Planning a Halloween party: snacks, drinks and a checklist

Halloween falls on a Saturday, 31 October 2026 – a great evening for a party. This checklist will help you with Halloween party snacks, alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, decorations featuring candles, and getting home safely. Each point is based on recommendations from specialist organisations – from the Federal Centre for Nutrition to the German Fire Service Association.

Snacks: Pumpkin – yes, but done properly

Pumpkins are a Halloween staple. But when it comes to eating them, there’s one rule:

• Only eat edible pumpkins. Edible pumpkins available in shops do not usually contain any bitter substances; ornamental pumpkins, on the other hand, often contain high levels of these – they must never be eaten.
• Taste it raw first. Before cooking, try a small, fresh piece raw. If it tastes bitter, spit it out straight away and throw the pumpkin away.
• Cooking doesn’t help. Boiling, frying, preserving or baking does not destroy the toxic bitter compounds, the cucurbitacins.
• Be careful with pumpkins from your own garden. If edible and ornamental pumpkins cross-pollinate, the seeds may produce bitter offspring. Hokkaido and butternut pumpkins are considered less prone to such cross-pollination.

Snacks: Keep the buffet cool

• Chopped vegetable salads and chopped fruit, particularly pieces of melon, should be kept in the fridge.
• If perishable food is served at parties over a prolonged period, it must be kept sufficiently chilled.
• Set the fridge to a maximum of +7 °C, or preferably below +5 °C.
• Cool leftovers to below +7 °C within a few hours – spread large quantities out onto flat trays for this – and eat them within two to three days.

Non-alcoholic drinks

Not everyone wants to drink; some people are driving. Four non-alcoholic drinks from our mocktail menu, along with their recipes, can be found under ‘Alcohol-free Halloween drinks’:

Chill our cans to 4 °C beforehand; pour carbonated varieties into the glass just before serving. More ideas: mocktails.

Decorations: Setting out candles safely

Candles in pumpkins look lovely – the German Fire Services Association has set out clear rules for candles, which also apply at Halloween:

• Never leave candles burning unattended; do not leave children or pets alone near an open flame. Carelessness is the number one cause of fires.
• Always place candles in a stable, non-flammable holder and keep them away from flammable objects such as curtains.
• Keep matches and lighters out of children’s reach and, if using real candles, have a fire-extinguishing agent to hand, such as a bucket of water or a fire extinguisher.
• Electric candles should bear a quality mark certifying compliance with VDE regulations; do not overload sockets.
• Smoke alarms sound the alarm in good time if a fire spreads unnoticed.

The journey home: who’s driving?

• Anyone who drives a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol level of 0.5 per mille or more is committing an administrative offence.
• During the probationary period and before your 21st birthday, there is a ban on drinking and driving: anyone who drinks alcohol or drives whilst under the influence during this time is committing an administrative offence.
• Decide in advance who’s driving – and make sure to have some good non-alcoholic drinks ready for that person. According to our mix analysis, Bitter Zero is ‘the aperitif for the driver’.

The checklist to tick off

• The date has been set: Saturday 31 October 2026
• I only bought edible pumpkins, having tasted them raw first
• Fridge set to a maximum of +7 °C; salads and fruit kept chilled
• Non-alcoholic drinks have been arranged; cans have been pre-chilled to 4 °C
• Candles in stable, non-flammable holders; fire-extinguishing equipment to hand
• Getting home sorted: whoever’s driving doesn’t drink alcohol

Frequently Asked Questions

Sources

1. Federal Centre for Nutrition (BZfE): Do not eat bitter pumpkins and courgettes, accessed 16 September 2026. bzfe.de
2. Federal Centre for Nutrition (BZfE): Pumpkins: Health and the Environment, accessed 16 September 2026. bzfe.de
3. Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR): Correct refrigeration of food in the home, accessed 16 September 2026. bfr.bund.de
4. German Fire Service Association (DFV): Ten tips from the German Fire Service Association for a safe Christmas, accessed 16 September 2026. feuerwehrverband.de
5. Federal Ministry of Justice: Youth Protection Act (JuSchG), Section 9: Alcoholic Beverages, accessed 16 September 2026. gesetze-im-internet.de
6. Federal Ministry of Justice: Road Traffic Act (StVG), Section 24a: 0.5 per mille limit, accessed 16 September 2026. gesetze-im-internet.de
7. Federal Ministry of Justice: Road Traffic Act (StVG), Section 24c: Alcohol ban for new drivers, accessed 16 September 2026. gesetze-im-internet.de
8. Alcohol? Know your limit. (BIÖG): An alcohol-free October – tips, accessed 16 September 2026. kenn-dein-limit.de
9. Alcohol? Know your limit. (BIÖG): Abstaining from alcohol, accessed 16 September 2026. kenn-dein-limit.de
10. Acqua Reaper: Product label for Energy Blackcurrant, as at 07/26.