Birthday Slumber Party Food Ideas

Making succesful party food is all about keeping it fun and simple.

Slumber parties, or more realistically, up-all-night parties are a fun way for kids to feel grown up, especially when it's also a birthday party. Match the mood by serving grown-up snacks and treats.

Fruit Spritzer

It looks like an adult cocktail, but it's just juice.

Combine 3 1/2 liters of ginger ale and 2 quarts of orange juice in a large mixing bowl. Slice two oranges and drop the slices into the bowl. Add maraschino cherries on top of the sliced oranges. Serve the drink with a ladle into plastic cocktail glasses. Place a cocktail umbrella in the cup to top off the drink.

Turkey and Cheese Rolls

Wrap a slice of iceberg lettuce around string cheese. Wrap a slice of turkey around the lettuce. The lettuce gives a nice crunch to this party favorite. Serve with Dijon or honey mustard.

Fruit Kabobs or "Fruishi"

Fresh fruit is sweet, but won't cause a sugar rush.

Spear pieces of fruit -- such as grapes, sliced strawberries and melon -- with a toothpick. Serve with yogurt or whipped cream. Fruishi is like sushi, but with fruit instead of fish. Place sliced fruit on top of a small bed of rice. Drizzle with strawberry sauce or jam.

Easy Breezy Petit Fours

Add sprinkles to make your cake colorful.

Traditional petit four recipes take about a day to complete. To keep it simple, make a white or yellow cake by following the cooking instructions on the box. Once the cake has cooled, cut it into 1-inch pieces. Use cookie cutters to make different shapes -- like squares, hearts and circles. Cover the cake bites with icing. Decorate with flower-shaped candy.

References

• Kaboose: Fruit Spritzer