A Vegan Halloween: Give Me Something Good To Eat

Just yesterday, the day before World Vegan Day, I put out Halloween treats outside my creative studio in Sparkill, NY, a tiny and charming hamlet just 15 minutes from New York City and a million miles away.

It had been great fun creating an autumn window display, and with the gallery tricked out in orange and light, I found a skeleton and scarecrow to hand out treats in bowls on the antique bench. I’ve been working with a wonderful artist on arts programs for local kids and wanted to treat them to healthy treats – and was shocked to find how few stores in our neighborhood carried healthy snacks.

I ordered online and made it work, but it got me to thinking about how influential children are in making positive change, and how will the next generation drive the future of food as they turn away from animal and dairy even before their parents do as they become enlightened about the future of our planet which is also impacted by irresponsible ranching and dairy farming, not to mention the harm many preservatives can do.

As a continuously curious creative, I checked into this idea of Halloween Veganism, and was delighted to find hundreds of recipes for plant-based, vegan homemade treats, which one Pinterest page has kindly curated.

Vegan Halloween has nearly 28,000 followers and so many fun and frightening treats.

Next year, I’m heading into my test kitchen to try some out, and I think I’ll host a V-Halloween party with these new ideas and insights.

In the meantime, for us to scale access to healthy, vegan snacks, we rely on the food industry to develop snacks parents and kids will love.

Here’s what I was able to find:

I’m thrilled to join the In The Garden team, and next year I’ll share the evolution of trick-or-treat as I continue my journey as a “flexitarian” and bring readers vegan restaurant reviews, high and low, from New York City and surroundings.

I’ll be taking friends to the best vegan restaurants, from Le Botaniste and Urban Vegan Kitchen, to the most popular chain restaurants including Dominos and Chipotle, to get a taste for what is really happening.

I’ll also be sitting down with top chefs to learn how they are integrating vegan options in their menus.

If you know of a place within a 30-mile radius of Manhattan, let me know and I’ll visit and come back with my experience.

Who knows – a year from now I may evolve from a flexitarian to a vegetarian to a vegan. I am committed to health and wellness and can only imagine the benefits of a high protein, plant-based vegan diet for me, and the benefits for the entire world when we are able to bring healthy alternatives to millions. Including the Little Monsters!

Catie