While it is still very much winter, spring is not too far off and one event that will act as a reminder of this is Shrove Tuesday, heralding the start of the pre-Easter season of Lent.
A season of religious observance for some and a chance to give up something unhealthy for others, Lent is marked in different ways. But one thing almost everyone does is eat pancakes on Shrove Tuesday. Suffice to say, your kids will be looking forward to some tasty treats.
Traditionally, pancakes in the UK are consumed with sugar and lemon, so much so that lemon juice firm Jif once produced an advert advising people: “Don’t forget the pancakes on Jif Lemon Day”.
If you are going to have a kids’ party, however, you clearly need more variety than this to ensure lots of interest and that everyone can try something they like. It can also, of course, be a good time to wear Children’s Party dresses, although they need to be ones that food stains wash out from easily!
The many pancake recipes out there include some savoury versions, which may not be top of most kids’ lists of ones to try, but are worth considering. The BBC Good Food Guide lists examples such as caramelised banana, blueberry, almond butter and cream, or a topping of berries and white chocolate.
Of course, this is just the tip of the iceberg. One simple option is to let the kids pick and mix. You could lay out various cuts of fruit, jams and spreads, as well as sweets such as jelly beans, hundreds and thousands or chocolate drops. Add a can or two of squirty cream and there may be some amazing toppings.
It may be that kids will not actually be giving anything up for lent themselves. But they can still have a memorable time creating some pancakes with the most spectacular toppings ever.