You’ve been waiting for the big day to arrive since they were born – your nieces and nephews are finally old enough for a sleepover at your house. The Bee movie is rented, the Spongebob sheets are clean, and you even found your old Candyland. But you haven’t a clue what to feed them.

It’s best to do some homework first. Most children have their own eating styles, tastes and habits. And as much as you’d like to spoil them rotten, you also want to keep them well-fed during your time together.

So, before the big night, collect as much information as you can from their parents. Here are some tips on what to ask so that all bases are covered:

-- Get a medical update. Always check in to see if they’ve developed any food allergies or intolerances.
-- Make a list of their favorite foods. Some kids have very limited tastes so get an idea of their likes and dislikes to keep meals fun and peaceful.
-- Adapt your style to the kids. Not the only way around. Find out what they usually eat on the weekends and keep their meal routine familiar – it might be hard for them to be away from home so stick to what they know.
-- Time it right and prepare ahead. Find out what time they usually eat dinner and breakfast and keep a few snacks on hand so that you don’t end up with cranky kids while you’re trying to cook a three course meal.
-- Determine how much they eat. Some kids just don’t eat much and others devour everything. Although it’s not your job to regulate how much they consume, it’s a good idea to find out how much they usually eat per meal.  Don’t worry! Although it’s easy to be concerned, it’s okay if all they eat is popcorn and cereal the entire time you’re together. They will go home happy and content – with only good memories of their slumber party with Savvy Auntie.

Quick snacks to keep on hand: Bananas, apple slices, crackers, baby carrots, red peppers, hummus, edamame (in the pods – they love it), applesauce, popcorn, string cheese, yogurt, low-sugar cereal, and chocolate milk.

Here are a couple of recipes that are easy to throw together. Instead of wasting precious time at the stove, both these meals can be cooked in the oven. And again, don’t worry if all they end up eating is some cheese and a little corn. They’ll love their Savvy Auntie no matter what’s for dinner!


Quick Bake Quesadillas

6 large flour tortillas
1 cup cheddar cheese, grated
Optional ingredients: black beans, corn, spinach

Preheat oven to 350º F. Sprinkle cheese (and optional ingredients) on half of the tortilla and fold over. Bake until cheese is melted for 8-10 minutes. Use pizza cutter to divide into wedges. If they won’t eat the corn inside the quesadillas, try serving plain canned corn as a side dish.

Serves 4
Active time: 10 minutes Total time: 20


Creamy Guacamole

While the quesadillas are baking, you can have the kids help prepare the guacamole.

2 ripe avocados
1 tablespoon of freshly squeezed lime juice
1 plum or on-the-vine tomato, gutted and dice
Kosher salt or sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Optional: a dash of crushed, fresh or dried garlic

Kids of Any Age: Cut avocados in half and remove pit. Scoop out avocado into a medium sized bowl. Mash with a fork and mix in lime juice until creamy consistency. Add salt and pepper, and garlic if desired. Gently fold in tomatoes only briefly stir.

For best results, chill for at least 30 minutes before eating. Serve on top of quesadillas or with tortilla chips.

Kid Tip:
This entire dish can be made used a butter knife so it’s safe for all ages to prepare but younger kids might need help holding the slippery avocado while it’s being cut.

Serves 4
Active time: 15 minutes


Make-Ahead Vanilla Orange French Toast

After your nieces and nephews go to bed, you can whip this up and throw it in the fridge!

1/8 cup (1/4 stick) butter, room temperature
12 3/4-inch-thick slightly stale bread slices (brioche or challah bread are good choices)
6 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk (or soymilk for kids that are lactose intolerant)
4 tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon orange juice
Zest of half an orange (after zesting, slice up orange to serve as a fruit side dish)
1/2 teaspoon salt
Powdered sugar

Spread butter over bottom of heavy large baking pan with 1-inch-high sides. Arrange bread slices in pan. Beat eggs, milk, syrup, vanilla, orange juice, zest and salt to blend in large bowl. Pour mixture over bread. Turn bread slices to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat oven to 400°F. Bake French bread 10 minutes. Turn bread over and continue baking until just golden, about 4 minutes longer. Transfer cooked toast to plates and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Serve immediately with all-natural maple syrup.

Serves 4
Active time: 15 minutes  Total time: 30 minutes (not including marinating overnight)

Recipes by Julie Negrin