Part of the fun of Valentine’s Day for children is attending parties, either in the classroom or at a friend’s house. And part of the fun of those parties is the Valentine’s Day-themed snacks served at them. If you find you’re responsible for making snacks for Valentine’s Day, get your child in the kitchen and get creative whipping up simple and easy party treats.
Considerations
Before choosing what type of treats you’ll make, think about the size of the group of children and the length of the party. Plan the snacks based on when in the day the party falls. If it’s before lunch, you don’t want to give the children anything that will fill them up and spoil their meal. If it’s a lunch-time party, you may want to come up with a Valentine-themed meal, such as heart-shaped pizza slices or sandwiches.
Concerns
You may also have to take any food allergies or picky eaters under consideration. If the snacks are for a school party, ask the child’s teacher about any food issues the students may have. If you’re holding the party at your house, ask parents about any allergies when they RSVP. If one child has a wide range of food issues, consider asking his parents to prepare a simple snack for him to share with the group.
Benefits
Children can learn cooking basics when you make Valentine’s Day treats with them. Making Valentine-themed snacks and goodies can also help spark their creativity, since they need to think about ways to turn basic candies and snacks into a themed treat. Encourage children to try new things while they help prepare the treats. For instance, they can use food dye to turn regular cupcakes or other edible treats red. They can also cut the treats into heart shapes.
Treat Ideas
Cupcakes are usually a hit at children’s parties. Give the cupcakes a Valentine’s Day theme by dyeing the cake batter red or pink. Top the frosting with small candy hearts or one large conversation heart. You can also dip strawberries in white chocolate and thread them onto a skewer to make an edible bouquet. Use heart- and flower-shaped cookie cutters to cut out pre-made brownie or cookie dough. If you need a drink to serve at the party, make a sweet punch using pink lemonade, sherbet and lemon-lime soda.
Misconceptions
Everyone thinks of sweets and chocolates at Valentine’s Day. Just because candy and sweets are traditional, it doesn’t mean you are limited to serving sweet treats. You may even want to skip the sugar and chocolate if anyone has a weight issue or if the school has banned sugar. Healthy, easy treats exist. For instance, you can use the heart-shaped cookie cutters to cut out pieces of fruit to give the children. You can also cut vegetables into fun shapes and serve them with a tasty dip.
Photo Credit
- sure love image by Adkok from Fotolia.com
