Good Food
type: channel
link: https://www.bbcgoodfood.com
date: 2026-01-29T11:14:33.000Z
update period: hourly
update frequency: 1
update base: 2000-01-01T12:00+00:00
items: How to throw a Galentine's Day party
items: New Year's Eve party ideas
items: How to make a paper snowflake
items: 10 freezable Christmas baking recipes
items: How to make salt dough Christmas decorations
items: Top 20 Christmas crafts for kids
items: The 10 best vegetarian Christmas party foods
items: 10 pumpkin recipes to make with kids
items: Top 20 after-school snacks for kids
items: 20 of the best indoor activities for kids

How to throw a Galentine's Day party
type: item
creator: Rachel Beckwith
subject: Guide
subject: How to
subject: Dinner party recipes
subject: Food for a crowd
subject: Rachel Beckwith
subject: recipes for a crowd
subject: Valentines day recipes
description: Celebrate with our Galentine's Day ideas on 13 February – the perfect alternative to Valentine’s Day, with delicious starters, mains and desserts to enjoy
encoded: Wondering how to host an alternative Valentine's Day party? Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to be a traditional meal for two – you can honour the season of love by sharing delicious food with as many guests as your table can manage. For inspiration, explore our party food, finger food, and canapé recipes – perfect for easy, crowdpleasing bites. Need something more substantial? Our feed-a-crowd recipes are ideal for big-batch meals that satisfy even the hungriest guests. Entertaining doesn’t have to be a hassle – with our easy entertaining recipes, hosting a memorable Valentine’s party is as stress-free as it is enjoyable. Galentine's Day party food ideas What is the meaning of Galentine's Day? Galentine's Day is a celebration of female friendship on 13 February. Invite friends, family and loved ones to a sophisticated dinner party. These handpicked recipes are achievable yet impressive, with just the right amount of pizzazz for the occasion. Discover our starter, main and dessert ideas. If you have a larger crowd to cater for and need more buffet-style recipes, try one of our sharing recipes. Starters To start, serve guests a few canapés and cocktails before they sit down to eat. Once they’re ready for their meal, a bowl of mussels with leeks & saffron makes for a luxurious appetiser. These shellfish are in season from October to March and are more affordable than oysters but still feel special. Alternatively, assemble a seafood cocktail platter. Everyone will enjoy creating their prawn cocktail precisely as they prefer. For veggies and vegans, this beetroot hummus one-platter-serves all will be a big hit and doesn’t require any cooking. Or pair sweet, peppery radishes with a zesty radish leaf and broad bean spread to make this light radish & broad bean bruschetta. For more ideas, visit our dinner party starter recipe collection. Main courses Keep the winter chills at bay with our traditional nihari – a slow-cooked spiced lamb stew from Pakistan. With just 20 minutes o…

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New Year's Eve party ideas
type: item
creator: Rachel Beckwith
subject: Family
subject: Guide
subject: How to
subject: family new year's eve
subject: family party
subject: new years eve party
subject: Rachel Beckwith
description: Celebrate New Year’s Eve by throwing a family party at home. Discover festive recipes, drinks and fun ideas to keep both kids and grown-ups entertained until midnight
encoded: Staying at home for New Year’s Eve is a popular choice for families, especially for those with younger children. You can save money by avoiding high-priced entertainment and enjoy a more relaxed evening at your own pace – and if the kids can’t quite keep their eyes open until midnight, it’s easier to bundle them off to bed in your own home. With just the right balance of nibbles, mocktails for the kids and a few games along the way, we think a family New Year’s Eve party at home can be great fun for everyone. New Year’s Eve party food Having an array of snacks and nibbles on hand is essential, from a moreish cheesy spinach & artichoke dip (with tortilla chips, hunks of bread and crudités) and mini sausage rolls to cheese & pesto rolls and fun easy hedgehog canapé skewers. You could also make rainbow fruit skewers and get the kids to help put them together. If you want to put on a buffet-style spread, you’ll find plenty of inspiration in our family New Year’s Eve collection – but you might want to feed the little ones something more substantial, too. New Year’s Eve family menu For a cosy family meal, try this creamy chicken stew – it’s a real crowd-pleaser, especially served alongside our smashed mini jackets. Or tuck into this fun onion bhaji sharing board, with a mixture of onion bhajis, green chutney, cucumber raita, pomegranate salad and mini poppadoms. New Year's Eve is hardly the time for epic amounts of washing-up, so take a look at our family winter traybake ideas for all-in-one recipes. Or, put the slow cooker to good use and make a hearty stew to warm up after watching the fireworks. Festive mocktails for kids The grown-ups might be drinking something fizzy and fun, but the kids don’t need to miss out. Whizz together these frozen blackberry smoothies or serve a simplified version of our faux fizz made with elderflower cordial instead of the base syrup. If your New Year’s Eve plans include stepping outside into the cold, warm up afterwards with a batch of mu…

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How to make a paper snowflake
type: item
creator: Rachel Beckwith
subject: Family
subject: Guide
subject: How to
subject: Christmas crafts
subject: Christmas crafts for kids
subject: christmas-kitchen
subject: kids' activities
subject: Rachel Beckwith
subject: Snowflake
description: Learn how to make an easy paper snowflake as a fun Christmas project with the kids – simply follow our step-by-step instructions for a perfect result.
encoded: You only need paper, scissors and a sprinkle of festive spirit for this super easy activity! Making paper snowflakes is a great project for all ages – younger kids can use safe scissors and a bigger piece of paper to make it easier, whereas older kids and grown-ups alike will enjoy the challenge of making an intricate design. Best of all, every snowflake is unique – so you can be as creative as you like. For more fun ideas, try our top 5 Christmas crafts for kids. How to make a paper snowflake Makes one snowflake Prep 10 mins You will need • A square piece of paper (if using A4 paper, simply fold the bottom of the paper upwards into a triangle and cut away the excess) • Scissors Step one: fold the paper into a triangle Fold a square piece of paper into a triangle, as shown below. Step two: fold in half again Fold the triangle in half again, to make a smaller triangle. Step three: fold one third Fold over the right hand side of the triangle so that you are folding into thirds. Step four: turn the paper over Turn the paper over. Step five: fold again Repeat the fold as you did for step three, this time on the other side. Step six: trim the top Use scissors to cut straight across the top, as shown, so that you are left with a thin folded triangle. Step seven: shape it Now you can cut any shape into the folded snowflake, being careful not to make any cuts that go all the way across (this will break your snowflake). Step eight: unfold and reveal When you’re happy with your shapes, unfold your snowflake to reveal your finished design! Tips for how to make snowflakes Use thin paper: standard printer paper works best, as it’s easy to fold and cut cleanly. Thicker paper can be tricky to shape neatly. Keep your folds crisp: run your finger or the edge of a ruler along each fold for sharp, even lines. Start with simple cuts: small triangles or half-moon shapes are easy to handle and still create lovely patterns once unfolded. Unfold carefully: the paper can tear easily after b…

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10 freezable Christmas baking recipes
type: item
creator: Rachel Beckwith
subject: Budget
subject: Guide
subject: How to
subject: Christmas baking
subject: christmas-kitchen
subject: freezable christmas
subject: freezable christmas recipes
subject: Make ahead and freeze
subject: Rachel Beckwith
description: Discover our freezer-friendly Christmas cakes, cookies, puddings and other bakes to help make your festive prep that much easier
encoded: Making good use of your freezer is more important than ever during the festive season. With plenty of freezable Christmas recipes on offer, we’ve picked our favourite sweet treats that can be baked ahead of time and frozen – so all you need to do when your guests arrive is defrost or assemble a stylish dessert for the table. Try these freezable festive bakes, or head over to our ultimate Christmas baking collection for even more inspiration. We've got plenty more ideas for make-ahead Christmas food in our make-ahead Christmas dessert ideas, make-ahead Christmas recipe collection and make-ahead Christmas starter recipes. Read our freezer guide to Christmas for freezer advice then take a browse through our freezable Christmas recipes and freezable Christmas centrepieces. This guide was brought to you by Cook Smart, a campaign designed by Good Food experts to help you save money and reduce food waste. Dive into more Cook Smart content in our budget hub. 1. Red velvet brownies Enjoy these festively red, rich and fudgy red velvet brownies swirled with a tangy cheesecake filling. They're perfect treat when you have guests over at Christmas. Plus, you can freeze them in their entirety for up to a month. 2. Mincemeat half-baked cookies Indulge in these soft and squidgy Christmas cookies with moreish mincemeat flavours. A novel way to enjoy festive flavours, they're the perfect bake for impressing loved ones. Make ahead and freeze, then simply pop in the oven when guests arrive. 3. Passion fruit, chocolate & coconut roulade This modern twist on a classic Yule log is a great dessert to have in the freezer over Christmas. You can bake and assemble this passion fruit, chocolate & coconut roulade all ahead of time. To serve, simply bring out to stand at room temperature for 2 hours before serving. 4. Gingerbread cake with caramel biscuit icing Although there are a few stages to making this fantastic gingerbread cake with caramel biscuit icing, you can make it more achievable by …

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How to make salt dough Christmas decorations
type: item
creator: Rachel Beckwith
subject: Family
subject: Guide
subject: How to
subject: Christmas
subject: Christmas crafts
subject: Christmas crafts for kids
subject: Christmas decorations
subject: christmas-kitchen
subject: how to make Christmas decorations
subject: kids activity
subject: Rachel Beckwith
description: Spruce up the Christmas tree with easy homemade salt dough decorations. It's a wonderfully festive activity to do on a cosy winter evening.
encoded: Whether you wish you decorate your own family tree with the kids or give these away as gifts, simple salt dough decorations are so easy and fun to make. Follow our guide and learn how to make salt dough, then use the steps below to decorate and hang your own beautiful Christmas decorations. See our homemade Christmas decoration ideas, top Christmas crafts for kids and top DIY Christmas crafts for more festive crafting inspiration. How to make salt dough decorations Makes 10-12 decorations You will need 1 quantity salt dough plain flour, for dusting rolling pin biscuit cutters piping nozzle (optional) acrylic paints or felt-tip pens thin ribbon Method 1. Roll the salt dough out onto a lightly floured work surface to a thickness of about 5mm. 2. Use the biscuit cutters to cut shapes from the dough – we chose Christmas trees and snowflakes. 3. Press the tip of a piping nozzle into the top of each shape to make a neat hole. If you don’t have a piping nozzle, you can use a sharp pencil to poke a hole through the dough. Choose the position carefully – the hole needs to be near the top of the design, but not so close to the edge that it breaks. 4. Set your oven to its lowest heat. Put your shapes on a lined baking sheet and bake for 3 hrs, or until solid. Leave to cool completely. 5. Once cool, paint and decorate as you like. We found that acrylic paint works best, but you could also colour them with felt-tip pens, glitter or festive stickers. Leave to dry. To finish, loop the ribbon through the hole and tie at the top, ready to hang on the tree. Ideas for festive salt dough decorations - Expand this section to a top 10 list, using inspiration from crafts websites and Getty images. Include more pics to show ideas (don't need to go into method too much, keep to length of existing entries) 1. Baby’s first Christmas Make a new family keepsake by rolling out a circle of salt dough and helping a child gently push their hand into it to make an imprint. Decorate as you’d like, ad…

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Top 20 Christmas crafts for kids
type: item
creator: Rachel Beckwith
subject: Family
subject: Guide
subject: How to
subject: activities for kids
subject: Christmas crafts
subject: Christmas crafts for kids
subject: christmas-kitchen
subject: Rachel Beckwith
description: Make these easy Christmas crafts with the kids as a fun and festive activity – including homemade gifts, Christmas cards and decorations for the tree.
encoded: With Christmas fast approaching, it’s more important than ever to have a few indoor activities for kids up your sleeve to keep them entertained. If you’re ready to raid the kitchen cupboard and dig out a few art supplies, we have 10 simple projects that are full of festive magic. They’re all budget-friendly, and most are simple enough for the kids to make with just a little supervision. Of course, it might look like such fun that the adults want to join in, too! Adults can get in on the festive fun with more Christmas craft ideas and easy table decorations, or send some Christmas cheer with our DIY card ideas. Easy Christmas crafts for kids 1. Salt dough Christmas decorations Is there anything more festive than seeing a Christmas tree adorned with homemade decorations? You only need three simple ingredients – plain flour, table salt and water – to make our easy salt dough recipe, then use biscuit cutters to make your own shapes. Kids can then get as creative (or messy!) as they like with the decoration. Learn how to make salt dough Christmas decorations with our handy guide. 2. Reindeer hot chocolate cones These fun characters make the perfect quick and easy Christmas gift! Follow our steps for how to make hot chocolate cones, customising them with whatever sweet treats you might have lurking in the cupboard – we went for mini marshmallows and chocolate drops, but glacé cherries or sprinkles would also work well. Kids will love adding the googly eyes and pom-pom nose! 3. Easy potato stamp Christmas cards Get your little ones to make their own Christmas cards for friends and family this year when you make your own potato stamps. Adults will definitely need to help make the stamps, as you need a knife to cut out the shapes, but once that’s done there’s really no end to the fun you can have with a set of potato stamps and some brightly coloured poster paint. Try other ideas, too – make your own wrapping paper, decorate gift bags or make a picture. 4. Homemade snow glob…

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The 10 best vegetarian Christmas party foods
type: item
creator: Rachel Beckwith
subject: Guide
subject: How to
subject: alternative Christmas recipes
subject: Rachel Beckwith
subject: Vegetarian christmas
subject: vegetarian party food
subject: Vegetarian party recipes
description: Throw a vegetarian Christmas party with a buffet packed full of meat-free canapés, colourful salads, festive finger food and indulgent sweet treats
encoded: Whether you’re looking to cater for a crowd of veggie friends and family, or just want to add a few meat-free options at your Christmas party, we have a whole host of vegetarian festive recipes to inspire your buffet table. For even more ideas, see our vegetarian Christmas canapé recipes, or if you’re cooking meat-free on the big day itself we have plenty of top tips for a vegetarian Christmas. Discover more vegetarian buffet recipes and vegan party recipes for when you're throwing a plant-based bash. Veggie Christmas party food ideas 1. Butternut, sage & hazelnut quiche Filled with sweet squash and delicately spiced with nutmeg, this butternut, sage & hazelnut quiche feels positively festive. Once baked, you can serve this at room temperature, making it a great option for casual entertaining. 2. Luxury hummus Whip up a batch of our luxury hummus and serve a generous bowlful alongside your choice of crudités – heritage carrots, radishes and pitta bread all work wonders to brighten up the table. This silky smooth recipe is strewn with pomegranate seeds to keep it feeling Christmassy. Find more hummus recipes for alternatives. 3. Cheese & onion rolls True to the spirit of Christmas, there should always be an abundance of pastry-based snacks to make the seasonal offerings feel suitably decadent. These vegetarian cheese and onion rolls, decorated with nigella seeds, really hit the spot. 4. Pull-apart garlic rolls with baked camembert This cheesy centrepiece is sure to be a hit among veggie and non-veggies alike. Dunk your garlic and herby squidgy rolls into the oozing baked camembert centre. Discover more tempting baked camembert recipes. 5. Twisty cheese straws A firm favourite with party guests of all ages, we’re sure a plate of these twisty cheese straws won’t last long! You’ll need to use a vegetarian pesto (made without parmesan) to keep this recipe veggie-friendly, or you can try our recipe for quick cheese straws for an easy alternative. 6. IPA & red leicester di…

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10 pumpkin recipes to make with kids
type: item
creator: Rachel Beckwith
subject: Family
subject: Guide
subject: How to
subject: Autumn
subject: carve a pumpkin
subject: Halloween
subject: Kids recipes
subject: Pumpkin recipes
subject: Rachel Beckwith
description: Once the kids have carved their pumpkins, encourage them to make the most of this seasonal squash by cooking up one of these fun and thrifty recipes.
encoded: Pumpkins are a wonderfully versatile ingredient, so there’s no need for the flesh to go to waste at Halloween. After you’ve learnt how to carve a pumpkin with the kids (take a look at our pumpkin carving stencils and templates for spooky inspiration), get inspired with these family-friendly recipes – from satisfying suppers to fun baking ideas. For younger kids, adults should always handle any sharp equipment when carving pumpkins or preparing them in our recipes. If you’re keen to go completely waste-free in your kitchen, you can try our best pumpkin seed recipes, too. Next, discover our Halloween kids' recipes for spooky and autumnal-inspired recipes that the kids can take the lead on. Then check out our easy Halloween recipes, most popular Halloween recipes and autumn crafts for kids. You could even go the extra mile and make a fun family outing to pick your pumpkin with the best pumpkin patches in the UK. 10 family pumpkin recipes 1. Pumpkin hummus If you’re celebrating the season in style, use a pumpkin to decorate your dinner table and fill it with this delicious pumpkin hummus. The flesh is simply scooped out and roasted in the oven, then the kids can help tip it all into a food processor – along with lemon juice, tahini paste and chickpeas – and whizz it all together. 2. Pumpkin spice scones You’ll need to roast the pumpkin flesh for this recipe, too, but once you’ve done that, kids will have great fun making a batch of these seasonal scones. Get small hands to help with the mixing, weighing and stamping out circles using a cutter. After baking, everyone can enjoy devouring these pumpkin spice scones while they are still warm from the oven. 3. Halloween pumpkin cake Similar to carrot cake, this traybake will go down a storm with family members of all ages. Our top-rated Halloween pumpkin cake combines grated squash with subtle spices and orange flavours, and is topped with a delicious cream cheese frosting. 4. Pumpkin & bacon soup As the nights draw in, a co…

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Top 20 after-school snacks for kids
type: item
creator: Rachel Beckwith
subject: Family
subject: Guide
subject: How to
subject: after school snacks
subject: healthy snacks kids
subject: kids snacks
subject: Rachel Beckwith
subject: snacks for kids
description: Avoid the after-school slump with these nourishing snacks for kids – these simple recipes will help to restore energy levels between meals.
encoded: When the kids get home from school, it can be tricky to find healthy snacks that will keep them satisfied until dinnertime. These budget-friendly ideas are all quick and easy to prepare – either make a batch of snacks ahead of time and keep them ready for hungry moments, or assemble them quick as a flash after school. Don’t worry – the little ones will soon have plenty of energy again. If you’re buying pre-packaged snacks, the NHS advice is to opt for 100 calorie snacks, and enjoy no more than two a day max. Kids can, of course, eat their fill of fruit and vegetables between meals, and for homemade recipes it’s not necessary to count calories – just keep an eye on your child’s overall salt, sugar and fat intake and try to balance their diet throughout the day. Here, we've picked recipes that can be enjoyed as part of a normal, balanced diet. Find guides on everything from the best wooden play food and kids baking set ideas, to amazing space projects for kids in our family & kids section. For some extra inspiration, discover our baking recipe collection for kids. Looking for recipe inspiration during the school year? See our top quick after-school suppers. After-school snacks for kids View Green Video on the source website 1. Instant frozen berry yogurt Three ingredients and 2 mins are all you need to whip up this low-fat, low-calorie frozen yogurt treat, ideal for eating after exercise or a long day of learning at school. 2. Hummus snack packs Save the liquid from a can of chickpeas to make a creamy hummus. Serve it with simple veg for a healthy snack that contributes to your little one's five-a-day. 3. Chickpea fritters Make a batch of these chickpea fritters for your little ones. Full of healthy goodness, they're also freezable, so are ideal for making ahead. 4. Rice cake cress faces Kids will love helping to make these no-cook vegan snacks. Load up rice cakes with hummus (or your nut butter of choice) then have fun transforming them into faces with cress hair, cu…

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20 of the best indoor activities for kids
type: item
creator: Rachel Beckwith
subject: Family
subject: Guide
subject: How to
subject: activities for kids
subject: arts and crafts
subject: craft projects for kids
subject: Rachel Beckwith
subject: Rainy day
subject: Summer holidays
description: Looking for ways to keep the kids entertained indoors? Try these fun and easy activities including homemade playdough, rock painting, pom-pom making and more
encoded: With just a few kitchen cupboard ingredients and basic supplies, you can keep little ones busy for hours at home with these activities for kids. Perfect for when they’re home from school or if there’s a rainy day ahead, you’ll find plenty of inspiration for indoor projects that are cheap and cheerful – you’ll often save money on the shop-bought version while encouraging plenty of imaginative play along the way. Most of these activities take less than 30 minutes before the kids can get stuck in, using items you’ll already find around the house. They can be enjoyably messy, though, so be sure to cover your kitchen table in newspaper before you start! For more inspiration, see our collection of the best dishes to cook with kids, plus find more gadgets and useful products in our reviews section, including the best foodie gifts for children, kids' baking sets and kids cooking set ideas. 1. Make your own playdough Once you’ve discovered how easy it is to make your own playdough at home, you’ll never look back! Using just plain flour, table salt, vegetable oil and water – plus whatever food colouring you can conjure up from the back of the cupboard – this easy-to-follow playdough recipe is one of our favourite indoor activities. Kids can use biscuit cutters to press out shapes or make their own models. 2. Create a bath bomb Want the kids to get excited about bath time? Teach them how to make a bath bomb and they’ll love watching their creations fizz in the water. The reaction between bicarbonate of soda and citric acid is what makes the magic happen – you might need to buy the ingredients in advance for this one, but we’ve tracked down where to buy citric acid. Experiment with different colours, essential oils and shapes to make your own unique versions. 3. Get creative with papier-mâché Papier-mâché, or paper mache, is cheap and easy to make, with the added bonus of allowing kids to get very messy indeed. You only need three ingredients – newspaper, plain flour and water …

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