Easy Green Food Recipes for St. Patrick's Day

With the luck of the Irish and little leprechauns rounding the corner, green food is the perfect way to celebrate, have fun, honor the little guys and just have something good and fun to eat on St. Patrick's Day.

I was always into holiday treats for all holidays. Just seemed to make the holiday last a little longer as you could "take it with you" during the day if it was something to eat! When my kids were little, even though I was a working mother, I still made a nutritionally healthy breakfast for them and seldom did I hear a complaint about the breakfast meal! Now, with 2 grandchildren, I sometimes get to carry on my personal tradition of fun things to eat during the holidays! Who would have thought a little bit of green food would create such a wonderful tradition and happy memories for years to come!

Here are some great and quick ideas for green St. Patrick's Day food that either don't require a recipe at all or just a ready-made box mix with instructions.

Leprechaun Cereal!!! When my kids were young, one liked oatmeal and the other liked Cream of Wheat and neither would budge to change so I had to make both. No big deal as I just added a few drops of green food coloring to their hot cereal and they just loved it! What a bright smile came to their faces when they saw that happy, green, Leprechaun cereal surprise! I also added things like chocolate chips, mini marshmallows, sprinkles/gemmies, flaked coconut... whatever garnishment they liked. I also would often put a birthday size candle in the cereal that they got to blow out before they started eating and it all was just a wonderful, healthy way to start the day! I seldom had any eating issues at breakfast time! Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Green Sugar cookies: just make your usual favorite sugar cookie recipe, but just before you add the dry ingredients to the wet, add a few drops of green food coloring to the wet ingredients, mix it all nice and smooth, then incorporate the wet and dry ingredients together. Now you have green Sugar Cookie dough and with the cookie cutters close at hand, you've got St. Patrick's Day sweets in the green!

Drinks: Who says you can't drink green? Add a few drops of green food coloring to white milk or just to a regular bottle of water! Your child will be the talk of the table when they take out a water bottle at lunch time filled with green "St. Patrick's Day Elixir" or "Leprechaun Juice"!

Green Ice Cubes... yes, just add a few drops of green food coloring to water and pour the water into your ice cubes trays. These days, you will probably have to buy some ice cube trays, but keep them handy - you can use them at every holiday - just change the color!

Noodles, Rice and Pasta: Whether you make it from scratch or just use a quick box mix, the recipe or instructions all call for water. Add a few drops of green food color to the water before you add the water to your rice, noodles or pasta mixture. Once cooked, you've got beautiful green side dish that will be a hit to all ages! It will be a nice change of pace to an otherwise average meal!

Homemade Bake Bread: Whether mixing by hand or using a bread machine, add a few drops of green food color to the water before you add the water to the dry ingredients. In addition to that wonderful, smile instigating aroma that homemade bread always creates, you'll have a wonderful loaf of green "leprechaun bread" that will make the kids jump like leprechaun's!

Pancakes and waffles: Add a few drops of green food color to the batter, mix completely to blend it all together then pour on to the skillet or waffle iron and you will have green pancakes or waffles. Add luscious maple syrup, showered with white powder sugar with a few green sprinkles on top - boy, oh boy, what kid of ANY age wouldn't want that sitting in front of them for breakfast on St. Patrick's Day!

And the list goes on.. Generally speaking, you can add green food coloring to any dish, treat or side line dish that has. Happy St Patrick's Day everyone!