It’s a toss-up as to which holiday is our favorite of the year, but Halloween definitely ranks in the top three. The costumes, the candy, the parties, the pranks — it’s a day that inspires countless DIYs, scary movies and a whole lot of creativity. To keep the fun going all season long, try these spooky snacks and clever bento lunches that are full of all kinds of creepy cuteness. They’re great for kids and adults alike!
1. Pirate Skulls: Ahoy, mateys! How cute are these pirate skull PB+Js? Toothpicks festooned with a pirate parrot, treasure chest and skull and crossbones complete the theme perfectly. (via Bentoriffic)
2. Spider Web Bento: It’s almost too pretty to eat, but this gorgeous work of art combines egg- and cheese-wrapped asparagus tips, tons of veggies and hot dog flowers with pea centers. Underneath, there’s a layer of spicy tofu for a kick of protein, but you’ve gotta battle a plastic spider to get to it. (via gamene/Flickr)
3. Frankenstein Pear Snack: Just look at poor old Frank. He has no idea he’s about to get devoured along with some sweet white grapes, tangy pomegranate seeds and adorable mini sandwiches. Should we warn him? Nah, maybe not. (via One Crafty Thing)
4. Rice Skulls, Bats + Pumpkins: This little lunch is an artistic triumph with its nori-eyed skeleton musubis (AKA rice balls), bat and black cat sweet potatoes and jack-o’-lantern persimmons. (via Adventures in Bentomaking)
5. Jack Skellington + Salmon Bento: Everyone’s favorite skeleton from A Nightmare Before Christmas makes a return appearance in this thoughtfully balanced box with salmon, Brussels sprouts, fruit and skillet potatoes. (via Happy Little Bento)
6. Creepy California Olive Bento: These mini sandwiches are meant to look a little scary. After all, they do have cream cheese, roasted red peppers and olives for guts. An olive spider and cute Halloween-themed tortilla chips round out the lot just right. (via Wendolonia)
7. Spidery Sandwich Box: Are your spidey senses tingling? That’s because this sandwich-based bento is an homage to Spiderman. It works pretty well for Halloween season too, don’t you think? (via Bentoriffic)
8. Ghostly Ghouls: These freaked-out treats are almost too cute to munch on, but we wouldn’t be able to resist that pair of marshmallow eyes on a nearly crustless sammy. Besides, these guys were already ghosts before we laid eyes on them in the first place. (via Sweet & Lovely Crafts)
9. Halloween Lunch Decals: For folks who don’t have the time to get super crafty with lunch and snack time every day, here’s a free pass. Halloween decals get the job done in a jiffy. These milk bottles and mandarin orange packs became ghosts and jack-o’-lanterns in no time! (via Meet the Dubiens)
10. Scary Snack Box: Here’s proof that a tiny cookie cutter and a non-toxic marker can go a mighty long way come Halloween. (via bento40/Flickr)
11. Bewitching Baggies: Another perfect use for Halloween decals is these simple plastic baggies. Use them alone for snack bags or let them compartmentalize a boxed lunch without all the hassle of a traditional bento. (via Meet the Dubiens)
12. Spirited Away + Cat in a Cage Bento Boxes: Worthy of placement in a cute food museum — or at the very least, an Instagram snap — these two artful creations are as beautiful as they are tasty. (via Design Swan)
13. Monster Sandwiches: These bug-eyed ham and cheese sammies with pimento olive eyes remind us a little of the Hamburglar from McDonald’s old cast of characters back in the day, but they also happen to remind us how hungry we are right now. Here, little monsters… (via Chocolate & Carrots)
14. All Eyes on You Bento: Imagine opening up a lunch someone else packed for you, only to find eight eyes staring up at you. Scary? Sure. But snacktastic all the same — just look at all those goodies! (via This Lunch Rox)
15. Happy Frog “Sandwitch”: This green peanut butter frog witch is in awfully good spirits. Maybe because it’s impressed someone finally found a perfect use for the dreaded end piece of the loaf? (via One Crafty Thing)
16. Tex-Mex Spiderweb Bento: Ever seen a spiderweb made of refried beans, a sour cream web and black olive spiders? Well, now you have. And doesn’t it look like a perfect snack right about now? (via Bless This Mess)
17. Bountiful Bat Bento: This abundant box features a tangerine jack-o’-lantern, a nori bat atop a bed of rice and plenty of vegetables and candy to balance one another out. (via Sometimes Dolls/Flickr)
18. Mummy Sammy: Need to turn a sandwich into a creepy mummy? No problem. Just cut a flour tortilla into strips, and voila! You’ve got a grab-and-go bite from beyond the grave. (via Eats Amazing)
19. Mini Cheese Monsters: Babybel cheeses are already adorable by themselves, but give them some creative carving and a handful of googley eyes and the cute factor more than triples. Check out the party going on atop this platter! (via Danya Banya)
20. How to Make Halloween Onigiri Rice Balls: Learn how to make onigiri rice balls that look like Jack o’lanterns with the help of a YouTube pro. (via BraLadyJapan)
Which of these spooktacular snacks would you try first? Dish in the comments below!
