Grilled Cheese Plate for a Family Friendly St. Patrick’s Day

Let’s face it… Sure, there are the shamrocks and leprechauns, but St. Patrick’s Day isn’t always the most family friendly holiday.  After all, giving a child a pint of Guiness isn’t exactly what most of us would consider good parenting (or legal, for that matter).

So, since there is nothing I’d love more than to go to bed at 8:00pm on St. Paddy’s Day (no Guiness for me, either!), I set out to find a more family friendly way to celebrate the holiday.  Not only was I lucky enough to win a year’s supply of cheese and butter from Kerrygold at last summer’s Big Summer Potluck, I also got a package of St. Patrick’s Day party supplies (along with some coupons for more free cheese!) from Kerrygold, so I had everything I needed.

My original idea was to put together a cheese plate with a lovely selection of the fabulous (grass-fed!) cheeses. There’s nothing wrong with a cheese plate… They are fabulous and exciting for adults, and I do love me some cheese and wine. But, it wasn’t quite as family friendly as I would have liked.

Then it hit me… Everyone loves grilled cheese. Especially kids.  So, I made a grilled cheese plate.

Instead of serving a variety of cheese, I served a variety of grilled cheese sandwiches featuring different varieties of cheese, paired with apple butter and mustard.  You could also have beer or wine pairings for the adults, if you like. For the kids? Why not serve some chocolate milk with whipped cream on top for some kid-friendly pints!

Of course, Miss Madison is still a bit young to be snacking on grilled cheese (though, I fully intend to do this next year so that she can participate!)… But, she still joined in on the festivities.

Even though Madison hasn’t started solids yet, teaching her to try new foods and bold flavors is something that is constantly on my mind. So, while this is a fun St. Patrick’s Day idea, I think it is also a great way to get your kids to try new things. Kids might be a bit hesitant to try aged cheddar, but make it into a grilled cheese sandwich slathered with some apple butter? I think you might just have a budding foodie on your hands!

Want to have your own family friendly St. Paddy’s Day? Here are my suggestions for your very own grilled cheese plate party!

• Use good bread! I had a loaf of sourdough bread that I had baked the night before, so I used that for our grilled cheese sandwiches.  If you’re not a baker, just stop by a local bakery and pick up a nice loaf of bread.
• Get creative with your sandwiches! Of course, you can just do bread and cheese (and it’s tasty, don’t get me wrong!), but use this as a chance to experiment with flavors… And, get your kids to do the same! Here are a few of my favorites…
  • Irish Whiskey Cheddar with Pear Slices and Mustard
  • Aged Cheddar with Homemade Apple Butter
  • Swiss Cheese with Ham (and beer mustard on the side for the adults!)
  • Red Leicester (On its own… This stuff is creamy and fabulous!)
  • Dubliner with Apple Slices
• Have fun dipping! Grilled cheese is fun on its own (especially when it’s cut into little bite-sized pieces), but I think it’s even better when you have some tasty sauces to dip it in.  We enjoyed our grilled cheese with apple butter and mustard on the side, but your only limit is your imagination!
• Decorate! Wear green… And, get your kids involved in helping to decorate.  You can find inexpensive St. Patrick’s Day decorations at your local party store (or just about any store this time of year).

My Kitchen Addiction Product Review Policy and Disclosure–  I received a package of St. Patrick’s Day party essentials along with coupons for free Kerrygold cheese (in addition to winning a supply of butter and cheese for the year).  Unless otherwise specified, I do not accept monetary compensation for reviewing or writing about products. I only review products that I have personally tested and used in my kitchen/home, and all opinions expressed are my own.