Variety is the Name of the Game

Well another year has come and gone. Little P. turned 4 this month and even though I am constantly warned how quickly it all goes, I am amazed at the whirl of activity that is another year in my child’s life.
As he has gotten older he has become more fascinated with the concept of the birthday. We have gone to many parties this year and now my son is able to equate these festivities with his own impending special day. The interesting challenge is making him understand that we are not incorporating all aspects of every bash attended into one big Mega-Party for him!
We have gone to some spectacular parties this year. The circus with carnival games, bumper cars, funhouse and a complete array of carnie food springs to mind- what a crazy blast! His favorite cousin, Miss Bella Baby as I call her, had her 5th birthday a week before his own. She always has a tremendous party by virtue of the in-ground swimming pool in her back yard… something I am not investing in!
But there have been some other, less expected touches that I am pleased to see at these sugar fueled festivals of fun. Forget hot dogs and chips, we are talking fresh new ideas that make kids’ party foods edible for all of us.
The party circuit this year has found us noshing on Puerto Rican rice and beans, sushi, and a beachside buffet to boot. Miss Bella Baby’s party had a popcorn machine for snacking, a luscious tomato salad fresh from the garden and a beautiful bowl of edamame beans alongside the pasta and pizza buffet. Little P. had a ball treasure hunting at his twin cousins’s pirate party, while I enjoyed the jackpot of sliced watermelon, fresh baby crudités, and hummus dip.
There is so much fabulous cuisine out there it can be boggling, so start with your little one’s favorite food, and then find a twist on how to serve it. Many of the kid-favored veggies are available in multiple colors and sizes. For example, heirloom carrots grow in a rainbow of maroon, white, gold, and orange. Serve the baby size with a tzatziki-style yogurt and cucumber dip, and watch them dissapear!
If rice or pasta is a favorite, why not try a new preparation? Arborio rice balls can hide tiny bites of flavor in their middles, like peas or prosciutto. Pasta cooked with herbs and veggies makes a tasty addition to a frittata. Sushi rice with your child’s choice of fillings roll up into fun logs. Raviolis, fat with gourmet stuffings, can be speared with raw pepper toothpicks, and Latin inspired rice and beans are wonderful folded into a quesadilla. With unlimited taste options out there, we just need to get our creative juices flowing past the usual to explore new territory.
Kids like to be involved, so turn on those little idea-factory heads; you may be surprised where their food thoughts can lead you. After a birthday dinner of sushi, Little P. and I decide his party the following day will have a “Make Your Own Pizza” theme. The choices for our toppings-- a mélange of yellow, red and orange peppers, crushed pineapple, sliced mushrooms, chopped sausage, and slices of pepperoni. I grilled the crusts that morning, and then dished up a giant bowl of sauce, a mound of shredded mozzarella cheese, and spread it all on the table.
Each kid got a labeled paper plate (so pizzas don’t get confused) built their pizza, and gave it to the chef (me!) to cook. A quick heat in the oven and I cut and served them a custom creation. They were a big hit! Even the pickiest eaters found something to nibble on. After all they made it, so therefore they eat it—the smartest reason to get kids into the kitchen!
Forget the boring, forget the routine, and forget the cardboard cutout birthday party. Remember that a “variety show” is an event where unexpected surprises occur…and isn’t that what can make a kids party so memorable?!?