9 Holiday Treats for Kids' School Parties That Aren’t Cookies

Each of these ideas is simple to make and transport to school and, best of all, will be a hit with the kids.
By: Foodlets

Related To:

Strawberry Santas

Food Network Giada De Laurentiis Strawberry Santas Christmas Brunch

Photo by: Armando Rafael Moutela ©2014, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved 2014, Cooking Channel, LLC All Rights Reserved

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.

Strawberry Santas (pictured above)

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.

Mini Chocolate Banana Muffins

Photo by: Picasa

Picasa

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.

Grape and Cheese Christmsa Tree Platter

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.

Mac & Cheese Bites (with Carrots)

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.

DIY Raw Veggie Cups

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.

Snowman Cheese Ball

Food Network Kitchen’s Snowman Cheeseball

Photo by: Matt Armendariz ©Copyright 2015

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.)

Homemade Granola Bars

FN_Homemade-Granola-Bars

Photo by: Marshall Troy ©2012,Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved

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.

Frozen Blueberry Smoothies

Photo by: Picasa

Picasa

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.

2-Ingredient Banana Oat Bites

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.

Next Up

One Recipe, Two Meals: Pasta with Butter and Peas for the Kids, and a Veggie-Packed Primavera for You

We're having our pasta and eating it too! Here's one simple version for your kiddos, and one giant, glorious version for you.

Load Up the Kids' Lunchboxes for Back-to-School

Food Network’s guide to kid-approved lunches and locker-friendly foods makes cafeteria glee an everyday affair.

6 Must-Do Tasks for Surviving Holiday Party Season

There's no reason the most wonderful time of the year should leave you burned out.

6 Easy Holiday Cookies to Make with Kids

Put all their extra energy to good use!

5 Easter Mains That Aren't Ham

Say hello to new holiday traditions.

3 Classic Holiday Roasts with Sides to Match

Choose the star of your menu — beef, turkey or ham — then plan your feast!

7 Red and White Christmas Cookies to Deck Your Holiday Table

Because red and green aren’t the only Christmas colors!

Gluten-Free Holiday Baking

During holiday baking season, those who are sensitive to or intolerant of gluten needn’t miss out on all the sweet seasonal treats.