Food Scene: Tricks for getting kids to eat before the Halloween treats

Halloween is almost here, and those with children young enough to trick or treat are again faced with the dilemma of how to get them to eat something healthy before they head out in search of candy.
Theories abound; experienced moms and dads know they should eat something – anything — so they don’t get hungry and start devouring their candy while moving between houses. How much and what they should eat varies according to the parents and child.
My experience is that the best way to tempt an excited child is to give them something they love to eat. That could be mac and cheese, tacos, apples with peanut butter, grilled cheese with or without tomato soup, or fast-food burgers and chicken nuggets. It is a special day after all.
If you are still undecided about what kind of candy to give out, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups and Peanut M&Ms remain the undisputed champions according to data from Instacart. Candy corn remains firmly in eighth place.
If you choose to give out candy, you will be in good company. According to the National Confectioners’ Association, 93 percent of Americans will be giving candy to the ghosts, goblins, and witches who show up at their front doors.
Farm market season
The calendar pages show we are coming near the end of the outdoor farm market season in New Jersey, but for now, we can continue to enjoy the Princeton Farmers Market on Thursdays.
Tomorrow and all Thursdays through Nov. 21, the market is open from 10 a.m. through 3 p.m. at Hinds Plaza in Princeton.
Autumn produce continues to dominate the market, with plenty of apples and vegetables available. The market also features a variety of prepared foods including cheeses, baked goods, empanadas, Indian food, and Mediterranean-style bureks.
If you can’t make it to the market on Thursday, you can always travel to the Trenton Farmers Market in Lawrence, which is open on weekends. Or visit the West Windsor Farmers Market, which continues its outdoor market from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays through Nov. 23 at Princeton Junction Station. Those markets have the same autumn produce plus their own food vendors. The Hopewell Farmers Market in Hopewell will hold its Thanksgiving closing market from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 24.
Enhancing pumpkin
While some people like their pumpkin combined with coffee for a latte flavor, I prefer pumpkin with chocolate.
Chocolate drizzle, frosting, or chocolate chips — it doesn’t matter. When pumpkin season rolls around, I love the combination of pumpkin and its warm spices with chocolate. This recipe from kingarthurbaking.com makes sure you get plenty of pumpkin flavor and as much chocolate as you want.
The Most Pumpkin Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread
One 15-ounce can of pumpkin purée
1 cup granulated sugar, divided
1 ¼ teaspoons cinnamon
1 ¼ teaspoons ginger
A pinch of turmeric, optional, for color
1 ¾ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon table salt
3 large eggs, at room temperature
½ cup vegetable oil
½ to ¾ cup chocolate chips*
1 tablespoon coarse sparkling sugar or turbinado sugar
*Use a higher amount of chips for a more prominent chocolate flavor.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- In a wide skillet or saucepan, combine the pumpkin, ¼ cup of the sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and turmeric. Set over medium-high heat and cook, stirring frequently, until the pumpkin is darker in color and dry enough that it starts to stick to the pan, 12 to 15 minutes. Stir with more frequency towards the end of the cooking time and lower the heat as needed to prevent scorching. Transfer to a bowl or liquid measuring cup to cool slightly; you should have about 1 ¼ cups of the pumpkin mixture.
- Lightly grease an 8 ½ x 4 ½ -inch or 9 x 5-inch loaf pan and line with a parchment sling.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to combine.
- In a large bowl, vigorously whisk the eggs with the remaining ¾ cup sugar until the mixture is thick, pale, and voluminous, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Gradually whisk in the oil and keep stirring until it’s shiny and emulsified, then add the pumpkin mixture and whisk to incorporate. Add the flour mixture and whisk until combined. Add the chocolate chips and stir to combine.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top into an even layer. Sprinkle evenly with sparkling or raw sugar.
- Bake the pumpkin chocolate chip bread for 50 to 60 minutes, until a toothpick or paring knife inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean and a digital thermometer reads at least 200 degrees.
- Remove the bread from the oven and transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool slightly. When cool enough to handle, use the parchment to lift the bread out of the pan and let it cool completely on the rack.
- Storage information: Store leftover pumpkin chocolate chip bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. Freeze for longer storage.