Avoid the Halloween Dinnertime Chaos with These Tips

This post is sponsored by Red Baron but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.

Halloween chaos. It’s totally a thing. Ever since my son was a year old and we could really start carting him around dressed as cute animals or superheroes, we’ve spent Halloween evenings rushing to daycare, then hurrying home to get dressed, quickly eating whatever we could find, and even speeding back across town to attend a fall festival. That, my friends, is Halloween chaos. Actually, it’s more like Halloween dinnertime chaos. And I’m hoping you can avoid this with a few tips.

We almost always eat dinner as a family. Some nights are more rushed than others, but we make a point to plan out our meals a week in advance, and prefer to factor in the crazy nights. Between school and outside activities – and then throw in a fun holiday – we still make it a priority to sit down and eat. Halloween is no different. We just might be eating something quick – like a Red Baron pizza – before we head out. 

Even when it isn’t Halloween, I usually have one or two Red Baron pizzas on hand. We eat pizza often on Fridays because after a long week of work and school, we need something that’s easy, yet still so, so good for dinner! And in case you’re new around here, my son has opinions about pizza toppings. He only likes pepperoni (he doesn’t even love plain cheese pizza.) While my daughter isn’t always into pepperoni, it’s easy to slide the pepperoni slices over so everyone is happy.

Now, onto Halloween and the fun that evening can bring. 

First up, make sure costumes are laid out and ready for action the night before your festivities. (Not all of us are going out on Halloween night. Some of you may be attending something the weekend before.) All accessories, makeup, shoes, coats – have it all ready and laid out. Last year, we dressed up as a family – a Star Wars theme! My costume was not a traditional costume and required leggings and an apron, plus Mickey ears (I mean, what??) My husband and son had accessories as they were Han Solo and a Storm Trooper. And my daughter was Yoda – while she didn’t require accessories, she made the cutest little Yoda ever.

Schedule your day so you’re able to leave work a few minutes early. Even 15 minutes makes a difference. My son’s after school program (and the preschool in the same building) close early so they can prepare for a fall festival. I have to pick him up a little earlier than normal, which helps me as a parent, in a way. I can at least get home earlier than I normally would and begin getting everyone ready.

Be prepared with dinner. Red Baron pizza is the perfect option for busy nights! My kids don’t normally argue with me when I’m offering pizza for dinner. In less than 24 minutes (more like 17 minutes for me), I have a delicious meal on the table. I know that I can fill everyone up on pizza before they have a chance to consume candy. 

And no mom wants a hungry Storm Trooper on her hands. Trust me on this. 

Find Red Baron pizza at a store near you! And share your Halloween stories with me. We had one year when my son had a growth spurt between getting his costume and Halloween night. The costume totally didn’t fit, but we went with it (and I have to laugh about it now.)