Vegan Birthday Picnic

Birthday parties for children are always a challenge – from the first mob over-run parties at home, to the wised-up take the kids somewhere else, to our new model – individual choice parties: The kids get to invite a few close friends to a party of their own design.

At the end of February my daughter Yardena turned 10 yrs. old, a big birthday for children as they embrace the double digits which will accompany them for most of their lives! Yardena decided to have a picnic – never mind that it was February and bitter cold and snow everywhere – we would have it indoors!

view out the window

We transformed the garden room with some early bulbs in pots; hyacinths, paper whites and daffodils – the scent was exquisite and brought spring into the room. A checkered tablecloth on a low coffee table heightened the picnic atmosphere.

And the menu was vegan – so I have included the menu with the “child anonymous” picture above, to give you an idea of how one can entertain using vegan items, even for young children. If Yardena hadn’t told her friends, they would never have known it was vegan food.

Yardena’s Picnic Menu

Cowboy Cookies (p. 48 Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar, Moskowitz and Romero
Chocolaty Crinkle Cookies, (p. 43 ibid)
Peanut Butter Cupcakes (p. 59 Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World, Moskowitz/Romero
Organic Strawberries
Organic Blueberries
Veggie sausage with tomato and cucumber slices on toast rounds
Vegan Chicken Salad (from Whole Foods) finger sandwiches
Pots of TAZO “Calm” rosewater tea

Credits for baking both cookies go to Yardena’s brother Aryeh, who spelled Yardena’s name in icing on the chocolate cookies, and the cupcakes were baked by brother, Amnon. (Yes, I had it easy.) A good time was had by all and the children ate heartily and left well fed.

I hope this description of a vegan kid friendly birthday party will reassure anyone starting out that one can entertain and accommodate the expectations and palates of friends, even young children!