Decorate oranges, bananas and carrots for healthier treats

From a parent’s point of view, Halloween’s scares have more to do with sugar-loaded little goblins and bad dentist visits than any encounter with a ghost or ghoul.

So give yourself a break and offer your kids healthy Halloween treats that really are parent-friendly — no carving, piped frosting or stencils required.

And all the ingredients can easily be found at grocery stores.

» For a "citrusy" pumpkin snack, peel a clementine, tangerine or small orange. Cut celery or green grapes into tiny stems and stick them at the center of the orange.

» Ghostly bananas: Cut a banana in half. Poke in miniature chocolate chips to create eyes and a regular-size chip for the mouth, or use other candies or nuts.

» Make crunchy eyeballs: Slice a carrot into inch-high rounds. Top with a small dollop of cream cheese and add an olive cut in half.