Celebrate Halloween & Dia de Muertos with The Best Snacks & Recipe Ideas

This is the time of the year to celebrate Halloween and honour the Dead on Dia de Muertos. White traditionally, Halloween is more focused on candy, and there are no particular snacks or dishes associated with it. Dia de Muertos in Mexico is different. Many traditions and dishes are associated with Dia de Muertos, depending on the different regions of Mexico.

With that in mind, we wanted to share some ideas that, while based on traditions in Mexico, can easily be enjoyed during Halloween as well. During Dia de los Muertos (or Day of the Dead), families across Mexico gather to honour departed loved ones with colourful altars, cemetery visits, and tables brimming with regional specialties that tell stories of tradition and remembrance. Some of the classics are tamales rich with mole from Oaxaca, the beautifully adorned Pan de Muerto in central Mexico, and the labour-intensive pibipollo from the Yucatán Peninsula. While every dish has a regional twist, each carries the spirit of togetherness and the flavours that have become symbols of the holiday’s meaning.

Tamales take on special significance in Oaxaca this time of year, with banana leaf-wrapped parcels filled with chicken, black beans, or the region’s signature mole negro. In central Mexico, Pan de Muerto—a fragrant, orange-scented bread topped with bone-like shapes—appears on every altar and is a favourite companion to mugs of hot chocolate.

Down in the Yucatán Peninsula, pibipollo or mucbipollo brings families together through a communal cooking process: marinated meats mixed with corn masa, wrapped in banana leaves, and slow-cooked underground. The ceremony of preparing these foods is just as important as their flavour, embodying familial bonds and respect for tradition.

No celebration would be complete without something sweet, and Michoacán’s calabaza en tacha rises to the occasion—pumpkin slices simmered in a spiced piloncillo syrup. Again, you can find more details here.

Pumpkins are certainly a key element of Halloween celebrations and decorations. We know that in Canada and North America, lots of people carve pumpkins during this time of the year. With that in mind, we want to share with you a traditional dip made with pumpkin seeds. You can easily serve this along with some of our salsas and queso dips to add if you are hosting for Halloween or Day of the Dead.

Known as ha’ sikil p’aak, a classic Mayan dip often served with tortilla chips at restaurants or celebrations. This flavorful dish is crafted from pumpkin seeds—both white and chinchilla varieties—and roasted tomato, resulting in a unique and memorable taste that is highly recommended for anyone seeking authentic regional flavours.

To prepare this dip, you’ll need one cup of toasted pumpkin seeds, ground with their hulls intact; four large tomatoes; three tablespoons of finely chopped chives; salt to taste; and tortilla chips for serving.

Here are the ingredients that you’ll need:

1 cup of toasted pumpkin seeds, ground with the shell
4 large tomatoes
3 tablespoons chopped chives
Salt to taste
Tortilla chips (Ideally Casa Bonita Corn Tortillas)

Want to add a bit more flavour, use the Chilli and Lime Tortilla Chips recently added to our line of Chips.