Halloween is that time of year when the lollies and chocolate are flowing freely. Last year we showed how the kids can make a gluten free Halloween pumpkin cake from cupcakes. It was a popular post, but this time around we wanted to make it even simpler.

Enter the Mac O’ Lantern.

That’s right. We’ve gone for a savoury-themed food project which cuts back on the sugar. These gluten free Mac O’ Lanterns are a fun kids’ recipe that anyone can whip up.

We used our Cheesy Mac as the filling, but there’s nothing stopping you from making your own macaroni cheese. Our Mac will be appealing to those on a gluten-free or plant-based diet. If you want a quick, easy way to make the filling then packet mixes are good for this too.

If the kids don’t like capsicum then choose another vegetable that works. Some good options are tomato, eggplant, or zucchini. You could also hollow out a marrow and create one large Mac O’ Lantern to share.

The steps

This is the easy bit.

1. Slice the top off capsicums that have been washed and dried.
2. Remove the white stuff inside and discard.
3. Use a sharp knife to cut out the eyes, nose, and mouth.
4. Make the Cheesy Mac according to the pack instructions.
5. Spoon Mac into the capsicums and serve.

Try to find the smallest capsicums possible. Most kids will struggle to eat an entire large capsicum.