Cook up the perfect birthday party for your young, aspiring chef with our Ratatouille Party Ideas! Read on for general party planning tips as well as great Ratatouille decorating ideas, food, game, and activity suggestions.
Party Planning
For peace of mind, begin planning 6 - 8 weeks in advance to allow time to purchase and mail invitations, as well as to give your guests time to RSVP and make travel plans, if needed. Don't panic if you find yourself short on time; you can still plan a great party! Planning ahead simply reduces the risk of conflicts with guests' plans and may increase attendance.
To simplify the rest of the party planning process, check out our Party Planning Timeline, take a look at our When & Where to Have the Party page, and read the paragraphs below for information on selecting decorations, supplies, activities, and more for your child's party.
What Do I Need for the Party?
If you plan to use paper tableware and themed party supplies, our Suggested Party Supply List may be helpful when placing an order. Please note that you may not need everything on the list; it is intended only as a guide.
Decorating & Food Ideas
Fun Ideas To Set The Mood
- Make a "Chef's Bouquet" centerpiece by placing a variety of cooking utensils in a tall pot, such as a soup pot. Place it on the party table, and surround it with bottles of spices and seasonings.
- Cut out cheese wedges and Swiss cheese slices from yellow poster board or construction paper. Cut out a few small circles from each slice or wedge of cheese. Hang the cutouts on the walls or on chairs throughout the party area.
- Decorate with yellow, blue, green, orange, and/or white streamers and balloons. Twist the streamers together, and hang them along the walls of the party area. For an added touch, hang strands of streamers in a curtain across the doorways that lead into the party area. Cluster the balloons into bunches of 3 or 5, and then float them or tie them to chairs.
- Purchase a Ratatouille movie poster, or ask your local movie theater if they have an extra Ratatouille poster they can give you. Hang the poster on one of the walls of the party area. If you can't find a Ratatouille poster, look through magazines or on the Ratatouille website for pictures that you can cut or print out and use as wall or chair decorations.
Ratatouille Recipes
When it comes to food, partygoers are usually perfectly content to eat pizza or hotdogs, which is certainly much easier on the hosts! However, if you have the time and would like to serve some Ratatouille-themed treats, consider these suggestions:- Set out a tray of assorted cheeses and crackers for the children to snack on during the party. (Note: It's best to stick to familiar varieties of cheese, such as cheddar, Swiss, American, muenster, or mozzarella.)
- Decorate the birthday cake to look like a wheel of cheese! Buy or bake a round cake iced with yellow frosting. Then, use black icing to draw "holes" in the cheese.
- Serve "French Champagne" (sparkling cider or a clear lemon-lime soda) with the rest of the food.
- Serve dip and crudités, such as olives, cherry tomatoes, cucumber slices, and carrot and celery sticks.
- If you're feeling adventurous, prepare a batch of Ratatouille! Since this isn't typical party fare, you may want to make this with the children as a Ratatouille-themed activity instead of preparing it beforehand and serving it with the rest of the party treats.
Ratatouille
Ratatouille is a French dish that includes an assortment of summer vegetables, such as zucchini, eggplant, squash, tomatoes, onions, garlic, and colorful peppers. To make this dish using our recipe, you will need:
- 1 Small Onion, Finely Chopped
- Olive Oil
- 2 - 3 Zucchinis, Sliced
- 1 Large Eggplant, Chopped Into Cubes
- 1 Red or Yellow Pepper, Diced
- 1 Green Pepper, Diced
- 1 16-Ounce Can of Crushed or Diced Tomatoes
- 1 8-Ounce Can of Seasoned Tomato Sauce
- 1 Tablespoon of Garlic Powder
- 1/2 Teaspoon of Thyme
- 1 Tablespoon of Oregano
- 2 Tablespoons of Parsley
- Salt
- Pepper
Heat a small amount of olive oil in a large frying pan. Sauté the chopped onion in the olive oil for a few minutes to soften it. Add in the oregano, garlic powder, thyme, parsley, and the remaining vegetables. Pour the tomato sauce in, add a dash of salt and pepper, and then stir the mixture well. Cover the pan, and let the vegetables simmer on low to medium heat for 15 - 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. Add more salt and pepper to taste. Serve the Ratatouille over a bed of cous cous or alongside pasta or long-grained rice.
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