If you’ve been looking to give out real food mishloach manos this year, this post is for you. More and more, individuals and families are looking to offer a healthy, cost effective alternative to the candies that are so prevalent on Purim. In going with the wish of many to tie in mishloach manos with a theme, this post is a compilation of many classic theme based food groupings.

Where possible, the food suggestions in this post re “real food” based. What I offer are springboards for our creativity. Take a look, let your creative juiced flow, and remember that the mitzva of mishloach manos is about spreading joy and togetherness.

Enjoy!

 Doctor / Nurse

• Apple (a day)
• Veggie sticks and dips
• Soup broth
• Fruit salad
• Salad in a jar
• White chocolate covered pretzel sticks (thermometers)
• Milk cartons
• Orange / orange juice

Astronaut

• Milk(y way) cartons
• Cut star shapes from cheese pieces, melon, cucumbers, carrots
• Star fruit slices
• Cheerios (Saturn’s rings)
• SUN-flower seeds
• String (moon) cheese
• Star shaped cookies

Construction Worker

The key here is that although assembly is required, it be extremely minimal, with very little effort or time required.

• Build your own sandwich – Bread, cheese or deli, veggies
• Build your own salad – Lettuce in container, chopped veggies, cheese, craisins, croutons, seeds, dressing
• Build your own pasta – Pasta, shredded cheese, pasta sauce, sliced olives, grilled veggies
• Build your own parfait – Yogurt, blueberries / chopped fruit, homemade granola
• Build your own pizza – Pre-rolled dough (bake these most of the way through so as to hold their shape and lessen recipient’s bake time), pizza sauce, cheese, sliced olives

Kallah and Chosson (Bride & Groom)

• Challah
• Cake
• Cupcakes
• Grapejuice

Haman

• Grape juice / wine
• Hamentaschen
• Triangle bourekas (can be dairy, meat, or pareve depending on fillings)
• Triangle fruit turnovers

Shabbos Theme

• Grape juice / wine
• Challah
• Kugel
• Dips

Purim Theme

• Hamentashen (mishloach manos)
• Wine (seuda)
• Chocolate coins (matanos l’evyonim)
• A note rolled into a megilla

Curious George

• Bananas
• Banana chips
• Banana cake / muffins
• Chunky monkey brownies

Farmer / Animals

• Milk carton
  

  Photo credit: www,smittenkitchen.com

• Apples
• Veggie sticks and dip
• Baby carrots
• Black and white chocolate bark (cow)
• Black and white cookies
• Black and white chocolate covered nut clusters *allergy alert – make sure to clearly label as containing nuts
• Oatmeal packets
• Oatmeal cookies
• Red pepper dip
• Vegetable soup blended or chunky with bread sticks / garlic knots
• Chicken fingers
  

  Photo credit: www.kosherscoop.com

• Pumpkin muffins
• Mini pumpkin pies
• Corn muffins
• Corn salad
• Egg salad sandwich / hard boiled egg
• White frosted doughnut holes in an egg carton

Insects

• Butterfly bag snacks
• Bread and different flavored butter(fly)s
• Raisins (ants)
• Chocolate covered raisins

Bumblebee

• Honeycomb cereal
• Milk carton
• Banana (yellow)
• Little container of honey
• Honey cookies

Flowers

• Flower shaped cookies baked on sticks
• Sunflower seeds
• Vegetable bouquets

Painters / Rainbow

• Sprinkle covered chocolate dipped pretzels
• Fruit salad
• Israeli salad
• Fruit kabobs
• Layered salad in a jar

Pirates

• Chocolate coins
• Mini kabobs on sword shaped skewers
• Bread sticks (swords) and dips

Sports

• Popcorn
• Pretzels
• Trail mix
• Nuts *allergy alert – make sure to clearly label as containing nuts
• Water bottle

Superheroes

• Soup(erheroes)
• Hero sandwiches
• Super-foods

Airline Meal

Pack onto small rectangular tray and cellophane the entire package.

• Fruit cup
• Single serve cereal
• Milk
• Small water bottle
• Baked dessert

Colonial Theme

• Corn muffins
• Popcorn
• Mini pumpkin pies
• Mini cherry pies
• Apple cider
• Jam

Fireman

• Salsa and chips
• Matbucha and rolls / pita chips
• BBQ chicken
• Grilled vegetable salad / skewers
• Water bottle

Under the Sea

• Sushi (stick with veggie varieties as fish poses health hazards not being refrigerated)
• Can of tuna with packets of mayonnaise and pickle on the side

Clown

• Popcorn
• Homemade soft pretzels or pretzel bites with mustard

Beach Theme

• Sand(wiches)
• Pasta salad made with macaroni shells
• Water bottle