Spider Pretzel Crackers: Halloween Snack

My daughter wanted Halloween-themed snacks for her play date and she wanted at least one option to be “more healthy.” So, we made these spider and pretzel crackers in addition to the chocolate-covered pretzel bats.

Ingredients for Spider Pretzel Crackers:

• two crackers per spider
• four pretzel sticks per spider
• spread (can be cheese, cream cheese, hummus, peanut butter…you name it…if you can spread it, you can use it)
• raisins or craisins

Directions:

1. Spread cheese or other spread on your crackers. This step was a little tricky for my preschooler–but a perfect opportunity to build his fine motor skills!

2. Break your pretzels in half and have them radiate out like spokes so you have eight legs for your spider.

3. Place another cracker  with some more spread on top of the first one.

4. Add eyes. We added only two but you could certainly add 8!

Enjoy your creepy crawly snacks!

Educational Connections:

• Science: Make a Venn diagram comparing spiders to insects. In what ways are they similar and in what ways are they different? Introduce the term “arachnid” and find out what other arachnids there are.
• Science / Technology: How do spiders spin their webs? Why are engineers trying to find ways to use spider silk in human technology?
• Ecology: What role do spiders play in the ecosystem? Fall is a great time to find spiders. Locate some different spiders and spider webs and see if you can figure out how they catch their prey. Learn about the different types of spiders in your area.
• Literature / History: Read the Greek legend of Arachne. Why did Athena turn Arachne into a spider?