Blog from Cheshire Franchise
If, like lots of parents, you’ve spent most of December frantically rushing around trying to organise Christmas festivities, you’d be forgiven for not giving too much thought to what to do on New Year’s Eve.
However, if you decide to host a party with friends and family to see out the year, it’s important to include foods that you know everyone will eat.
And that means if your guests include young children, you will need some kid-friendly recipes too.
Here are some canapes that will go down a treat with everyone on December 31st, as well as being lots of fun to make with your little ones:
1) Mini versions of their favourite dishes
The thing that is so irresistible about canapes is that they are bite sized, so people can enjoy eating without the formality of sitting down with a knife and fork.
That doesn’t mean they have to be fancy though, and some of the most popular canapes in recent years have simply been mini versions of our favourite dinners.
For instance, you could serve mini burgers with tiny beef patties, little hot dogs with cocktail sausages, and petite pizzas that can be eaten in one bite.
Children will love these, but be warned - they could eat them by the dozen!
2) Fruit or veg kebabs
Kids will love making little kebabs to serve on New Year’s Eve, and they’re also a great way to encourage them to eat more fruit and veg in this season of indulgence.
You could make your kebabs look even more exciting by using cookie cutters to shape them.
For instance, you could have flower-shaped veg all stacked together, or you could make fruit rockets with a pineapple star on top to symbolise NYE’s fireworks.
3) Pinwheels
Pastry pinwheels are a great canape choice for children, as they look fun, they taste delicious, and they are easy to eat in one go.
You could make pizza pinwheels if you want an alternative to normal pizza slices, or you could try this Jamie Oliver cheese and bacon pinwheel recipe, which are ever so moreish.
4) Olive and dips
Many of us assume children will only eat beige food, but it’s important to continue to serve dishes you would eat as an adult, as the more kids are around them, the more likely they are to try them.
While it’s sensible to have some safe foods at a party so nobody goes hungry, you could also encourage the children to try things that require a more sophisticated palate, such as olives and dips.
This gnocchi, olive and chorizo skewer recipe from Good House Keeping is a great way to introduce these strong flavours, as many children like the saltiness of the sausage and the texture of gnocchi, which complements the briny flavour of the olive.
Dips like houmous and tzatziki are also popular among children, so make sure these are available to everyone, not just parents.
5) Fun, fruity puddings
There are lots of different fun puddings you could make that children will love at your NYE party, and this could be a good way to balance out the sweets and treats with some refreshing fruit as well.
For instance, you could do chocolate-covered banana kebabs, little cups filled with colourful strawberries, pineapple, grapes and blueberries, or mini meringues with berries on top.
You could also serve fairy cake swirl pops that look like fireworks, or ‘sparkler’ breadsticks with the top half covered in melted chocolate and decorated in colourful sprinkles.
These are not only easy to make with your children, but also lots of fun, encouraging them to take an active part in food preparation and feel proud when everyone compliments them on how amazing all the food looks!
If this sparks their love for baking or cooking, why not consider enrolling in one of our children’s cooking clubs in the North West or booking a kids’ baking party where they can develop their skills in time for NYE 2026?