Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients
- 3-4 sweet potatoes
- 2 Tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 2-3 rosemary sprigs
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400º F.
- Cut the sweet potatoes into ¼ inch thick slices.
- With cookie cutters or a paring knife, carefully cut the slices into pumpkin shapes and carve out faces.
- Arrange the pumpkins on parchment lined baking sheets. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder and rosemary.
- Bake at 400º F for 45 minutes or until the sweet potatoes are tender throughout. Allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
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