Hors d’oeuvres / Appetizers
- Sea Star Sandwich Bites
What it is: Star-shaped mini sandwiches (peanut butter and jelly, ham and cheese, etc.)
How to make:
- Make your sandwiches as usual.
- Use a star-shaped cookie cutter to cut out shapes.
- Optional: Use food-safe markers to draw eyes for fun sea creature faces.
Tray setup:
Place on a light blue tray or platter. Sprinkle a little goldfish crackers around them like “swimming friends.”
- Clam Crackers
What it is: Ritz crackers sandwiching a cream cheese filling with a candy “pearl.”
How to make:
- Mix softened cream cheese with a tiny bit of honey or jam (optional).
- Spread cream cheese on one cracker, then top with another at an angle (like a clam mouth).
- Place a small white candy (yogurt-covered raisin or pearl-like candy) in the middle for the “pearl.”
Tray setup:
Arrange on a bed of crushed graham crackers to look like sand. Add a couple of faux pearls or shells as decoration.
- Seaweed Dip with Coral Dippers
What it is: Green spinach or avocado dip with colorful veggie dippers.
How to make:
- Spinach Dip Recipe:
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayo
1 cup finely chopped cooked spinach
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
Salt to taste
Mix all and chill for 1 hour. - Serve with bell pepper strips, carrot sticks, and cauliflower “corals.”
Tray setup:
Use a clear bowl for the dip and place it in the center. Lay veggie dippers in a radial pattern like coral fans.
Main Dishes
- Octodogs
What it is: Hot dogs cut to look like octopuses.
How to make:
- Cut hot dogs in half.
- From the cut end, slice lengthwise to make 8 “legs” leaving about 1 inch at the top for the “head.”
- Boil or pan-fry. The legs curl as they cook.
- Use edible eyes or black sesame seeds for the face.
Tray setup:
Serve over a bed of blue-tinted spaghetti (“sea noodles”) or mashed potatoes.
- Mermaid Mac and Cheese Seashells
What it is: Mac and cheese using shell pasta, optionally colored with a hint of natural blue or green.
How to make:
- Cook shell pasta.
- Make cheese sauce:
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp flour
- 1.5 cups milk
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- Optional: Add a small amount of spirulina or spinach powder for a sea-green tint.
- Combine with shells.
Tray setup:
Serve in cupcake liners or sea-themed paper boats for easy grabbing. Garnish with a tiny umbrella pick.
- Fish Stick Boats
What it is: Fish sticks with triangle sails made from cheese or paper.
How to make:
- Cook frozen fish sticks according to package.
- Cut cheese slices into triangles.
- Use toothpicks to attach the cheese sails.
- Insert into each fish stick like a boat sail.
Tray setup:
Arrange them floating on a “sea” of mashed peas or corn kernels.
Desserts and Sweets
- Sand Dollar Sugar Cookies
What it is: Round sugar cookies with almond slivers arranged like sand dollars.
How to make:
- Use your favorite sugar cookie recipe.
- Roll dough into balls and flatten slightly.
- Press 5 almond slivers in a star shape on top.
- Bake as directed.
Tray setup:
Place on a platter dusted with crushed graham crackers for a sandy beach look.
- Ocean Jello Cups
What it is: Blue Jello with gummy fish, whipped cream waves.
How to make:
- Mix and chill blue raspberry Jello in clear cups until it begins to set.
- Gently push gummy fish into the Jello.
- Once fully set, top with whipped cream “waves.”
Tray setup:
Serve on a tray lined with a blue tablecloth and scattered with sea creature confetti.
- Mermaid Tail Cupcakes
What it is: Cupcakes topped with swirled frosting and mermaid tail toppers.
How to make:
- Bake your favorite vanilla or funfetti cupcakes.
- Mix blue, teal, and purple frosting into a piping bag for a swirled look.
- Pipe frosting and add edible glitter.
- Insert plastic or fondant mermaid tails.
Tray setup:
Use a tiered tray covered with fishnet and edible pearls or candy gems for a treasure-chest look.