If you’re like us, as soon as there’s even a hint of fall in the air, you’re getting ready for Halloween. Though it’s technically a one-night only event, we’re all about finding ways to celebrate it as often as we can. That means as many costume parties, pumpkin carving contests, classroom parades, and murder mystery dinner parties as we can get ourselves invited to. Don’t make the mistake of showing up empty-handed! You might think Halloween is all about the costumes, but it's just as fun to show your scary, zany, creative side through food too. You’ll find everything from apps to drinks to dinners here, perfect whether you’re the type to go all out for Halloween or are more of a last-minute costume kind of person. Check out our 48 Halloween potluck ideas—they’re “scary” good!
No matter the occasion, there are a few things to consider when preparing food for a potluck. The best ones have a wide variety of food, so there’s really something for everyone to bring. You could just pick up ice or cups, but where’s the fun in that? If you’re looking for something crazy simple to bring, go for simple drinks, apps, or dessert with a little something extra. Big batch cocktails are the easiest, since you can mix them up at home or at the party without too much effort. Check out our Frankenpunch, our spiked pumpkin pie punch, or our harvest punch for ideas. (Hot tip: You can give any fall cocktail a spooky name to make it perfect for Halloween.) You can also dress up easy (even store-bought!) desserts with cobwebs, eyeballs, or candy to make them perfect for any Halloween party. Try our monster truffles, our ghost s’mores dip, our vampire cookies, or our pumpkin patch brownies to see how easy it is. Want a simple appetizer? We’ve got a ton that repurpose recipes and ingredients you might already know and have into adorably frightening apps that come together fast. Check out our pumpkin deviled eggs, our cheesy witch brooms, our spider web black bean dip, or our ghost pizza bagels—they’re perfect for kids (and adults that want to act like them for Halloween!).
Looking for something more involved to really wow your crowd, or attending more of a sit-down, fancier Halloween party? Try a main dish inspired by seasonal produce like squash, pumpkins, or sweet potatoes. You could go for something made in the very potluck-friendly casserole dish, like our pumpkin lasagna, our butternut squash casserole, or our Jack-o-lantern stuffed peppers. Always accidentally leaving your dishes behind? Try serving your fare inside a squash, like in our stuffing stuffed pumpkins or our stuffed acorn squash. Macaroni & cheese is another potluck classic, and for Halloween we love making it with a twist, like in our pumpkin bacon mac & cheese or our hard cider mac & cheese. Soup is also always a favorite—we featured our butternut squash and pumpkin soup here, but any seasonal fall soup will be a Halloween potluck winner.
Want more Halloween inspiration? Check out our favorite Halloween breakfasts, dinners, and desserts too.
