Mini Picnic Foods

[10 Minutes]

The word picnic is derived from the French "pique-nique" which translates to " a fashionable social gathering when each party contributes to a share of the (provisions)". During the 18th century, picnics took place amongst the English and French (aristocracy). Carriages filled with servants, fine china, crystal, baskets of delicacies were driven to a lush location in the woods, where the festivities were held. Plan a modern day picnic to enjoy at a favorite spot.

You'll need:

• hard-boiled eggs • tuna salad • cucumbers • lemons • lemonade • long, thin carrot sticks • cubes of ham and cheese • mini-macaroni salad (made with tiny macaroni) • kiwi fruit • blueberries or grapes • plastic knives • drinking straws cut into thirds

What to do:

1. Talk with your child about having a picnic where everything is in miniature. Work together to prepare the food.
2. Have your child slice the cucumbers to make "mini-plates." She can put a scoop of the mini-macaroni salad on the cucumber "plates."
3. Show her how to slice the eggs in half lengthwise. Scoop out the yolks and add either tuna or mini-macaroni salad. The whites of the eggs will be mini-bowls for the salads.
4. She can make kabobs by pushing ham and cheese onto the carrot sticks.
5. Help her make mini fruit bowls by slicing a kiwi in half, scooping out the center pulp, and cutting it into cubes. Let her combine it with blueberries or grapes and put it back in the kiwi shell. Trim a little off the bottom to make it stand.
6. Cut the lemons in half.
7. Help your child scoop out the pulp, and add the pulp to the lemonade. Trim the bottom of the lemon to make it stand too. Let your child carefully pour in the lemonade. Add a tiny straw and sip.

How to use:

1. If you wish, just try one part of the mini-picnic foods at a time.
2. One day, try mini-lemonade; another day, mini-bowls of salad; and so on.

Let's Talk: Ideas to Explore Together.

• Why do we call these foods, "mini foods"?
• Of all the picnic foods we made, what is your favorite?
• Can you think of another mini-food we didn't include?

Useful information:

While you are preparing food together, this activity provides experiences for developing concepts related to the five senses and the basics of food preparation.