Turn family dinner into a colorful fiesta with these Mexican-inspired theme dinner ideas for kids. Build a taco or nacho bar, make fresh Pico de Gallo, blend a strawberry mocktail and finish the meal with fun pinata cookies.
A fiesta theme works for family dinner nights, cooking parties, classroom activities or homeschool culture studies. Kids can help arrange toppings, stir salsa, decorate the table and assemble many of the foods themselves. For more recipes and food facts, visit our Mexican Cooking for Kids lesson.
Easy Fiesta Dinner Formula
Choose one build-your-own main dish, add beans or rice, set out fresh toppings and salsa, pour a colorful kid-friendly drink and finish with a fun Mexican-inspired dessert.
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A fiesta dinner table can be colorful without needing complicated decorations. Combine bright dishes and napkins with food that doubles as part of the centerpiece.
Sombrero centerpiece: Place a large sombrero in the middle of the table and arrange serving bowls around it.
Edible centerpiece: Set out a colorful bowl of salsa surrounded by tortilla chips.
Taco bar: Arrange toppings in small bowls so the food becomes part of the table display.
Pinata cookies: Place the finished pinata cookies on a colorful serving platter.
Paper decorations: Add paper flowers, banners or a small homemade pinata.
Kids Can Create: Let kids make paper flowers, place cards or a simple pinata using our paper mache recipe.
Build Your Own Mexican Fiesta Dinner
A build-your-own meal is one of the easiest ways to plan a fiesta with kids. Set out a main dish and several toppings so everyone can make a plate they enjoy.
Easy Fiesta Dinner Menu:
Main: tacos, quesadillas, enchiladas, fajitas or burrito bowls
Fresh topping:Pico de Gallo, lettuce, tomato, cheese or guacamole
Side: beans, Mexican rice, corn salad or tortilla chips
This strawberry mocktail is a kid-friendly drink for a fiesta dinner. It has the flavor of strawberries, orange juice, and lime without alcohol.
Ingredients
1 16-ounce bag frozen strawberries
1/3 cup fresh orange juice, from 1 to 2 large oranges
1/3 cup fresh lime juice, from about 3 large limes
1/3 cup water
Lime wedges or fresh strawberries, for garnish
Ice, optional
Directions
Add half of the frozen strawberries to a blender.
Add lime juice and orange juice.
Blend on high until smooth.
Add remaining frozen strawberries and blend again until smooth.
For a thicker mocktail, add ice and blend until you reach the desired consistency.
For a thinner mocktail, add a little water.
Pour into serving glasses and garnish with strawberries or a lime wedge.
Kid-Friendly Tip: Kids can help squeeze citrus, add strawberries to the blender, and garnish the glasses. Adults should run the blender.
Pinata Cookies
These pinata cookies are a fun dessert for a fiesta theme party. Two cookie cups are sealed together with frosting and filled with small candies—just like a pinata.
Theme Dinner Ideas Choose another creative family dinner theme with matching foods and activities.
Fun With Food Find more playful food ideas, edible art and creative ways to make cooking fun.
Kids Cooking Parties Plan a hands-on cooking party with recipes, stations, games and activities kids can help prepare.
Fiesta Theme Dinner Questions
What do you serve at a fiesta theme dinner?
A fiesta theme dinner can include tacos, quesadillas, enchiladas, nachos, taco salad, Pico de Gallo, chips and salsa, mocktails, and a fun dessert like pinata cookies.
How can kids help with a fiesta dinner?
Kids can help set up a taco bar, stir salsa, arrange toppings, decorate the table, make mocktails, and help assemble pinata cookies with adult supervision.
What is an easy centerpiece for a fiesta theme dinner?
Easy centerpiece ideas include a large sombrero, a colorful bowl of chips and salsa, paper flowers, a small pinata, or a serving dish of pinata cookies.
What is a kid-friendly fiesta drink?
A strawberry mocktail made with frozen strawberries, orange juice, lime juice, and water is a fun kid-friendly drink for a fiesta dinner.
Make your own Theme Dinner Party page.
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