Celebrate Valentine’s with nature’s red foods! Watermelon, grapes and beets are the stars of the show for this playdate. So many ways to celebrate love and friendship through special food, decorations and activities without fructose corn syrup and excess sugar.
My goal is to keep things simple and homemade. On February 1st we decorate the house with the hearts and crafts made each year. It’s fun to see toddler art turn morph through the elementary school years.
Originally published February 2017. These cupcakes are still one of our favorites!
Menu
Celebrate the Big Things: Trio of Heart shaped cheese with crackers
Bowl of Purple Grapes
(cut the grapes in half )
(I make mini-cupcakes for preschoolers)
Pitcher of Water with a few frozen strawberries
Activities
One week out
Check your inventory serving items: plates, cups, napkins; make a list of any items you need to purchase
Buy groceries
Buy foam hearts, red construction paper and masking tape
Cut out construction paper hearts
Two days before
Use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to punch cheese. Place in an airtight container or a ziplock bag and store in refrigerator.
Day before
Make beet cupcakes. While they are baking, make frosting. I mix only half of the icing with beet puree so as to have white and bright pink cupcakes. For toddlers, don’t add beets, keep frosting white. Cool cupcakes completely.
Wash purple grapes, cut in half. Place in serving bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and store in refrigerator
Frost cupcakes
Day of
Set up table with food and serving items.
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Produce
Purple grapes
Beets
Refrigerated
Cheddar cheese slices
Monterrey Jack cheese slices
Cream cheese
Eggs
Pantry
Whole wheat crackers
Powdered sugar
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