Sweet Potato Cake, Pilgrim Cheese Sticks…Thanksgiving Treats Your Kids Might Eat!

As we prepare for our kid’s table this Thanksgiving, we are thinking of ways to ward off hunger pains before our evening meal is served! Your kids might find these afternoon treats to their liking!

Sweet Potato Cake

This cake can also be made into miniature muffins for a bite-sized snack for mid-afternoon!

Ingredients you’ll need:

1/2 cup of oil

1/2 cup of applesauce

2 eggs

1 cup of sugar

1/2 cup honey (if serving to children under age 1, use 1/2 cup brown sugar instead)

1/4 c. milk

2 large sweet potatoes (cooked and mashed – can also used pumpkin puree if desired)

1 tsp. vanilla

3 tsp. cinnamon

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

2 cups oat flour (all-purpose flour can also be used)

1/2 cup oats

1/2 cup pecans (optional)

Mix oil, applesauce, sugar, honey, and eggs together in a large mixing bowl.  Stir in the sweet potatoes and milk.  Add the vanilla and cinnamon.  In a separate bowl, mix the oat flour, baking soda, salt, nuts, and oats together.   Add the dry ingredients and stir well.

Bake in a greased 9×13 cake pan at 350 degrees for 40 min. or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.   For mini muffins, bake at 400 degrees for 12-15 minutes (depending on rack placement and variation in oven temps).

Our kids love this cake and it is more nutritional than most harvest recipes.  The muffins will go fast!

Cinnamon-Sugar Pumpkin Seeds

Rinse and thoroughly dry pumpkin seeds.  Make a cinnamon-sugar mixture according to individual taste.  Place the pumpkin seeds on a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet and spray lightly with canola oil.  Have the kids help sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mixture on top of the seeds (hint – a salt shaker works wonderfully!)  Roast in a 250 degree oven for 40-60 min. (stirring once while roasting).  These seeds smell great while baking.  It sets the mood for a fabulous feast!

Pilgrim Cheese Stick Food Craft for Kids

Materials needed:  any kind of wrapped cheese stick and Wikki Stix.

This is a fun food craft for kids to make on Thanksgiving Day!  You’ll need black, white, and yellow Wikki Stix to make the decorations.  The Wikki Stix will adhere to the cheese stick wrapper so no glue will be necessary!

The pilgrim’s hat can be made from a square and molded for the brim.  Older kids can assist the younger ones in designing the Pilgrim’s hat.  Use the yellow Wikki Stix for the hat’s buckle.  The children can use markers for the eyes, nose, and mouth (or create them from Wikki Stix).  The Pilgrim’s belt is made from two small black pieces of Wikki Stix with a yellow buckle.  For more kid’s activities for Thanksgiving Day, we have free printables and activities available here!

We hope your kids will enjoy the treats as much as ours did!  They are fun (and FESTIVE) to make, create, and EAT!