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!

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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