Food Art Sandwiches for Kids

Have you ever tried encouraging your children or grandchildren to try new foods by using food art?  When my sons were little I would make all kinds of food art for them.  It was very helpful in coaxing them to try new vegetables.  Now with my granddaughters, I do it for fun and to make them feel special.

When it’s an occasion like Christmas or Halloween I will go out and purchase extras for food art.  For the rest of the year, you can typically make it with things you have on hand.  Unless its an occasion like Christmas or Halloween, I don’t buy anything special to make the food art with; I make it with what I have at hand.  There are two different open-faced sandwiches in the shape of fairy houses and I have included some substitution ideas.

Cream Cheese Sandwich

Cut the crust off the bread making it into a general house shape;  if the bread is too small use a second piece to create the peak on top.

Ice the top and sides of the bread with cream cheese.

Using luncheon meat cut out two small circles for windows. and a new type of cheese for the door.  This sandwich has gouda.  (To cut out the little windows I used the back side of an icing piping tip)

To create the window crosses, cut out two slices of a dill pick, and trim out the corners.  Alternatives you can use two bits of green pepper, celery, or even mustard will work.

Cut out a tiny circle of a pickle for the doorknob.  Again I used the end of an icing tip.

To make the roof, top the sandwich with slices of green pepper (or tiles of carrot, celery, cucumber, or cherry tomatoes)

Landscape the house with kale. ( or coleslaw, shredded lettuce, alfalfa sprouts)

My granddaughters are offered a wide variety of foods when they’re here.  Their favorite is still peanut butter and jelly.  Easy enough to always have on hand and because it’s their favorite, I am including it here.

Peanut Butter and Jam Sandwich

For whatever reason, most children love this sandwich, but it’s easy to make it a bit more special. This particular sandwich recipe for kids can typically be made with all sorts of variety of things you have on hand.

Cut your bread into a house shape; you may want to use a second piece to make the peak.

Spread jam all over the top of the bread, as smoothly as you can.
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Ice the bread top and sides with peanut butter,  smoothing the peanut butter with a warm knife.

Slice the banana lengthwise for the roof; I  think the cross cut of a banana looks fun but you could use apple, mandarin orange bits, or dried apricots.

Make the windows using  two round slices of banana, cross them with cut cranberries (or jam, raisins, chocolate sauce)

Make the door, I used a small crispy crunch chocolate bar. ( or a bit of apple, cookie, cheese)

Add a tiny blob of jam for the doorknob. (or a chocolate chip, raisin)

Finish the plate with celery tops trees. (or broccoli bushes, grapes, strawberries)

I typically finish the lunch with cut veggies, cut fruit, and potato chips because I am Grama after all.

Slice veggies into small pieces for little hands, serve in a pretty dish, or a small jam jar with the dip on the bottom.  For today I mixed plain yogurt 1:1 with poppy seed dressing.

Happy Snacking.

Leanna