St. Patricks Day Tea Party With Kids

There is nothing more fun than having a St. Patrick's Day Tea Party with your kids!

I love playing pretend with our kids, whether it is during a tea party or while we are just playing outside, because it does wonders for their imagination (and it is a great way to sneak in some mini-lessons!)

Having a tea party is easy, and so much fun! Let's start with the cucumber sandwiches, and their origin story!

Back in the 1870's, a group of British Army Officers took refuge in a tea house. In order to cool themselves down, they indulged in a meal that would quench their thirst: dainty, crustless, light sandwiches with paper-thin slices of cucumber and a cup of hot tea.  

They brought that little meal idea back to their home, and it quickly became a pre-dinner snack for the upper class (it was too expensive of a snack for the lower class, because it contained little nutritional value, and was not worth the money) – according to Telegraph.

Before you begin, be sure to let your kids really get into character!  Let them dress up with their Sunday Best and their hats, 'party shoes', and white gloves, if they have them! You can join in the fun, too! 

How To Make a Cucumber Tea Sandwich:

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Ingredients: 

• Soft white bread (the softer, the better)
• 1 thinly sliced cucumber (peeling is optional)
• Softened unsalted butter or softened herbed butter, with this recipe from The Spruce Eats
• A very small pinch of salt for the cucumbers
• 1/2 cup vinegar (to soak the cucumbers)

Directions:  

• Place the  cucumber slices in the vinegar for 30 minutes, to soak.
• Drain the cucumbers. Pat dry with paper towel.
• Sprinkle cucumbers very lightly with salt.
• Spread butter evenly, and very thinly, on every other slice of bread.
• Place the sliced cucumber in one or two layers on on slice of buttered bread. Top with an un-buttered slice of bread. Cover one side of the sandwich with sliced cucumber in one to two layers.
• Cut off the crusts and slice into rectangles. Each sandwich will yield three mini sandwiches. Pair with tea and sugar cubes (you could even splurge on these shamrock sugar cubes!)

Desserts Fit For a St. Patrick's Day Tea Party

Yes, the delicate cucumber tea sandwiches are delicious, but we all know that dessert is the hit of any party! 

Place the sandwiches on the bottom of a DIY cupcake tower, like this one from Your Modern Family, and place a tasty dessert on the top. 

These sandwiches go great with your favorite cupcakes. Vanilla cupcakes with white icing and edible  green dots, or green frosting, to keep to the simplicity of the tea. You can make it a little more festive and make these rainbow cupcakes!

 

Making a Tea Party Allergy-Friendly

The best part of hosting your own tea party, is knowing exactly what will be in the food. As an allergy mom, this is priceless! 

You can easily make the cucumber tea sandwiches gluten free, by using gluten free bread. Udi's is one of my favorite gluten free brands! Aldi also has yummy gluten free bread.

Double check that the vinegar you are using is gluten free vinegar, as well.

To accommodate a dairy sensitivity or dairy allergy, use your favorite dairy free bread, as well as dairy free cream cheese and dairy free butter.

For desserts, make dairy free and gluten free cupcakes with this yummy cupcake mix, frosting, and sprinkles!

There are so many delicious allergy-friendly substitutes to make your St. Patrick's Day tea party one they will remember! 

 

More St. Patrick's Day Fun!

Follow up your St. Patrick's Day tea party with some amazing St. Patrick's Day crafts and recipes! 

• St. Patrick's Day Shake
• 20 Yummy St. Patrick's Day Desserts
• Over 100 St. Patrick's Day Crafts and Activities

 

Comment below with St. Patrick's Day traditions you share with your kids each year!

The post St. Patricks Day Tea Party With Kids appeared first on Kids Activities Blog.

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