The words “healthy” and “Valentine’s Day party” don’t typically go hand in hand. No doubt, hosting a healthy Valentine’s Day party for kids can be a challenge given that the holiday is basically a day set aside to gorge on chocolate. While it’s fine to serve up a few sweet treats (everything in moderation), healthy parties focus on offering nutritious dishes to kids without compromising the Love Day theme.
An equally sweet alternative to mountains of Valentine’s Day candy and cupcakes is fruit. Consider setting up an entire table featuring red fruits. Apples, strawberries, raspberries, red grapes, and watermelon are kid-friendly snacks that are perfect for Love Day. In addition to the fruit, line the buffet table with caramel dip and whipped cream to make the berries and apples even more inviting.
Other healthy additions to a Valentine’s Day buffet are pretzel sticks, flavored or plain popcorn, bagel chips, and Chex Mix. The latter can be purchased from the grocery store; however, I like to make my own so I can add a few extra goodies to the mix, such as raisins, nuts, M&Ms and Cheerios.
For the main course consider making a large heart-shaped cheese pizza or mini bagel pizzas that kids can top with pepperoni, mushrooms, olives and red peppers. Other options include heart-shaped peanut butter and strawberry jam sandwiches or pigs-in-a-blanket. To make, simply cut crescent roll dough into thirds; roll cocktail wieners in the dough, and bake at 350 degrees for approximately 10 minutes.
Finally, dessert can be a buffet of red and pink JELLO made in heart-shaped molds. Carob cupcakes with non-fat whipped topping, vegan fudge or Rice Krispie treats cut into heart shapes and decorated with fat-free licorice or fruit Roll-Ups are also healthy options.
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