The Ultimate Halloween Boo Basket: What to Buy in UK Supermarkets

If your social feed is inundated with pictures of elaborately decorated pumpkins and baskets brimming with spooky treats, you’re not alone. If you’re feeling envious, don’t start your villain arc just yet. We’ve scoured the UK’s biggest supermarkets for the season’s best treats, tricks, and pumpkin-shaped spookiness – whether it’s for a loved one, a course mate, or entirely for yourself. This is your Halloween haul, sorted.

What is a Boo Basket?

A Halloween trend where people surprise friends, partners, or family members with a box of Halloween-themed gifts. Think of it like a care package – except scarier. A scare package, if you will.

So, skip the tricks and treat yourself to something spooky this October 🎃

Step 1: Something Sweet 🍬

Let’s start strong. No boo basket is complete without sweets – the foundation of any good trick-or-treat haul.

Marks & Spencer has cast some spells on their much-loved characters this month. Their signature Colin the Caterpillar has been shrunk down – and dismembered – into mini Colin cake treats, while the Colin Trick or Treat box combines all the best bits of the original. Watching your budget? The Chocolate Petrifying Pumpkins come in at just £2.75 or pick up a Mini Peanut Butter Spooky Skull or Hocus Crocus Frog for a little extra magic.

More of a biscuit person? Try Sainsbury’s Brain Filled Bourbons for a berry twist on a British tea-time favourite. Or head to Asda for their Monster Mallow Teacakes, another twist on a British classic.

For a taste of autumn tradition, add some bonfire night treats, like Morrisons’ Bonfire Toffee or a Toffee apple from Sainsbury’s.

Step 2: Something Savoury 🥨

Halloween isn’t all about the chocolate and candy apples. There’s plenty to add to your boo basket for those without a sweet tooth.

Think crisps, popcorn, pretzels, and party snacks perfect for a horror movie marathon with friends. Look out for seasonal limited editions like Sainsbury’s’ BBQ Witches’ Hats, Cheesy Skeleton jaws, and Salted Bats & Ghosts. Over at M&S, you can grab a bag of Cheesy Bat Fangs or Pickled Worms for your next night in.

Fancy something more substantial? Pick up a pumpkin-shaped Margarita Pizza at Sainsbury’s for just £3.75.

Step 3: Something Cosy 🕯️

Just because you’re in a student room doesn’t mean you can’t make it autumnal and cosy. Morrisons’ super-soft Ghost Sherpa Blanket for £6 is a great budget-friendly addition to a student room or invest in a Little Boo Mug from Sainsbury’s to hold all your pumpkin-spiced delights.

Morrisons also has a range of affordable Halloween candles, including scented candles for just £3, or stop by Primark for a set of wavy Ghost Dinner Candles. Not allowed to light anything in your student accommodation? Try Morrisons’ ghost diffuser instead.

Step 4: Something Spooky 👻

No, not your last English assignment.

While autumn is all about snuggling up under a duvet with a mug of hot tea, Halloween is the perfect excuse to step outside your comfort zone – even if just for one night.

For fans of Tim Burton, look out for Sainsbury’s and Asda’s The Nightmare Before Christmas ranges, with everything from cosy mugs to spooky snow globes. Whether it’s ghostly fairy lights or horror movie throwbacks, small touches can quickly transform your student room into a miniature haunted house.

Step 5: Something Fun 🎲

The best boo baskets come with a few surprises – or at least a well-earned break from studying.

Waitrose sells Talking Tables Fireworks with sparklers and poppers suitable for indoors or pick up a home pumpkin carving kit from Sainsbury’s to make your own haunting creations. Alternatively, try a fun party game like Give Up the Ghost, a fast-paced trivia game with a spooky twist, available at Sainsbury’s.

🚀 Don’t Fear Your English Lessons

Speaking English doesn’t have to be scary. Study English in London’s Royal Borough. With flexible, tailored English tuition, a focus on real communication, and a packed social programme, you’ll make rapid progress while fully immersing yourself in British culture.

Get a head start on your New Year’s resolutions and Study English in London, Eastbourne, or Dublin!