DIY Play with Your Food Plates

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I absolutely love summer. Everything is so much more laid back, and we spend pretty much every spare second outside {which is a good thing, because I just found out that June was Get Outdoors month! Who knew? Also, just as an FYI, July 14 is Macaroni and Cheese Day. You all know how I love my random food holidays!}. Whether it’s hiking in the mountains, playing at the pool or just hanging out in the backyard, I love doing things that you can’t do when you’re cooped up in your house all winter. Like playing with your food while eating outside on the deck.

Because who doesn’t love eating outside? And don’t even get me started on playing with your food, because that is the most fun ever.

So when you can combine the two, it’s pretty much heaven on Earth in our house.

To make things even more fun, I decided to make some cute Play with Your Food plates. I made a couple of funny faces, and a fun little outdoor scene.

These are so easy, pretty much anyone can make these.

All you need is some plain white oven-safe plates and some food-safe ceramic markers. {I got mine on Etsy, but if you have trouble finding them, you could always use clear glass plates and draw your design on the back with regular paint pens.}

Just draw your design right onto the plate.

I tried to make pretty basic face shapes with just eyes, nose and mouth, because you want your kids {or you — I’m not going to lie, I love using these plates!} to be able to use their food to add the details like hair, eyebrows, ears, mustaches… whatever.

If you mess up, just use a Q-tip dipped in rubbing alcohol to erase the mistake and then keep going!

Once you’re happy with your creation, bake your plates according to the directions on your markers. For mine, it was 375 degrees for 40 minutes.

Then, let your kids go crazy with their food! Mealtime is a playground when these plates come out.

We love using these with macaroni and cheese, and especially — since I’m trying to pay more attention to what we’re eating these days — Back to Nature Mac & Cheese.

I get it at Target {since I’m there about 14 times a week, give or take, it’s super convenient}, right with the rest of the boxed dinners, and my kids love it.

It has no artificial flavors, preservatives or synthetic colors which makes me happy. This time, we got the Back to Nature Made with Organic Pasta Macaroni and Cheese Dinner and the Made with Organic Pasta Spirals & White Cheddar Macaroni and Cheese Dinner, but they also have some really fun shapes, like Made with organic pasta Crazy Bugs Macaroni & Cheese Dinner and Made with Organic Pasta Silly Sea Life Macaroni & Cheese Dinner.

David made his guy look a little evil with his goatee and grumpy eyebrows.

Naturally, Connor created a sweet little outdoor scene with a fun little sun, flowers and macaroni and cheese tree {which, as an aside, should exist in real life. Just sayin’.}.

But I think Mason’s was my favorite {even though he wasn’t being remarkably cooperative with the photos, and complaining that it was “too sunny.” On a cloudy day. With no sun whatsoever. Yeah, it was one of those days.} I seriously cracked up every time I looked at his little mac and cheese guy. I think he looks like he should live in Whoville.

They all loved these plates so much, and thought it was the coolest thing ever that not only was I allowing them to play with their food, I was actually encouraging it. I might have to make some more, just to see what other things they can make with them!

For more on Back to Nature Mac & Cheese, be sure to like them on Facebook. Let me know what kind of Play with Your Food Plate you’d make for your kids!

 

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