Farmyard Fun Theme: Food Ideas

HORS D’OEUVRES

  1. Piggy in a Blanket Pens
  • Recipe: Mini sausages wrapped in crescent roll dough and baked until golden.
  • Appearance: Serve in “pen-style” rows in a wooden crate or basket lined with red-and-white check paper.
  • Individual Serving: Place in mini paper muffin cups, each with a toothpick sign reading “Pig Pen”.
  1. Chicken Coop Egg Cups
  • Recipe: Deviled eggs made with a mild yolk filling and decorated with paprika and olive slice eyes to resemble chicks.
  • Appearance: Set inside mini hay nest liners or cupcake wrappers.
  • Tray Set-Up: Arrange in a large oval tray surrounded by shredded lettuce to resemble grass.
  1. Veggie Patch Cups
  • Recipe: Small clear plastic cups filled with hummus or ranch dip, and carrot, celery, and cucumber sticks “planted” vertically.
  • Individual Serving: One cup per child.
  • Tray Set-Up: Display in a wooden crate labeled “Farmer’s Market”.
  1. Cornfield Popcorn
  • Recipe: Buttered or kettle popcorn served in mini paper cones or striped bags.
  • Appearance: Label as “Fresh-Picked Corn”.
  • Tray Set-Up: Set in a red wagon or wheelbarrow.

MAIN DISHES

  1. Barnyard Burgers
  • Recipe: Mini sliders with cheese, pickles, and ketchup on soft buns.
  • Appearance: Use red flags or barn-shaped picks for decoration.
  • Tray Set-Up: Stack in rows on wooden cutting boards or rustic trays.
  1. Moo Mac & Cheese Cups
  • Recipe: Creamy mac and cheese spooned into muffin tins and baked into handheld portions.
  • Appearance: Decorate with cow print flags.
  • Tray Set-Up: Line on a tray with a sign that says “From the Dairy Barn”.
  1. Chicken Feed Strips
  • Recipe: Mild chicken tenders breaded and baked (or air fried) for less mess.
  • Appearance: Serve with dipping sauces in small cups (honey mustard, ketchup, ranch).
  • Tray Set-Up: Use a tray with compartments labeled “Grain Feed”, “Cluckin’ Good”.
  1. Garden Patch Pizza Squares
  • Recipe: Flatbread or sheet pan pizzas with veggie toppings (or plain cheese) cut into squares.
  • Appearance: Use mini signs labeled “Farmer’s Harvest”.
  • Tray Set-Up: Layered rows on a wooden board.

DESSERTS & SWEETS

  1. Haystack Treats
  • Recipe: Crunchy no-bake cookies made with chow mein noodles and butterscotch or peanut butter.
  • Appearance: Molded into mini haystacks and topped with candy farm animals.
  • Tray Set-Up: Spread out on parchment-covered trays or straw-lined baskets.
  1. Cowprint Cupcakes
  • Recipe: Vanilla or chocolate cupcakes frosted with white icing and black fondant or piped spots.
  • Appearance: Top with cow face picks or black-and-white wrappers.
  • Tray Set-Up: Arranged in a spiral on a tiered tray labeled “Moo Moo Muffins”.
  1. Pig Pen Pudding Cups
  • Recipe: Chocolate pudding layered with crushed cookies and topped with gummy pigs or marshmallows.
  • Individual Serving: Clear cups with tiny wooden spoons.
  • Tray Set-Up: Set inside a shallow crate with a pig sign.
  1. Farm Fresh Fruit Kabobs
  • Recipe: Cubes of watermelon, grapes, strawberries, and cantaloupe on kid-friendly skewers.
  • Appearance: Alternate fruit colors for a rainbow effect.
  • Tray Set-Up: Stick skewers into a halved watermelon or a hay bale for a fun display.

Detailed Recipes

HORS D’OEUVRES

Piggy in a Blanket Pens

Ingredients:

  • 1 package mini sausages (cocktail franks)
  • 1 can refrigerated crescent roll dough
  • Optional: mustard or ketchup for dipping

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
  2. Unroll crescent dough and cut each triangle into 3 smaller strips.
  3. Wrap each mini sausage with a strip of dough, leaving ends exposed.
  4. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
  5. Bake for 12–15 minutes or until golden brown.
  6. Let cool slightly, then serve with dipping sauce if desired.

Veggie Patch Cups

Ingredients:

  • Carrot sticks
  • Celery sticks
  • Cucumber sticks
  • Cherry tomatoes (optional)
  • Ranch dressing or hummus
  • Small clear plastic cups

Instructions:

  1. Wash and slice vegetables into child-sized sticks.
  2. Spoon 2–3 tablespoons of ranch or hummus into the bottom of each cup.
  3. Insert a mix of vegetable sticks vertically so they look like growing plants.
  4. Chill until ready to serve.

MAIN DISHES

Moo Mac & Cheese Cups

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups elbow macaroni
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 2 cups milk
  • 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1 egg
  • Salt to taste
  • Non-stick spray

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Spray muffin tin with non-stick spray.
  2. Cook macaroni according to package directions; drain and set aside.
  3. In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute.
  4. Slowly add milk, whisking constantly until thickened (about 3–5 minutes).
  5. Stir in cheese until melted. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
  6. Beat in one egg. Mix in the cooked macaroni.
  7. Spoon mixture into muffin tin, filling each about 3/4 full.
  8. Bake for 20–25 minutes or until golden and set.
  9. Cool for 5 minutes before removing. Serve warm or room temperature.

Garden Patch Pizza Squares

Ingredients:

  • 1 sheet refrigerated pizza dough or flatbread
  • 1 cup pizza sauce
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella
  • Toppings: bell peppers, olives, mushrooms, mini pepperoni (optional)
  • Olive oil for brushing

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven according to dough package directions (usually 425°F).
  2. Roll out dough onto a baking sheet.
  3. Brush lightly with olive oil and pre-bake for 5 minutes.
  4. Spread sauce evenly over the surface.
  5. Add cheese and toppings.
  6. Bake for 10–12 minutes or until crust is golden and cheese is melted.
  7. Cool slightly and cut into small squares.

DESSERTS & SWEETS

Haystack Treats

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup butterscotch chips
  • 1/2 cup peanut butter
  • 2 cups chow mein noodles

Instructions:

  1. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt butterscotch chips in 30-second intervals, stirring in between.
  2. Stir in peanut butter until smooth.
  3. Add chow mein noodles and stir until coated.
  4. Drop by spoonfuls onto wax paper.
  5. Let sit until firm (about 1 hour) or chill to speed up.

Pig Pen Pudding Cups

Ingredients:

  • 1 package instant chocolate pudding
  • 2 cups milk
  • Crushed chocolate sandwich cookies (e.g., Oreos)
  • Gummy pigs or marshmallows
  • Clear plastic cups

Instructions:

  1. In a bowl, whisk pudding mix and milk for 2 minutes.
  2. Let set in the fridge for 5 minutes.
  3. Spoon pudding into cups (about 3/4 full).
  4. Sprinkle crushed cookies on top.
  5. Add a gummy pig or marshmallow on top to resemble a “pig in the mud”.
  6. Chill until ready to serve.

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