Trick or Treat: A History of Halloween Food Traditions

Americans love Halloween, and we’re all familiar with the “treat” part of trick-or-treating. But candy didn’t always play a central role in Halloween. Join food historian Sarah Wassberg Johnson for a voyage through the past as she recounts the sometimes-spooky, mostly wholesome origins of American Halloween foods. She’ll trace traditions from Scotch kale, Irish turnips, and early-American pumpkins and gingerbread, all the way to 20th century costume parties, “deviled” foods, and the somewhat nefarious origins of trick-or-treating. Along the way we’ll learn how candy came to be at the center of American Halloween and the companies who popularized some of America’s favorite treats.