Creative food craft ideas
With so many ideas for turning a kid’s lunch or dinner into something way more interesting than a boring hot dog on a bun or a sandwich, I should really pick up my game in the kitchen for my kid. Make a hot dog-turned snail HERE, a snake burrito HERE at Kitchen Fun with My 3 Sons, sandwich kebabs at Super Healthy Kids, and a cupcake sandwich HERE at Creative Food.
There’s something about a marshmallow with a tiny ghost face that makes me ridiculously happy. Two eyes, one surprised mouth, and suddenly an ordinary packet of marshmallows becomes a whole gathering of little Halloween characters.
These ghost s’mores favour bags combine decorated marshmallows, chocolate and graham crackers in a clear gift bag, finished with ribbon and a cheerful tag. They’re little make-at-home dessert kits, ready for the recipient to unpack and turn into warm, gooey s’mores.
I love this idea for Halloween parties, grandchildren, sleepovers or a small October surprise for a neighbour. You don’t need to bake anything while assembling the gifts, and the decorating is simple enough to do with the children.
The supplied inspiration image is credited to christinebritton.com. This version uses ordinary white marshmallows decorated with edible markers, with the ingredients packaged separately inside the outer bag to help keep everything fresh and tidy.
Best of all, your ghosts don’t need matching expressions. One can look startled, another can look mildly concerned, and the third can look as though somebody has already eaten its chocolate.
Free Printable Gift Tag – ghost-smores-favour-labels-a4
For each favour bag, making approximately three small s’mores:
Skill level: Beginner
Assembly time: Approximately 10 minutes per bag, plus time for the edible ink to dry
Yield: One gift bag containing three small s’mores
For Australian readers, plain sweet biscuits are a practical alternative if graham crackers aren’t available. Choose biscuits that are sturdy enough to sandwich around the filling.
Adjust the chocolate and marshmallow sizes to suit your biscuits. Oversized marshmallows can overwhelm a small cracker.
Wash your hands and arrange the ingredients on a clean, dry surface.
Keep the ribbon, scissors and paper supplies in a separate area while handling the food. Prepare your tags first if you’re working in a small space.
Check that all bags are labelled as suitable for food contact. Decorative craft bags aren’t necessarily intended to hold unwrapped ingredients.
Choose the smoothest side of each marshmallow.
Using your black edible marker, draw two small oval eyes and a slightly larger oval mouth beneath them.
Use a light touch. Pressing too hard can drag the surface or leave more colour than you intended.
Test one marshmallow first, since edible markers vary in how well they work on the powdery surface. Use a product specifically recommended for marshmallows, and avoid ordinary pens or craft markers.
Set the decorated marshmallows aside until the ink is dry and no longer transfers when handled gently.
If your marshmallows are squat rather than tall, keep the face small. There’s no need to trim them into shapes.
Count six cracker squares or biscuits for each kit.
Stack them neatly and place them inside a small food-safe bag. Close it securely without crushing the crackers.
Keeping them separate from the marshmallows helps protect their crisp texture. It also makes the kit easier to unpack.
Choose an outer favour bag wide enough to fit the cracker stack comfortably. Squeezing it into a narrow bag is a reliable way to create a gift of biscuit crumbs.
Place three appropriately sized chocolate pieces in a separate small food-safe bag or wrapper.
Arrange them in a flat layer if you’d like the chocolate to remain visible through the outer packaging.
Individually wrapped chocolate portions are another option. Keep them in their original wrappers and choose pieces that fit the crackers.
Place the three decorated marshmallows in a small clear food-safe bag.
Arrange their faces towards the front and close the bag above them. Handle them gently to avoid smudging the features.
The marshmallows can still look like a little ghost family through their separate wrapper.
Place the packaged crackers at the bottom of the outer bag.
Add the chocolate in front of or above them, then position the marshmallow ghosts at the top with their faces visible.
The exact arrangement will depend on your bag and ingredient sizes. Aim for a tidy kit that can be moved without everything tumbling out of position.
Gather the top and close it with a suitable bag tie. Tie your decorative ribbon over the closure.
Cut a tag from cardstock, punch a hole near the top and thread it onto the ribbon.
Try this message on the front:
“A little BOO
and s’more for you!”
Other simple options include:
Write the warming instructions on the back or attach a second small card.
If you enjoy paper crafting, our stamped Halloween treat bag toppers offer another way to dress up Halloween food gifts with patterned paper and stamped greetings.
You can copy this wording onto your instruction card:
Make Your Ghost S’mores
Adult supervision required. Never heat the gift bag or packaging.
Microwave power and ingredient sizes vary, so don’t promise one exact cooking time. The marshmallow only needs to soften, and it can expand quickly.
The ghosts will lose their neat faces as they melt. That’s part of turning them into s’mores.
Prepare all the tags first. It saves switching between handling food and working with craft supplies.
Decorate a few extra marshmallows. Keep the best-looking ones for gifts and use the practice ghosts for your own s’mores.
Keep the filling modest. Three s’mores make a lovely small gift.
Use coordinating ribbon. Black ribbon with orange dots looks particularly cheerful against the white ghosts.
Transport the bags upright. A shallow box or tray helps protect the crackers.
For another Halloween treat idea, our skeleton bones favour bags feature chocolate-covered pretzels and themed packaging.
Make these close to the day you plan to give them. Store the sealed kits in a cool, dry place away from sunlight and heat.
Use fresh ingredients and follow their original storage instructions and best-before dates. Once foods have been opened and repackaged, don’t assume the kit will keep as long as the unopened packets.
Include ingredient and allergen information with each gift. Depending on the products chosen, crackers may contain wheat, chocolate may contain milk or soy, and marshmallows may contain gelatine.
If making gifts for a school or organised group, check their food and allergy requirements first.
These ghost s’mores bags are wonderfully simple, but the marshmallow faces give them plenty of personality. A few everyday ingredients become a little activity and a treat all wrapped together.
Make them for a Halloween film night, leave one with a handwritten note for a friend, or let the grandchildren help decorate the ghosts before assembling the bags.
You don’t need elaborate packaging or perfect lettering. A clear bag, a bright bow and three surprised little marshmallows do most of the work.
And do keep enough ingredients for your own s’more. It would be a shame to spend the afternoon making ghosts without finding out how deliciously they melt.
