# Need ideas for snacks for children **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 23, 2008, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-ideas-for-snacks-for-children/478433 "2008-12-23T13:51:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2008, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-ideas-for-snacks-for-children/478433/1 "2008-12-23T13:51:24Z")
I’ve been asked to bring children’s snacks for the debacle that is Christmas Eve in my husband’s family. There will be five or six little girls from 6 to 9 years old. I don’t have time to make anything cute or special; I will be coming straight from work with just about time to change my clothes, so everything will have to be store-bought. The adults will be having cheese and crackers and the like, but apparently the girls are special little snowflakes. Suggestions, please? ---
**Author:** ![chela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chela/32/21582_2.png) [@chela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chela)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2008, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-ideas-for-snacks-for-children/478433/2 "2008-12-23T14:04:36Z")
Cheese and crackers? Colby jack/string cheese/ with chicken in a biscuit crackers or ritz. Chunks of turkey or ham, pickles and baby carrots etc w/ranch dressing for dipping. Also fruit chunks or orange wedges. Or strawberries with dipping chocolate for the snowflakes! ---
**Author:** ![Rebo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rebo/32/13005_2.png) [@Rebo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rebo)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2008, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-ideas-for-snacks-for-children/478433/3 "2008-12-23T14:25:32Z")
Grapes, cherry tomatoes, celery sticks… ---
**Author:** ![One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/838e76/32.png) [@One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/One_And_Only_Wanderers)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2008, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-ideas-for-snacks-for-children/478433/4 "2008-12-23T14:27:53Z")
My little girl loves houmous with sliced carrot, bell pepper and tortillas. ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2008, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-ideas-for-snacks-for-children/478433/5 "2008-12-23T14:38:09Z")
I think the string cheese and chunks of turkey and ham, and the grape tomatoes and baby carrots are great ideas. I don’t know why they can’t eat regular cheese and crackers like the rest of us, but maybe it will be good stinky cheese. They also have oysters which will gross the girls out. Any more ideas, keep them coming! ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2008, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-ideas-for-snacks-for-children/478433/6 "2008-12-23T21:56:38Z")
Get some graham crackers, some peanut butter, and some red-and-green M&Ms. Let the girls make designs on the graham cracker canvas with the M&Ms. High cuisine it ain’t, but it’ll seem vaguely Christmas-themed, and it might keep 'em occupied. Daniel ---
**Author:** ![HelenGawn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a88e4f/32.png) [@HelenGawn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HelenGawn)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2008, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-ideas-for-snacks-for-children/478433/7 "2008-12-23T21:59:11Z")
It sounds like none of them are your snowflake, so go wild on junk food - the messier the better! You’ll be the coolest aunt ever, and you’ll never be asked to do it again. ETA: Great idea, **LHOD!** ---
**Author:** ![Critical1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@Critical1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Critical1)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2008, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-ideas-for-snacks-for-children/478433/8 "2008-12-23T22:15:16Z")
graham crackers and chocolate chips, break crackers in half, top one half with chocolate chips, zap in microwave for 1-15 secs at a time, when the chips start to look shiny in spots smoosh the other half of the cracker on top and freeze, crunchy as hell and tasty too. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2008, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-ideas-for-snacks-for-children/478433/9 "2008-12-23T22:39:01Z")
> [@](#): > > Need ideas for snacks for children Jut cover em with barbecue sauce, & cook em over a slow fire. Children make _wonderful_ snacks! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2008, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-ideas-for-snacks-for-children/478433/10 "2008-12-23T22:52:18Z")
> [@HelenGawn](#): > > It sounds like none of them are your snowflake, so go wild on junk food - the messier the better! You’ll be the coolest aunt ever, and you’ll never be asked to do it again. Gee, I was thinking she could bring a jar of cocktail onions, and they’d never ask her to do it again. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2008, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-ideas-for-snacks-for-children/478433/11 "2008-12-24T00:41:34Z")
I e-mailed the hostess with a summary of Post #5 and she said not to bother with grapes as she has little oranges. I don’t think she caught the “grape tomatoes” so I guess I’ll buy some anyway. She did like the goldfish cracker idea, and those come in pretzel flavor as well as the cheese. Maybe graham crackers come in cute shapes. ETA: jalapeno poppers! ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2008, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-ideas-for-snacks-for-children/478433/12 "2008-12-24T01:11:55Z")
Three words: Flintstones Chewable Valium. ---
**Author:** ![chela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chela/32/21582_2.png) [@chela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chela)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2008, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-ideas-for-snacks-for-children/478433/13 "2008-12-24T01:59:20Z")
Jazz it up with maraschino cherries, 7up and cranberry juice served in plastic martini cups! 😛 tiny plastic swords and umbrella toothpicks will make em squeal too! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2008, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-ideas-for-snacks-for-children/478433/14 "2008-12-24T04:03:44Z")
[Microwave S’mores](http://www.ehow.com/how_2042636_make-smores-microwave.html)- Hersheys Bars, Marshmallows, Graham Crackers. Takes seconds to make, and you can let them watch the [marshmallows puff up in the microwave](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfmU-qkiYA8) to twice their size :eek: 🆒 , and then explain the [science](http://www.newton.dep.anl.gov/askasci/chem03/chem03338.htm) behind it. Maybe bring some apples, oranges, and bananas and that fudge, marshmallow, or caramel fruit dip that you can buy in plastic tubs. Bring the makings for sundaes or banana splits. Ice cream, a jar of Hot fudge, bananas, and nuts or cherries (optional). Christmas Sundaes!.. they’ll think you’re the coolest. ---
**Author:** ![Leiko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Leiko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leiko)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2008, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-ideas-for-snacks-for-children/478433/15 "2008-12-24T05:01:52Z")
I must have been a weird little girl, because my favorite holiday snacks and appetizers weren’t sweet or delicate at all. The holiday snacks include: Black olives, to be ritualistically applied to fingertips. Block of cream cheese, layer of tiny shrimp, topped with cocktail sauce, eaten with crackers. I could eat an entire block on my own I love that stuff so much. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2008, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-ideas-for-snacks-for-children/478433/16 "2008-12-24T05:48:37Z")
Bring a couple of pomengranates, a coconut, a pineapple, and a hammer. Take a little time and show them the fruits, let them examine them, and then you show them how to prepare them. Pop the coconut with the Hammer (or you can rap it with the back of a sturdy knife.) and break into chunks to let them eat the coconutmeat- Cut the the top and the bottom off the pineapple and cut the skin and eyes away, cut into slices and chunks. Show them the inside of the pomengranate and let them eat some of the seeds… Bring some Orange Sherbert as well- Add the pomengranate seeds, Coconut water, and pineapple chunks and blenderize to make Christmas Smoothies for them. Sword and umbrella fruits to garnish. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2008, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-ideas-for-snacks-for-children/478433/17 "2008-12-24T05:50:38Z")
… of course, the adults can add rum to the leftovers. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2008, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-ideas-for-snacks-for-children/478433/18 "2008-12-24T06:04:20Z")
> [@devilsknew](#): > > Bring some Orange Sherbert as well- Add the pomengranate seeds, Coconut water, and pineapple chunks and blenderize to make Christmas Smoothies for them. Sword and umbrella fruits to garnish. Forgot 7UP or Vernors here… ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2008, 6:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-ideas-for-snacks-for-children/478433/19 "2008-12-24T06:41:54Z")
> [@devilsknew](#): > > Bring a couple of pomengranates, Kids and pomengrantes are natural enemies. Kids will stain everything with the juice. It’s a good idea if you don’t mind the stains, and they’ll get it on everything ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2008, 6:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-ideas-for-snacks-for-children/478433/20 "2008-12-24T06:47:07Z")
These kids are 6-9, they aren’t tots. Controlling the pomengranates and letting them look at the fruit and sample some dislodged seeds is not going to stain. The smoothies are the treat. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-ideas-for-snacks-for-children/478433.md?page=2)