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Zombie Party Ideas and Gruesome Recipes

Zombie Party Ideas and Gruesome Recipes

Looking to throw a dead man’s party this Halloween? You’re in the right place! Within this post lies a rich graveyard of Zombie Party Ideas just ripe for the plucking! To tantalize all your living and dead senses, there are a even a few zombie-friendly free printables for you to download and tips on proper zombie etiquette written here. Don’t stop reading until the end–your life may depend on it…

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ZOMBIE EATS: Edible Blood

Blood. When the zombie apocalypse happens, there is bound to be a bit of the stuff laying around. Unlike their vampire friends, zombies aren’t picky about blood type — they are equal opportunity imbibers so anyone with a pulse is fair game. Which is going to make things really messy.

To really party like a zombie, you’re going to have to come up with some convincing blood-like substances for your shin dig. If this blood-like substance is going to be around food, well, it’s going to have to be edible because poisoning your guests is a major zombie faux paux. Zombies really prefer their meals fresh and not DOA.

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After a lot of experimenting in the kitchen and cross referencing realism with the in-house physician, I came up with a concoction that is a tad thicker than blood, but that makes it perfect for decorating with. You’re better off with the fake blood sticking to the food you put it on so it looks more gory. Nothing worse than blood that doesn’t stay where you want it. So grab a bowl and spoon and mix up some faux-O that’s OK to eat!

EDIBLE BLOOD RECIPE

  • 1 cup light corn syrup
  • Red food coloring
  • Blue food coloring
  • ¼ cup water

Put red food coloring into the corn syrup and stir until enough coloring has been added that the corn syrup resembles blood. The amount will vary depending on the type of food coloring you are using. Add a drop of blue at a time to give the blood a bit of an authentic tint. Stir in the water to thin the mixture out. Add more water if you prefer your blood really runny.

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ZOMBIE EATS: Eyeballs

Every zombie knows that the eyeballs are the best part of a meal. Soft and squishy, with that little pop when you chew them, eyeballs are truly a sought after zombie delicacy. Any good event for the walking dead will be sure to have them on hand. On a serving dish will work as well. Zombies aren’t entirely picky about social graces.

But if you’re serving humans pretending to be zombies, they might prefer this white chocolate cherry eyeball variation if you find authentic eyeballs are not available in your area.

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WHITE CHOCOLATE CHERRY EYEBALLS

  • White chocolate almond bark
  • Marachino cherries (not in liquid)
  • Black gel frosting in a tube
  • Food coloring

Melt the almond bark according to the directions on the package. You’ll need to use cherries that aren’t preserved in water for this recipe, as the liquid will destabilize the almond bark when you dip it and ruin the entire batch of white chocolate. Dip the cherries in the chocolate and lay on wax paper to cool.

Break off any drippings from your eyeballs so they look more round. Using a paintbrush and the food coloring, paint in the iris of the eyeball. Use the tube of black gel to apply the pupil. Bon appetite!

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ZOMBIE EATS: Brains

While eyeballs are quite the delicacy, brains are undoubtedly the zombie’s favorite food. From the rich and fatty frontal lobe back to the sumptuous cerebellum, brains are such a treat. Move over still beating hearts, brains are what’s for dinner!

If you really want to impress your zombie guests, serving brains is an absolute must. For the live humans present at the bash, this brain cake is an acceptable facsimile.

BRAIN CAKE RECIPE

  • Red velvet cake box mix
  • Buttercream or Swiss Meringue buttercream frosting, tinted pink
  • Edible Blood
  • Your choice of cutlery

Make the red velvet cake according to directions. Use an oven-safe pancake batter bowl to bake the cake in to achieve that lovely brain-shaped appearance.

To make the cake brain-like, pipe cranial wrinkles onto the cake using a wide round tip in your pastry bag. The more wrinkles, the better! After covering the entire cake, strategically drizzle the edible blood from a central point on the cake and gently place the knife in the frontal lobe.

 

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ZOMBIE EATS: Fresh Meat

Everything is more fun on a stick, even for zombies. A nice dipping sauce on the side of a skewered lite bite is always an undead crowd pleaser at parties. Zombies will appreciate the effort spent on creating a dish that is not only revolting, but uses fresh meat in a creative way.

For those still living in attendance at a zombie event, a nice rare steak skewer with a side of spiced tomato sauce is also a good choice for an appetizer offering.

STEAK

  • Steak cut of your choice
  • Salt and pepper
  • Butter
  • Skewers

Salt and pepper the steak. On a medium-low setting, melt the butter and cook the steak. Cooking time will depend on the thickness of the steak; for appearance, rare to medium rare is an appropriate doneness.

SPICED TOMATO SAUCE

  • 1/3 cup finely chopped onion
  • 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped peeled fresh ginger
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon hot paprika
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • Pinch of cayenne
  • Pinch of ground cloves
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons cider vinegar
  • 1 (14 1/2- to 15-oz) can whole tomatoes in juice, coarsely chopped (reserving juice)
  • 2 tablespoons light brown sugar

Cook onion, garlic, ginger, and spices in oil in a 1- to 2-quart heavy saucepan over moderately low heat, stirring, until onion is softened, about 4 minutes. Stir in vinegar and simmer over moderately low heat 1 minute. Add tomatoes (with juice) and brown sugar, then increase heat to moderate and simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 30 minutes. Cool slightly, about 5 minutes.

Purée sauce in a blender until smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids). Serve at room temperature.

Cooks’ note:
Sauce can be made 3 days ahead and cooled completely, then chilled, covered.

Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

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ZOMBIE EATS: Fingers in Pustule Dip

A zombie would totally bite the hand that feeds it, if you get my drift, so be wary in any zombie exchanges involving appendages and voracious rotting mouths. While hand-feeding zombies is not a recommended practice, offering zombies finger foods is highly encouraged at zombie social events. Add a disgusting dip, and it is pure zombie bliss.

FINGERS IN PUSTULE DIP

  • Refrigerated breadsticks in a can
  • Slivered almonds
  • Pre-packaged guacamole

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The pre-made breadstick dough will come in long strips. Cut these strips in half. Fold the resulting strips in half and twist them until they are approximately the size of a large phalange. Place a slivered almond at the end of each breadstick to look like a fingernail. Serve alongside a hearty bowl of pre-made guacamole.

 

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ZOMBIE EATS: Brains-to-Go

Good hosts and hostesses always send their walking undead friends home with a nice parting gift. Either something of value or a little gnosh for the ride home is perfect. For mindless beings of mass slaughter and destruction, a bauble isn’t likely the correct choice, and an edible helping of “brains-to-go” will be much more appreciated as a zombie party favor.

Red velvet cupcakes are placed in the bottom of a mason jar (buy them here) for these favors, and frosting piped into the jar with a round tip to create brain “wrinkles.” If you’d like to spice them up, a dallop of cherry pie filling in the middle of the frosting would be a perfect and tasty touch.

Edible AND attractive is always best, so we’re providing a free download of the 2 inch circles for the lids and biohazard labels for the front of your maniacal mason jars.

DOWNLOAD FREE PRINTABLE 2-inch ZOMBIE BRAINS CIRCLES AND LABELS HERE.

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ZOMBIE EATS: A Warning Sign

Good hosts and hostesses will attend to the well being of their party guests, alive or (walking) dead. As zombies are rather mindless about eating, it is best to keep any guests with a pulse far from the area of the zombie buffet line. So that everyone at your event may remain safe, happy, and breathing if appropriate for their condition, we are providing a festively blood spattered sign to mark the zombie feeding territory.

DOWNLOAD FREE PRINTABLE 13×19 inch PARTY SIGN HERE

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ZOMBIE EATS: Zombie Infection Vaccination

In the instance that the undead and living guests mingle too closely and there is the inopportune exchange of the zombie virus, it’s wise to have a few shots of vaccine on your hands. Open ended test tubes like those you can purchase here are perfect containers. Intoxicating beverages and small candies are adequate for vaccines. Be sure to label them!

DOWNLOAD FREE PRINTABLE 13×19 inch PARTY SIGN HERE

Best wishes to you for your zombie event–I sincerely hope that with all these gruesome Zombie Party Ideas you knock ’em dead!

Paula Biggs

Owner at Frog Prince Paperie
Paula Biggs is a party planner, DIY crafter, and owner of Frog Prince Paperie, where you can find hundreds of party, craft and lifestyle ideas.

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