5 Easy Ways to Make Halloween Night More Magical This Year

It’s October, and that means one thing for many neighborhoods: the race is on to claim bragging rights for “best house on the block” come trick-or-treat night. Whether your goal is to dazzle trick-or-treaters, host a monster-mash after-party, or avoid the dreaded candy shortage, Kroger just dropped a ghostly guide to give your Halloween hosting game a serious upgrade.

1. Buy Enough Candy

The foundation of Halloween? Candy, of course. But quantity matters almost as much as quality. Kroger recommends handing out one to three fun-sized pieces per visitor and stocking around 300 pieces for a medium-sized neighborhood (up to 100 kids). They also advise not to “ghost” your trick-or-treaters by running out!

2. Offer a Variety of Treats

Go beyond the classics to really stand out on your. block. Trick-or-treaters are gravitating toward chewy and sour candies, such as Nerds Spooky Gummy Clusters, Sour Patch Kids Monster Heads, and Skittles Shriekers. Kroger is also promoting exclusive seasonal items like Candy Franken Corn.

You can even include new seasonal candies like Reese’s Pumpkins, Snickers Green Bars, Honey Roasted Peanut M&M’s, Kit Kat Counts, and Twizzlers Ghosts, and your candy spread will be the talk of the block.

3. Think Beyond Candy

Not every trick-or-treater is after candy. Offering fresh or savory alternatives has become a fun way to stand out on the block while keeping things inclusive. Think individually packaged apple slices, bananas, or snack-sized bags of pretzels or popcorn.

Parents and kids are increasingly cautious about accepting homemade or unsealed treats. Instead, consider handing out store-packaged snacks or displaying the unpeeled fruit in a clean, easy-to-grab basket. You can even get creative with Halloween-themed labels or stickers to make these healthier options feel just as festive as candy. Not only do these treats give kids a break from the sugar rush.

4. Make Spooky Dinner Plans

Halloween night is typically peak pizza night. A fun Halloween activity that's constantly creeping into everyone's kitchens is making your own ghost-shaped pizzas. Families are turning dinner into an activity by using pizza dough or premade crusts to mold fun, spooky shapes, like ghosts, pumpkins, and bats, before topping them with sauce, cheese, and all their favorite fixings.

Set up a mini pizza-making station with bowls of shredded mozzarella, pepperoni, sliced olives, and Kroger’s store-brand pizza sauce. Encourage family and friends to get creative with mummy designs, using olive “eyes,” pepperoni “mouths,” or shredded cheese “bandages.” As pizzas bake, you can hand out candy at the door while the kitchen fills with warm, toasty aromas.

5. Throw the Ultimate After-Party

Because this year Halloween falls on a Friday, it’s the perfect excuse to extend the celebration beyond just trick-or-treating. While the little ghouls are making their rounds, you can be prepping snacks and drinks for an adult-friendly after-party. Think spooky cocktails and mocktails, or a boo‑cuterie board layered with cheese, fruit, candy, and charcuterie for a festive and easy-to-assemble centerpiece.

For a more relaxed vibe, consider keeping things simple with tasty finger foods and letting everyone settle in for a Halloween movie marathon once the kids return home. Classic favorites like Hocus Pocus, The Nightmare Before Christmas, or even a classic horror flick like Halloween can create a cozy, fun wind-down to the evening.