How to Throw the Ultimate Halloween Party

How to Throw the Ultimate Halloween Party

When the houses start getting covered in spiderwebs and pumpkins and the stores are cluttered with candy and cauldrons, Halloween has arrived! Halloween is a time for playfulness, costumes and delicious autumn-inspired treats. If youre hosting a gathering of your own this year and are wondering exactly how to throw a Halloween party, youve come to the right spot! The Bobs Red Mill team has thrown a few of our own over the years and were experts on all the best frighteningly festive details. Whether youre hosting a costume party on Halloween night or a Halloween craft day the weekend before, here are some of our favorite tips for planning a Halloween party. The best part is that once you get going, youll be a party planning pro in no time. From decor to invites, all it takes is some simple tricks to throw the years most incredible monster bash.

Invites

The ultimate party starts with the ultimate invitation! Let your invitation represent what guests can expect from your party. If its an adults-only party, perhaps spooky cocktails will be served. If its a gathering geared for the littlest ghouls, maybe its an afternoon of crafts and cookie decorating. Make sure to note if theres a costume contest, so guests can feel encouraged to pick their best attire. Note the location, the time, the date and whether or not your guests can bring anything, like a dessert or appetizer. Not only will super invites get your guests feeling excited, but it will alleviate some of the stress that can come along with hosting a Halloween party.

Decor

How to Throw the Ultimate Halloween Party | Bob's Red Mill Blog If youre wondering how to throw a Halloween party, one of the best ways to prep ahead of time is to begin with the decor. Decor can be simple, like black and orange paper chains and white paper ghosts you make with your kids. It can also be more elaborate, like a haunted house garage with spider webs all over and tons of spooky touches. Set aside some time the week before your big party to fine-tune your decorations. Enlist the help of friends and family to make it a fun affair. Better yet, whip up a big batch of chili or crockpot soup, test out your party playlist and spend an evening getting the house covered in ghosts and ghouls!

Party Themes

Of course, the theme of most Halloween parties is Halloween! But if you want to go the extra mile when throwing a Halloween party, give your party a unique and creative theme. If youre a fan of all things pumpkin, go for a Charlie Brown-inspired party. Serve pumpkin ravioli, pumpkin pie and a special pumpkin punch. Maybe youre drawn toward something much more frightening than that, like a scary movie party, where guests are encouraged to dress up as characters from their favorite scary movies. Choosing a specific theme, rather than doing a general Halloween party, is especially fun if youre planning to make your party an annual tradition.

Games

How to Throw the Ultimate Halloween Party | Bob's Red Mill Blog No party is complete without a game or two, especially during the Halloween season. Depending on what sort of theme you go with, you can keep your games simple or more complex. If youre throwing a party for both kids and adults, games are a good way to keep the little ones occupied. Set up a place to bob for apples, or play a Halloween-inspired game of bingo or Halloween trivia. You can also set up a craft station, where guests can make cards, construction paper pumpkins and more.

Playlist

One of the unsung rules about hosting a Halloween party is that you absolutely must have a killer playlist. You can find a Halloween playlist on Pandora or Spotify, or spend some time hunting for Halloween vinyl at the local record shops. If its in your party budget, hire a DJ to play only the spookiest of tunes. Whether youre playing your tunes from a playlist or hiring a DJ, music serves to set the mood. As soon as your guests step foot in the door, make sure the music is cranked and the Halloween vibe has been created. Keep in mind that Monster Mash is always a fan favorite.

Halloween Recipes

After youve fine-tuned the details of things like playlists, decor and a theme, start to plan a menu. If youre short for time and dont quite have it in you to do all the cooking, Halloween potlucks are always fun! You can never go wrong with ordering pizza from the local pizza joint, either. But if you truly want to make a splash when youre throwing a Halloween party, create a homemade menu that has appetizers, entrees and desserts. Here are a handful of our favorite Halloween recipes.

Caramel Apple Bars

Our Caramel Apple Bars are perfect for a Halloween potluck or after dinner treat. These bars combine an oaty crumble with sweet caramel and sweet-tart apples for the best combination of all flavors. The homemade caramel sauce makes this dessert truly shine. The best part is that all you need to create it is butter, brown sugar, cream and vanilla extract. Let your mixture simmer until thickened, then let cool and enjoy! With a cake base, apple filling and crumble topping, these bars will quickly become a Halloween favorite.

Gluten Free Caramel Apple Hand Pies

If youre looking for a gluten free friendly version of a tasty apple treat, these Gluten Free Caramel Apple Hand Pies are divine. A buttery and flaky hazelnut pie dough combines with a creamy caramel apple filling for a dessert thats perfect when throwing a Halloween party. Baking tip: make sure to freeze your butter before you get started. This will help distribute it evenly and will make the final product absolutely delicious. This recipe makes 9-10 hand pies, so its ideal for a small and special Halloween gathering with friends or family.

Alegria

If youd like to bring some festive tradition to your Halloween party, consider making Alegria. In Mexico, this sweet treat means happiness and is made to celebrate Day of the Dead. It can be found on our bags of Organic Whole Grain Amaranth and is made with just three other ingredients:Pumpkin Seeds, Sugar and Blackstrap Molasses. Having these bars on hand is good when youre hosting a daytime Halloween party. Theyll offset all the sugar and fuel your guests with something wholesome before they dive into the candy bowl.

Pan de Muerto

Pan de Muerto is also traditionally eaten in Mexico for Dia de los Muertos on November 1st. Its an anise-flavored sweet bread that can be shaped as desired and served once cooled. Having a couple of these fun shaped loaves on the table will encourage your guests to ask questions and is a good conversation starter. If youd like, you can print out some reading material or look for a cookbook to display that features this recipe with a write-up.

Pumpkin Cake Balls

If you usually make a cake for your parties, try Pumpkin Cake Balls as a fun alternative. Theyre made with a mix of our Gluten Free Vanilla Yellow Cake Mix, eggs, oil, pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice. With a frosting of cream cheese and chocolate chips, guests will be in Halloween treat heaven. These little bites are easy to throw together and easy to eat. Plus, theyre entirely festive and delicious!

13 Bean Chili

How to Throw the Ultimate Halloween Party | Bob's Red Mill Blog We love the tradition of chili on Halloween. Its easy to make for a big group and always tastes good as the days are getting shorter and colder. When guests enter the front door, theyll be happy with the scent of comfort that greets them. This recipe for 13 Bean Chili can be found on our bags of 13 Bean Soup Mix. Once you combine the mix with ground beef, onion, garlic, tomato sauce and spices, its the perfect entree for your Halloween party!

Gluten Free Butternut Squash Ravioli

If youre throwing a Halloween party and looking to take things to the next level, these Gluten Free Butternut Squash Ravioli from Simply Quinoa are the way to go! Alyssa uses our Bobs Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Flour to create her seasonal masterpiece, and the end result is decadent and delightful. Spend some time making this dish to truly wow your guests. What are some of your favorite things to check off the list when youre throwing a Halloween party? Any go-to recipes, decor ideas or must-have songs for the spookiest of Halloween playlists? Feel free to share your most festive ideas with us in the comments below. At Bobs Red Mill, we love celebrating Halloween and everything that comes along with it. From creative invites to pumpkin-inspired treats, we cant wait to hear what tricks you have up your costume sleeve for hosting a Halloween party. From all of us at Bobs Red Mill, wishing you a happy and healthy Halloween ahead. Dont be afraid to indulge in a bit of candy and some sweet treats. After all, it is one of the sweetest seasons of all.
Bob's Red Mill
October 23 2019

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