Midnight Feast

@ SexyLambChops, ChefJune - it'll be difficult to find ReddiWhip in Nigeria....but I'll look out for it, just in case. Thank you for your wonderful suggestions - I'm slowly working on the menu - Friday night is the night though we had a wonderful trial run two nights ago with lemongrass tisanes, popcorn, funnel cakes and chocolate sauce. 4 of 7 people stayed awake for 2 full hours - we talked, ate, watched TV and just messed about! The kids were so thrilled that they woke up and stayed up! Thank you.

A can of Reddi-Whip, a jar of Nutella and a box of graham crackers could make for quite an enjoyable late-nite feast. since it requires no cooking at all, can be totally impromptu.

I had no idea. As a guy who wore a tie every day of high school, I defer. Bravo to this unceremonious celebration.

OK, this suggestion may be off base, but after spending time with my nieces & nephews yesterday (ages 2.5-9), a can of redi-whip was a huge hit at our party. They had a blast squirting it each other mouth (and yes, adults partook). Lots of fun for a special occasion. Love your spirit, KB!

What about the traditional 1940s midnight feast--a Dagwood. Kids can do ot on their own without feeling they are just the recipients.

Those are some lucky kids!
Monkey bread , fondue, parfaits, nachos come to mind... but you already have some great suggestions. Have fun!

@Aargesi - LOVE the butterbeer idea - on the menu. Kids know of Potter but I'm steering them towards Enid Blyton and some of the books I read as a child. Call it nostalgia. Though I have read most of the Potter books......but as an adult!

@SummerofEggplant - very great suggestions, thank you so so much.

@Sam1148 - Popcorn's on the menu - cheers

@Homemadecornbread - sigh. You didn't have a deprived childhood. Sniff, sniff......thanks.

I remember midnight feasts! I somehow think the last one around thirty-five years ago, involved liverwurst sandwiches. And cheddar cheese and vidalia onion sandwiches with mustard. Yikes! How about unusual but fun sandwiches? Accompanied by chips, pickles and frozen snickers.

My memory of boarding school midnight feasts in books is that everyone would fall back to sleep and miss them, including the hostesses, who'd wake up later only to find a pool of melted ice cream in the middle of the sheet they'd planned to use as a tablecloth.

So...my recommendation would be to limit yourself to things that need no prep and that can be served quickly--before everyone dozes off. No cooking or thawing.

How about popcorn...with chopsticks. It's a good food item to learn how to use chopsticks. Could be a fun game to play for them too with eating a bowl with no hands.

Our kids would want mac-n-cheese, chocolate chip cookies, ice cream, these frozen shrimp shumai we get, they also love pop-tarts homemade or store bought and they are absolutely bonkers for Midge's okonomiyaki http://www.food52.com/recipes/12352_okonomiyaki

Hey KB are your kids part of the Harry Potter generation? Maybe some Potter-esque stuff - maybe starting with ACs butterbeer?

http://www.food52.com/recipes/8368_butterbeer

Hi KB – what fun! Here are three recipes that strike me as being fun for a midnight supper! And they could help make them if you choose.

http://food52.com/recipes/9709_nutella_pudding

http://food52.com/recipes/13791_blackberry_rosemary_and_yogurt_popsicles

http://food52.com/recipes/544_skillet_mac_cheese

Sounds like fantastic fun! I love your phrase: "flatten myself into the pages of Enid Blyton's books." I felt that way about The Boxcar Children.

Bugbitten - you and not at all ignorant. Midnight feasts are just an excuse to have fun but at night!

They are not a holiday or celebrated anywhere I know of. I am familiar with it from Google and from the world of fiction aka Enid Blyton books (which I read growing up - Malory Towers and The Twins at St Clare's). Essentially, kids sneak downstairs with parents still asleep and have a feast/at boarding schools, students bring together their provisions and feast on them after hours. There is a sense of sneaking about, and eating uncomplicated, cobbled together dishes or snacks.

In my case, I am the parent - my kids are on holiday and I'd like to do something fun with them apart from the usual 'staying up late'. Since I'd always longed to flatten myself into the pages of Enid Blyton's books.....this is my chance!

Bugbitten - you and not at all ignorant. Midnight feasts are just an excuse to have fun but at night!

They are not a holiday or celebrated anywhere I know of. I am familiar with it from Google and from the world of fiction aka Enid Blyton books (which I read growing up - Malory Towers and The Twins at St Clare's). Essentially, kids sneak downstairs with parents still asleep and have a feast/at boarding schools, students bring together their provisions and feast on them after hours. There is a sense of sneaking about, and eating uncomplicated, cobbled together dishes or snacks.

In my case, I am the parent - my kids are on holiday and I'd like to do something fun with them apart from the usual 'staying up late'. Since I'd always longed to flatten myself into the pages of Enid Blyton's books.....this is my chance!

Besides myself, I'm guessing that others are not familiar with this celebration. Is it associated with a holiday? I'm curious and ignorant at the same time, a typical situation for me.

You're not spoiling our midnight fun - we're having a feast and are prepared for the consequences.... Any recipes to share????

I hate to spoil midnight fun, but aren't those foods going to cause an energy spike and make for a totally sleepless night?