Boo-nana Pops, Apple Smiles and tangerines dressed up to resemble pumpkins all provide Halloween flair to a snack table at a party or a lunchbox at school.

The point of Halloween is not to induce a sugar coma in every kid in sight — so if you’re looking to hand out just a little nutrition to counteract the sweetness, make some tasty foods that still evoke a haunting spirit of fun. These treats are perfect for a pre-trick-or-treat outing or for a goblin get together after the haul.

If you’re short on time, trade the “from scratch” versions and let some prepared foods get your little ghosts on their way (and you out of the kitchen) quicker.

On-the-go grub

For ghouls and goblins on the go, consider these haunting things to tuck into their lunchboxes around Halloween.

1. Purchase fruit cups with mandarin oranges, peaches or even orange gelatin cups. Use a permanent black marker to draw a jack-o-lantern face on the lid.

2. Peel a small orange, tangerine or tangelo, leaving the segments intact. Insert a small piece of celery in the top center so it looks like a miniature pumpkin with a stem.

3. To make witches’ broomsticks, purchase long stick pretzels, slice some white cheese into “fringe” and roll it around the end of the pretzel stick. Tie it in place with a slice of green onion.

Jack-o-what?

This time of year, many foods are simple to alter with a Halloween touch. Think about cutting a face into a slice of toast and layering it over another slice covered with red jam or jelly to ooze out the openings when the slices are pressed together.

An ordinary burger becomes much more fun with a cheese topper that’s been “carved” into a jack-o-lantern face.

A simple quesadilla takes on an element of Halloween surprise when a cheese-topped tortilla is topped yet again with another tortilla with a cut-out pumpkin face. The contrasting cheese peeking through the facial features adds a bit of fun.

Don’t forget about ghost pancakes — simply dribble the batter into a ghostly shape and add blueberries or chocolate chips for eyes. Serve them on a base of red raspberry syrup with sausage “fingers.”

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