This Halloween, Lady Freethinker reminds you to put compassion first and host a cruelty-free holiday party — or keep trick-or-treaters happy — with animal-friendly treats!
If you plan to buy candy for trick-or-treaters, be warned: There is something scary lurking in most candy mixes you’ll find for sale. Many candy bags include sweets with gelatin – made from the bones, skin, and tissues of animals – or other animal-based ingredients like milk. To have an animal-friendly holiday, it’s always a good idea to read ingredient labels.
Fortunately, some candy companies have started offering compassionate options – like Reese’s and Hershey’s “plant-based” lines. YumEarth has a fantastic cruelty-free Halloween mix ready to go for trick-or-treaters. Katjes, VegoBears, UnReal, Justin’s, and others also make incredible plant-based gummies and chocolates.
If you prefer to bake or cook something autumn-inspired, keep reading for some animal-friendly ideas!
Pumpkin Cookies
Pumpkin is a great egg replacement! Add some dairy-free chocolate chips to a pumpkin cookie and you have a delicious autumn treat. Try this recipe from the Banana Diaries.
Pumpkin Spice Bread
Another fun way to use pumpkin in baking is a classic pumpkin spice cake! Try this one from Rainbow Plant Life or consider Abe’s plant-based pumpkin pound cake or brownies.
Baked Apple and Oat Dessert
Apples, cinnamon, and oats make for a perfect seasonal sweet treat! Apples (or applesauce in some cases) work as a binder in baking. Try an apple crisp or crumble with a dairy-free coconut topping — like So Delicious Cocowhip or a plant-based vanilla ice cream!
Cinnamon Rolls
Cinnamon rolls don’t have to take all day — and they don’t have to require animal products! You can search for vegan cinnamon roll recipes online, like this one from Minimalist Baker. For a quick option, Annie’s has plant-based cinnamon rolls.
Pizza
For a savory and spooky entree, flatbreads or pizzas are perfect! You can prep pizza dough yourself if you want to make it from scratch, find or make your own pizza sauce, and use a nut-based “mozzarella” from Miyoko’s Creamery. Pour the “mozzarella” in a pattern to make a spiderweb, mummy, or ghost. You can use veggies for eyes or spiders. Primal Kitchen also has a great non-dairy white pizza sauce.
Fruit Salad
If you want to bring something unique to a party, this Bionico Mexican Fruit Salad from chef Dora Ramirez has a cute color palette reminiscent of candy corn! Dora’s Table also has fantastic savory plant-based recipes — like enchiladas and tacos — if you are hosting and need to feed several guests.
Drinks
For drinks, hot apple cider is a classic autumn flavor. You can also serve plant-based green smoothies in themed glassware for a cute and quick “witch’s brew” or a Frankenstein-inspired beverage.
Treats for Furry Friends
If you are hosting or attending a Halloween party where there will be dogs, consider making pumpkin dog treats so that pups can join the party!
Making a compassionate choice to serve plant-based treats at events is a great way to ensure that your spooky celebrations aren’t scary for animals. With animals suffering in factory farms across the United States – including baby cows mistreated in the dairy industry and chickens killed in the egg industry – your choice to leave animal products off your menu sends a message that animal welfare matters. It also shows others how fun and easy it is to eat plant-based!
