MEALS, SNACKS & NIBBLES

Holiday meals  | 

Sweet Treats  | 

Back to School bliss  | 

Twists on old favourites  | 

Festive Entertaining  | 

Braai it up  | 

Family Day fun food  | 

Special Mother's Day Menu  | 

Special Father's Day meals  | 

Brown Bag It  | 

Meals In 30 Minutes  | 

Happy Lunch  | 

Quick-Quick Party Food ideas  | 

Fun & healthy party bites  | 

Safety tips for kids in the kitchen  | 

With the festive flavour starting to float through the air and school holidays fast approaching, we know you are going to need things to do with the kids, there is only so much the television and video games can do to keep  them and you sane. Try these fun food ideas to get them even more excited for having friends over and even planning their birthday party for next year.

Santa cupcake toppers
Stick marshmallows onto short kebab skewers (satay sticks) and dip into melted white chocolate. Leave until almost set. While the chocolate is still slightly wet, stick two silver balls and a mini Astro onto each marshmallow for Santa’s eyes and nose. Leave to set completely. Pipe smiles with red butter cream icing. Spoon some white butter cream icing into a plastic bag and cut off a small piece of one corner. Use the white butter cream to pipe Santa’s hair and beard. Shape small hats out of red paper circles and secure with cellotape. Stick on top of each marshmallow with a little bit of icing and finish with a white butter cream “tassel”. Ice cupcakes as desired and stick a Santa topper into each.

Party food in paper cones
Paper cones are perfect for serving snacks like popcorn, potato chips, nuts, peanuts and raisins or trail mix at a party. It’s easy to hold and looks beautiful on the table. Make miniature kiddies cones by cutting a 35x35cm paper square (like the ones you buy at scrap booking stores) into four smaller squares and twist these into cones. Secure with a pretty sticker in your colour theme. Fill with goodies and put them in tealight glasses all over the party table for guests to help themselves. 

Savoury cupcakes
The days of sugar overload at kids parties are long gone. Always make sure that there are healthy, nutritious food for kids to snack on, like these savoury “cupcakes”. Start by preparing your favourite savoury muffins. Leave to cool and then spread with Melrose spread. Use veggies like carrot sticks, cherry tomatoes and gherkins and other ingredients like raisins, pretzels and sprigs of herbs to create adorable (and much healthier) little creatures.

Fruit and yoghurt lollies
These healthy lollies are packed with flavour and goodness and are so delicious that your kids will demand you keep a steady supply in the freezer. Use the same amount of chopped fruit and vanilla flavoured yoghurt and blitz in a food processor until smooth. Spoon into small plastic or metal containers and freeze until almost hard. Stick wooden paddle stick or skewers into the half-frozen fruit yogurt and freeze until completely solid. Pull the lollies out by gently twisting and pulling on the sticks and serve immediately. In the picture: granadilla pulp and orange segments, mixed summer berries, kiwi and apple. 

Melrose jar milkshakes
Your empty Melrose jars can be used for an array of things. Why not tie a pretty ribbon or paper collar around each and use them to serve ice-cream sundaes or milkshakes? Or make them into party goodie bags – fill with sweets and treats, screw the lid on tightly and make a special label for the tops of the lids and side of the jars.