Top o’ the mornin’ to ya! It’s almost St. Patrick’s Day! This annual holiday is on March 17th and is celebrated around the world. It’s present day meaning is centered around Irish culture, but St. Patrick’s Day was originally celebrated honoring, you guessed it, St. Patrick. He is remembered for ministering to Christians in Ireland in the 5th century.
Whether you’re of Irish decent, or just enjoy a good reason for some themed food, we’ve got you covered! We have some fun ideas for you and your kids to make together and enjoy this festive holiday.
Four Leaf Clover Snacks
Grab some green peppers and slice off the top, widthwise, leaving the slices whole so that you end up with a round slice (rather than a stick if sliced vertically). Turn to the side and voila! It’s a shamrock! These fun “four leaf clovers” can be used to dunk into your favorite dip, or top personal pizzas. Saute them in a pan for a minute on each side, then fill with an egg for a fun twist on this over easy breakfast favorite.
Rainbows: 2 Ways
Getting kids to try new foods is often a challenge, but offering them an array of things to try can sometimes take the pressure off. When they know they will get to eat something they enjoy after they try something new, they might be more willing to give it a whirl. So, we’ve got a festive St. Patrick’s Day rainbow of fruits and veggies to help entice little tummies.
Veggies
Group each veggie into a row, or an arc (depending on how many of each group you need, an arc takes a lot more produce!) by color. Start with tomatoes, then add carrots, yellow peppers, broccoli or avocado, purple carrots OR sliced purple cauliflower. Add a “pot of gold” dip made of hummus or yummy cheese dip.
Fruit
For those wanting to try some new fruits, layer strawberries, cantaloupe, pineapple, kiwi, blueberries, purple grapes or blackberries the same way as the veggies.
Green Mac n Cheese
Bear with us here, this may sound like a stretch, but we promise that it’s not only healthy, it’s delicious too!
Start with frozen baby spinach. Thaw, drain, and then blend until liquid. Next may your favorite brand / version of mac ‘n cheese, adding slightly less liquid to the recipe. Instead, sub in the spinach mixture, one tablespoon at a time. Continue to add and blend until you’ve achieved the desired consistency and color. While it may look very green, we promise, you’ll only taste the cheesy deliciousness!
Green Deviled Eggs
These yummy St. Patrick’s Day treats are perfect for breakfast, lunch, or an after school snack! Loaded with protein and healthy fats, they’re sure to become favorites all year round.
- Hard boil 12 eggs
- Once cooled, peal and slice length wise
- Remove yolks and add to a bowl, setting aside cooked whites
- In the bowl, blend 1/2 avocado, 1/2 cup mayonnaise, yolks and salt and pepper to taste
- Add 3-4 drops of green food coloring to desired result
- Scoop mixture into a plastic bag, snip off corner with scissors and pipe mixture back into the egg whites
- Chill for 30 minutes, serve and enjoy!
Want some more fun ways to celebrate? Click over to our blog on how to make leprechaun traps!
