Christmas Party Food Ideas for Kids - with Beth

December's THE month for kid's parties. We know the feeling of being asked to bring a plate, and the dilemmas this can throw up at an already hectic time of year. If you've got that dreaded feeling, fear not, we've got you covered with our sweet & savoury inspiration!

We've teamed up with the wonderful Beth Crisdale to bring you 4 fantastic Christmas party food ideas! These recipes are perfect for kids. If you love the words - Quick, Easy & Healthy - then here's your solution for what to take to your next party! 

Here are 4 bring-a-plate ideas that everyone will love...

Vegan Rocky Road Cups

A ‘healthier’ version of my favourite holiday treat - rocky road! They taste as good as the real thing, look adorable, and will invoke squeals of delight from the children you serve them to (if they get that far haha).

 

Ingredients:

1 cup cacao butter

½ cup carob powder (can switch for cacao)

2 tbsp rice malt syrup

shredded coconut

vegan marshmallows (i used @mydandies)

@loving_earth deluxe clusters (activated buckwheat w various nuts, berries and superfoods)

 

Directions:

Arrange 8 silicone cupcake moulds on a tray. In the moulds, place 2 or 3 mini marshmallows, a sprinkle of the buckwheat cluster mix and shredded coconut, then set these aside. Bring to the boil a large pot of water. Place a large heat-proof bowl on top of the pot, being careful not to let it touch the water. Melt the cacao butter in this bowl, when melted stir in the rice malt syrup and carob powder. This can be a little lumpy looking, just stir as best you can and don't worry about it, it will taste awesome. Spoon this mixture into your silicone moulds, over the top of your marshmallow mix. Don't take too much time, as the chocolate will start to solidify and become harder to work with. Decorate the tops of your rocky road cups with more marshmallows, coconut and buckwheat. Place in the fridge to set for a couple of hours, then enjoy!

 

 Watermelon & Cucumber Salad

 

Maybe the easiest salad of all time? The flavour combination is awesome, and this is also a perfect way to start introducing salad to children that may not be keen on the leafy kind.

 

Ingredients:

watermelon

cucumber

fresh basil

*optional: balsamic vinegar, olive oil and feta to serve

 

Directions:

In a large bowl or serving plate, arrange and equal amount of cucumber and watermelon. Get creative with presentation, you could spiralise your cucumber as pictured, use a melon baller for your melon, or just some funky shapes. Picky eaters are far more likely to be tempted to a salad if it looks fun to eat! Add a few fresh basil leaves (chopped and whole), and dress with balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and feta if you aren't dairy-free. Yum!

 

 Maple Roasted Carrots

These are quick and easy, but look and taste so gorgeous. Perfect for a holiday potluck, or a cosy festive dinner with the family.

 

Ingredients:

bunch of carrots (best if organic and local)

maple syrup

¼ red onion

handful slivered almonds

handful pomegranate seeds

a few sprigs of fresh thyme

olive oil

salt & pepper to taste

 

Directions:

Preheat your oven to about 200C. Cut the leaves from your carrots, leaving about 2 inches of stem on each. Peel and wash, then arrange on a lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, then brush liberally with maple syrup. The amount is up to you, but make sure each carrot is covered. Sprinkle with diced red onion, thyme, salt and pepper and almonds. Bake for about 25-30 minutes, or until noticeably caramelised. Serve with pomegranate seeds and more fresh thyme - now try not to eat them all before your guests arrive!

 

 Vegan Summer Rolls.

Fun to make, fun to eat, packed full of goodness, and they're pretty!

 

Ingredients:

rice noodles

rice paper rolls

mango

carrots

cucumber

avocado

red capsicum (bell pepper)

purple cabbage

microgreens

fresh mint and coriander

sauce to serve (sweet chilli, tamari, satay for example).

 

Directions:

Prep all your veggies, I use a mandoline that speeds up this process. Slice mango into fun shapes, and prepare rice noodles as per the directions on the pack (usually a 2 minute job). To avoid your noodles sticking together, rinse when cooked and mix in a little oil.

Arrange a workstation to wrap your rolls, with a big bowl of warm water, a damp tea towel, and a place to set aside finished rolls. Take a sheet of rice paper and soak it for 30 seconds in warm water, lay out on your tea towel and start to fill. Start with the mango, then avocado and noodles, then veggies, sprouts and herbs. Try to avoid overfilling, as the rice paper is very fragile and you will have a hard time wrapping it. Don't worry too much about perfection, I have never been able to master a tightly wrapped roll like you can get at Vietnamese places, but they still look and taste great! Have fun with the ingredients, the only limit is your imagination - experiment with new fruits, veggies and proteins - maybe add tofu! Enjoy

 

 

Food styling, Photography, Recipes & Words all by the beautiful, talented mumma Beth. 

 

Love what you've seen? Follow Beth @bethcrisdale