Christmas cooking doesn't have to mean spending hours in the kitchen. In fact, some of the best festive treats are the ones made by little hands, with a bit of help from Mum, Dad or a willing camp cook.
From mixing and rolling to decorating and assembling, these easy Christmas recipes give little campers the chance to get involved in the festive fun. They're simple, creative and guaranteed to bring a few smiles to the Christmas table.
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Santa-Nanas
If you need a quick Christmas snack that doubles as a fun activity for the kids, Santa-Nanas are hard to beat. Made with bananas, strawberries and a few sweet finishing touches, they're easy to assemble, require no cooking and look great on the Christmas table. They're perfect for Christmas morning, an afternoon snack or keeping little campers entertained while lunch is being prepared.
Ingredients:
You'll also need a few skewers and a plate or serving board to display your festive creations.
Method:
Peel the bananas and cut them in half.
Insert a skewer through the flat end of each banana.
Cut the big marshmallows in half and remove the tops from the strawberries.
Slide the marshmallow onto the skewer, followed by the strawberry to create Santa's hat.
Add a small marshmallow on top as the pom-pom.
Place two raisins on the banana for eyes and a red M&M for Santa's nose.
Repeat until you've created a whole crew of Santa-Nanas.
Little Tacker Tip: If your junior chefs are too young to handle the cutting and skewering, make sure an adult tackles those steps first.
Chrissy Chocolate Baubles
Looking for a festive treat that's as fun to make as it is to eat? These Christmas Chocolate Baubles are a no-bake favourite that little campers can help create from start to finish. Made with crushed biscuits, condensed milk and colourful decorations, they're the perfect addition to your Christmas spread and a great way to keep the kids entertained during the festive season.
Ingredients:
You'll also need a mixing bowl and a plate or tray to place your finished baubles on.
Method:
Crush the biscuits into fine crumbs and add them to a mixing bowl.
Pour in the condensed milk and stir until the mixture comes together.
Roll the mixture into bite-sized balls.
Coat each ball in desiccated coconut or festive sprinkles.
Place on a tray and chill until ready to serve.
Little Tacker Tip: Getting the biscuits crushed can be a tough job for little hands, so call in an adult helper if needed. Then it's over to the kids for the best part... rolling and decorating the baubles!
Christmas Cheese Board
A Christmas cheese board is one of the easiest festive foods to create and a great recipe for kids because there are no rules. Little campers can get creative arranging different ingredients into the shape of a Christmas tree while practising their food styling skills at the same time. It's quick, colourful and makes an impressive centrepiece for Christmas lunch, nibbles around the campsite or a festive family gathering.
Ingredients:
This is very much a choose-your-own-adventure recipe. Mix and match your favourite ingredients, including:
You'll also need a cheese board, serving platter or chopping board.
Method:
Cut your ingredients into a variety of shapes and sizes.
Begin assembling the base of your Christmas tree.
Layer ingredients upwards to create the tree shape.
Alternate colours and textures as you go to make the board pop.
Finish with a star-shaped cracker, cheese slice or fruit piece on top.
Little Tacker Tip: Leave the chopping to an adult if younger kids are helping out.
Christmas Star Sandwiches
Who says Christmas treats have to be sweet? These Christmas Star Sandwiches are a fun way to add a little festive magic to lunchtime. Kids can choose their favourite fillings, build their own sandwiches and use a star-shaped cookie cutter to create a Christmas-worthy snack that's almost too good to eat.
Ingredients:
This recipe is all about building your perfect sandwich, so feel free to mix and match your family's favourite fillings. Need some inspiration? Here are a few ideas to get you started:
Don't forget a star-shaped cookie cutter. It's the secret ingredient that'll turn an ordinary sandwich into a festive star worthy of Santa himself.
Method:
Build the sandwiches using your favourite fillings.
Lay the sandwiches flat on a chopping board.
Press the star-shaped cookie cutter firmly into the centre of each sandwich.
Carefully remove the excess crusts and reveal your festive star.
Arrange on a plate and serve.
Little Tacker Tip: If younger children are helping, lend a hand with preparing the fillings and pressing out the star shapes to keep the activity fun and frustration-free.
No-Bake Christmas Biscuits
Looking for an easy Christmas dessert without turning on the oven? These no-bake Christmas biscuits are simple to make, easy to customise and almost too cute to eat. Little ones will love decorating their own festive characters, making this recipe just as much an activity as it is a sweet treat.
Reindeer Biscuits
Ingredients:
Method:
Spread a generous layer of Nutella over an oval biscuit.
Add the lolly eyes.
Place a Strawberry Cream in the centre for the nose.
Add pretzels or Tiny Teddies at the top to create antlers.
Snowman Biscuits
Ingredients:
Method:
Spread vanilla frosting over a round biscuit.
Sprinkle with desiccated coconut.
Add the lolly eyes.
Create a smile using raisins.
Cut a small triangle of apricot for the carrot nose and place it in the centre.
Little Tacker Tip: Set up a decorating station and let the kids build their own Christmas characters. It's half cooking, half Christmas craft session!
Getting the kids involved in Christmas food prep is a great way to add a little extra fun to the festive season. With five easy recipes that are big on creativity and light on complexity, there's plenty to keep little hands busy while creating some tasty Christmas treats along the way.
Still ticking names off your Christmas gift list? We've got gift ideas for him, her, the kids and even the four-legged family members, plus Secret Santa picks and gift cards for those hard-to-buy-for legends.
About the author
BCFing Experts
The BCFing Experts have done more than their fair share of boating, camping, fishing, hiking, four-wheel driving and much much more! Whether you're tackling tough tracks in Tassie or chasing big barra up North, the BCFing Experts have the know-how to make your next outdoor adventure a pearler
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