This is the time of year when a lot of folks have holiday parties and invite the entire family. Kids don't always have any interest in "grownup food" such as raw veggies with dip, but you want the children to enjoy themselves and eat. It's been a while since my kids were small[ish] but I wanted to share a few ideas for tried and true party foods kids will like -- already tested and approved.
The last party we hosted here was my mother's 80th birthday bash and I made Apple Dip and put it on the table and man, it went FAST -- grownups and kids both love this one. I first had the Apple Dip at an office Christmas party years ago and when I watched my friend mixing up the dip I thought, that looks WEIRD. I don't think that will be good. WOW was I wrong! It's addictive.
Grownups usually love the meatballs, too, fyi.
These first two recipes are not really for tiny kids [under 5] unless they are being supervised by a grownup.
Apple Dip
8 oz. Cream cheese
¾ cup light brown sugar
pineapple juice [sometime this is hard to find at a grocery store, but check a good liquor store]
½ pkg. Bits o’brickle toffee pieces
3-4 Granny Smith apples
Take out the cream cheese to soften. Wash and slice apples thinly without peeling. Set slices in pineapple juice and refrigerate. [Juice keeps the apples from browning.] Put toffee pieces, sugar, and cream cheese in a sturdy bowl and mix well -- can microwave the cheese if necessary. Just before the party, arrange the slices around the bowl of dip.
TIP: Check on this a lot because people tend to mess it up.
MEATBALLS
Years ago a cousin of mine told me this recipe and I thought it sounded.... weird? Gross? Sort of like cheating? I was dead wrong. This is always scarfed up quickly. You have to put it in a crock pot or chafing dish to keep warm, but it rocks. Basically, you just make meatballs [ground beef, breadcrumbs, an egg, soy sauce, Italian seasoning, garlic and onion powders, mix and saute in skillet], put them in the crock pot or chafing dish, and dump in a bottle of barbeque sauce and a jar of grape jelly. I usually use less than a full jar of jelly, and I add garlic powder and onion powder so it's more savory, but just taste and adjust seasonings to your liking. Mix it around well and coat the meatballs. Put toothpicks nearby.
PB&J Bites
This is sort of ridiculously easy and obvious, but I'm going to include it anyway. Make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and cut them in fourths. Little kids especially eat these well. If you want to be creative, use a small cookie cutter and cut out shapes of sandwich so they look more festive and like hors d'ouvres.
OTHER TIPS
Another thing little kids love: cheese cubes
Best punch recipe: Sprite mixed with white grape juice [save some out and freeze it in a plastic bowl, then put it in the punch bowl to keep the punch cool]
Kids party table -- take a small table, and pile with PB&J bites and cheese cubes, maybe some Goldfish crackers
This is the table at our last party -- notice lower right the Apple Dip!
