9 Holiday Treats for Kids' School Parties That Aren’t Cookies
Armando Rafael Moutela, 2014, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved 2014, Cooking Channel, LLC All Rights Reserved
With four kids, I’ve brought my fair share of party treats to school. Each of these ideas is simple to make and transport to school and, best of all, will be a hit with the kids.
Giada De Laurentiis adds Italian flavor with mascarpone cheese filling for these adorable treats, but if you substitute whipped cream straight up, we’ll never tell.
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Sometimes a festive occasion calls for chocolate. That’s why I love this makeover recipe that packs sweet bananas into pretty-good-for-you mini muffins, and includes rich chocolate, too.
This is, hands down, my kids’ favorite party dish. There’s only one trick to transporting a platter like this one: Assemble it on-site. Just bring all the materials in a zip-top bag, then set up your platter at school.
Instead of going the sweet route, why not try savory? Kids can’t resist a bite-sized serving of mac and cheese. These bites are filling and are easy to make ahead of time and store in the fridge (or freezer!). The fact that they’re full of carrots can be broadcasted or kept covert, depending on the crowd.
Sometimes I volunteer in the kids’ classrooms, to teach a unit about food and allowing kids to assemble their own crudites in a cup (filled with ranch dressing in the bottom, because I’ve done this before). These cups are a fun way to encourage exploration with freedom.
Matt Armendariz, Copyright 2015
If you’re looking for an adorable way to treat your kids’ classmates, look no more. Full of kid-friendly ingredients, this cheese ball can be made ahead of time and assembled on-site. (P.S. Shaving a cucumber with a veggie peeler for the perfect scarf? Brilliant.)
Marshall Troy, 2012,Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved
Ina Garten's fan-favorite recipe is studded with three kinds of dried fruit for a chewy bite. Kids will appreciate the sweetness of the brown sugar and the taste of the shredded coconut that's laced throughout.
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Another great snack on the go might surprise you: smoothies. It’s great if you can swing making them on the spot, but they don’t have to be completely frozen to be delicious. Just blend up a pitcher before school and store it in the fridge until it’s time to go.
If you’ve got an aging bunch of bananas on your counter, this recipe is a two-for-one deal: Create a quick and easy treat for kids, and avoid supporting a fruit-fly colony at the same time.
Charity Curley Mathews is the founder of Foodlets.com, a site about making only one dinner, techniques for teaching kids to love good food and sharing simple recipes kids love.