St. Patrick’s Day is one that is well celebrated in our family. I’d say it’s one of my favorite holidays, but in all honesty, I love each of them and any excuse to celebrate! Growing up, my mom, the original memory maker, would go all out each year with a huge corned beef dinner and would dye everything in sight bright green. The best part was that she isn’t even Irish, she just loved celebrating my dad’s heritage and creating something fun for her children. When I married my husband (who has the unmistakably Irish last name of “Walsh”), it was March and only two days after St. Patrick’s Day, and of course there were some subtle nods to the Emerald Isle and both of our families included.
There are several great St. Patrick’s Day posts in the Birmingham Mom’s Blog archives. You can find out more about the life of St. Patrick and some great crafts and festive ideas here, and there is this fun one about Anna’s memorable trip to Ireland. This year, I’ve collected a bunch of recipes, treats, and decoration ideas that are easy, joyful ways to celebrate with your people. And since the go-to color is green, I’ve included a few healthy recipes and even a few notes for making them allergy-friendly.
Celebrating St. Patrick’s Day with Your Family
Lucky Charms Pancakes
Okay, I’m kicking this list off with a showstopper! How amazing is this stack of pancakes?! I love the idea of surprising everyone with this over-the-top breakfast treat (or pancakes for dinner!)
Lucky Charms Treats
This is a fast and crowd pleasing treat! It’s basically just Rice Krispies treats, but with Lucky Charms cereal instead. I once made these for a St. Patrick’s Day party with friends and wrapped them in cello bags to use as favors. P.S.– Lucky Charms cereal is now gluten-free!
Gluten-free Irish Soda Bread Muffins
Irish soda bread is such a simple and cozy baked good, and the hearty texture makes this gluten-free recipe a real winner. This would be the perfect breakfast served with scrambled eggs and fresh fruit.
Healthy Shamrock Shake (Gluten-free/Sugar-free)
My toddler isn’t big about eating raw veggies, but I tell you, if I blend them up with some fruit and serve it to him with a straw, he will drink the entire thing. Some kiddos aren’t a fan of the green color, but on St. Patrick’s Day, this smoothie might be worth a try!
Green Goddess Dip with Veggies (Gluten-free/Vegan)
Another “throw green things into the blender” recipe, somewhere between guacamole and a ranch dip, this green goddess dip is so pretty, and you can serve it with more greens (celery, cucumbers, snow peas, etc.) or chips.
Shepherd’s Pie (Gluten-free)
This is one of my husband’s all time favorite meals. Often, I’ll double the recipe and put the second dish into the freezer for another night. I almost always have the ingredients on hand, and it’s such a good main dish! (I always add extra veggies, either mixed veggies from the freezer or whatever I need to use out of my fridge.)
Corned Beef and Cabbage
Here it is! The classic dish for your St. Patrick’s Day table. I happen to love corned beef and cabbage, and this crock-pot version couldn’t be easier.
Pretzel Bites
Melt chocolate chips or colored candy coating wafers, transfer into a plastic sandwich bag, snip the top, then squeeze into the center of windowpane pretzels to create these fun pretzel bites. Little hands can help you press a green m&m into the center. Gluten-free pretzels, allergy-friendly chocolate, and natural green candies can also be used!
Creamy Potato Soup
This is delicious, filling, and couldn’t be easier with the slow-cooker involved. It’s yummy enough to serve on its own, or you can add toppings like bacon, green onion, and extra cheese for a “loaded baked potato” style soup.
Green and Gold Table Decor
I love the little holiday themed banners in the Target Dollar Spot—they add a sweet little touch to the room and are usually about three bucks. You can find a faux green grass table cover in the party supplies aisle (it may be near the sports theme), and then place little potted plants (bonus points if they’re shamrocks or clovers) down the middle of your table with plastic gold coins sprinkled throughout. My son is obsessed with balloons right now, so I will probably grab a few in green and clear (my favorite color balloon) to place around the room. And there you have it: a cute, easy, and festive table-scape.