Italian Treats for Children?

March 18, 2009 9:37 AM

What are some good Italian-themed treats for children?

I lead an Italian club in an afterschool program one afternoon a week, where we do a combination of art, language, and cultural themed activities. I have one lesson fully devoted to food (where we are going to make pasta from scratch), but I am looking for quick, easy, and inexpensive treats I can give the kids (1st-3rd graders) after each week's lesson.

I lived in Italy for 2 years and can think of tons of great products, which are not easily available here in the states, or even Chicago. Aside from some nut-less biscotti, can anyone suggest other ideas? I can cook stuff at home, but I am ideally looking for something a bit less time consuming.

posted by shrimpsmalls to food & drink (13 comments total)

Breaded cheese sticks with marinara sauce. Many different brands sell frozen versions that you can heat in the oven/microwave.
posted by Burhanistan at 9:42 AM on March 18

Italian ice?

(I'm not certain this is really Italian)
posted by orme at 9:45 AM on March 18

Spumoni? If you have a freezer, just get a gallon of chocolate ice cream, another of pistachio and one of black cherry.
posted by misha at 9:46 AM on March 18

Polenta is really quick and easy to make, and incredibly cheap if you make it with regular stone-ground cornmeal instead of fancy imported polenta which is the same damn thing.

Olives, Almonds (both native, can tie it into a lesson about native crops)

Focaccia dipped in olive oil

Amaretti cookies & Pizzelles (I've seen both these in bog standard American groceries stores)

Pannettone (I hate it, but I know they sell it at trader Joe's)

Bruscetta

My lunch stromboli just got delivered, so I guess I'm finished!
posted by Juliet Banana at 9:50 AM on March 18

Oh, antipasti! This can be as simple as assembling a platter of cold cuts and jarred items like roasted red peppers, olives, and artichokes. There's a million ideas for items here.
posted by Juliet Banana at 9:55 AM on March 18

Zeppole or sfinge -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zeppole
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 10:12 AM on March 18

What about torrone? It might not work if any of your kids have nut allergies, but around the holidays there are always a couple of boxes of individually wrapped pieces in assorted flavors laying about. My favorites are the ones made by La Florentine, but DeLallo makes them, too.
posted by alynnk at 10:16 AM on March 18

In Giada DeLaurentiis' latest cookbook, she has a whole section devoted to foods aimed at kids. Some desserts in there, as far as I recall.
posted by cmgonzalez at 10:26 AM on March 18

Sfingi! Great kid finger food dessert ... stock up on the wipes, they're sticky!
posted by thinkpiece at 11:05 AM on March 18

Pizzelle? My grandma made them on the stove, but my aunt has something like an electric waffle iron for them.
posted by peagood at 12:11 PM on March 18

Nutella!
posted by pised at 1:19 PM on March 18

Thanks everyone. I will check out giada's cookbook and take advantage of all of these suggestions throughout the semester. The school, like most schools, has a no-nut policy for anything and everything even if no allergies exist in the class.

Also, unfortuntaely, most of our favorite italian-american food (garlic breadsticks, bread dipped in oil and cheese, etc.) are not the real thing. I am trying to show the kids what real italians eat (i.e. bufala, olives) instead of just domino's, withought inadvertently sending them home to their parents as food snobs. I think the love of pizza is what made most of the kids sign up for the club in the first place.
posted by shrimpsmalls at 2:56 PM on March 18

I'm Italian-American, and I've never been to Italy, so some of what I'm used to might not be authentic Italian: cannoli, tiramisu, or gelato? And definitely when I think Italy, I think cheese, so I think a selection of Italian cheeses could be fun. Do you have any Italian grocery stores near you? I have one, and I'm trying to think of some of the things I get. I buy a lot with hazelnuts, but I imagine that would fall under the no-nut policy. I'm thinking of all the bottled Italian sodas, lemonades, and similar beverages. That might be kid-friendly and different enough for it to be a bit of an adventure. I guess as far as more savory foods.. bruschetta?
posted by Mael Oui at 8:40 PM on March 18