Irish Themed Snacks (VBS Emerald Crossing)

Irish themed snacks are coming right up for ya lad. Perfectly planned for Emerald Crossing VBS by Answers in Genesis.

Please note that I am still in the process of fully planning for our Emerald Crossing VBS so there will be changes to this post as we run our program and finalize selections. I had posted now so you can use this information as a help and inspiration for your planning, but you may need to make tweaks to serving sizes, quantities, etc.

My first year planning VBS snacks

My first year planning snacks for our church VBS program was Wonder Junction in 2025. I had SO MUCH FUN coming up with themed snacks and playing the part of Sweet Sadie at the Chuckwagon. If you’re looking for western themed VBS snacks you can read all about what we did that first year on my Western Themed Snacks blog post.

I knew Answers in Genesis relevealed the next years theme in June, so as soon as we wrapped up that amazing week I was already spinning my gears thinking up ideas for the upcoming Emerald Crossing VBS theme. So. Many. Good. Ideas.

VBS, St. Patrick’s Day, and More

Below you will find few things that I have put together for Irish themed snacks. Don’t limit yourself to just VBS, these ideas would be great for St. Patrick’s Day, themed educational/class parties, and other celebrations of Irish heritage.

Planning for Scale

Our VBS includes kids from ages 3 to 6th grade. These age groups need different portion sizes. You will notice that some snacks include ranges to help you plan accordingly.

Our VBS runs between 150-200 kids and volunteers. To make multiplication easier for your group I have made the qualities in this post based on 50 servings and you can multiply from there to 100, 150, 200, or beyond.

Allergen Considerations

I have put allergy information when I can. Which specific recipes and ingredients you use will affect the allergen contents but this can be a guide for quick reference.

DAY ONE: The Lord is my Shepherd

When I think Ireland I think potatoes, and when I think shepherd, I think shepherd’s pie. This is the PREFECT snack to start out our great week at VBS Emerald Crossing. I’ve put together a simple recipe and assembly that will allow this dish to be quickly and easily prepared for a large crowd.

An alternate snack for this day would be a sheep themed snack. See additional Psalm 23 snack ideas at the end of this post.

SNACK: Mini Shepherd’s Pie

Serving Size: One Pie (Approx. 1/3 cup of meat sauce topped with 1/2 cup of mashed potatoes)

Supplies List:

• ground beef
• bags of frozen vegetables (peas, carrots)
• tomato sauce
• worchestershire sauce
• beef broth
• seasonings
• instant mashed potatoes
• mini pie pans/foil ramekins (3.5 inches)
• #6 or #8 serving scoop disher
• napkins
• plastic spoons
• water cups

Meat Sauce

• ground beef (precooked)
• frozen peas and carrots
• tomato sauce
• worchestershire sauce
• beef broth
• dried thyme and rosemary
• dried minced onion
• salt & pepper

Combine all ingredients in a roaster or slow cooker until heated through.

Mashed Potatoes

Prepare instant mashed potatoes according to package directions. Keep warm in a roaster pan or crock pot until ready to serve.

Alternative: For a quick “cheat” consider using duchess potatoes to top pies with a potatoes “swirl”  (Bettergoods Belgian Style Duchess Potatoes, 26.5 oz (Frozen) at Walmart)

Assemble the Mini Shepherd’s Pies

Ladle meat & vegetable sauce into small “pie pans”.

Use an ice cream or cookie scoop (#6 or #8 disher) to place a large mound of mashed potatoes on top.

Keep warm in an oven, if needed.

Serve with spoons.

Recipe inspiration taken from Mini Shepherds Pies

Alternative: Some sort of sheep snack (see list at the end of this post)

DRINK: Water or milk

Day Two: Green Pastures & Still Waters

When I imagine green pastures in Ireland, I picture fluffy white sheep and cute little goats grazing on spring green grass. What better VBS themed snack than a grazing board. Since we’re talking about green pastures, why not make it ALL green. Basically, each child will get their own mini green fruit and veggie tray/charcuterie plate.

Since we are using plastic “nacho” trays on day five, that would make an easy serving dish for this day as well. The little nacho cheese compartment would work great for a green dip or some little green candies.

Green Food Ideas

HEALTHY: green grapes, green apple slices, broccoli, celery sticks, cucumber slices, green bell peppers, kiwi, peas, green dill/onion dip, pickles, guacamole, green olives, asparagus, green go-go squeeze applesauce pouches

SWEET: green M&M’s, green apple flavored candies (such as gummy rings), various mint flavored treats, green foil Hershey’s kisses.

SALTY: Harvest Snaps crisps, Vlasic pickle balls

SNACK: Green Pastures Grazing Board

Serving Size: One plate

Supplies

• various green fruits and vegetables
• green candies
• vegetable dip, guacamole
• plates, paper boats, or nacho trays
• water cups

DRINK : Still Water

Serving Size: One cup

Day Three: Walk through the valley, comfort me

Bread is the ultimate comfort food. Why not serve Irish soda bread with butter? Perhaps an Irish Apple Cake or Apple Crumble would be better suited.

Irish Soda Bread

https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/grandmas-irish-soda-bread/)

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/16947/amazingly-easy-irish-soda-bread

Alternative: Bird Nests       

Just as a mother bird comforts her young in the safety of her nest, God is with us, comforting us in the storm and keeping us under his wing.

To create the bird nest snack, use pretzels/lo main with chocolate and little malted eggs.

Day Four: My Cup Runneth Over

When I imagine a cup running over, I think of a bubbly drink cascading over the edges of a frosty glass. Like when you shake a bottle of soda before opening or get a root beer straight from the keg.

Our VBS often has ice cream donated from a local ice cream shop, and what better way to use it than by making floats? Even if you don’t have ice cream available, cream sodas are an easy drink that cuts back on the sugary canned beverages you could buy at a store. Made of carbonated water (tonic, seltzer, or similar), flavor syrup, and cream (or half and half), a real cream soda is a special treat.

Since we’re in Ireland why not make it an Irish Cream Soda with a double play on the word cream?

Drink: Irish Cream Soda Floats

HOW MUCH DO YOU NEED?

Seltzer Water

With the ratios above you can get 4 servings from each bottle of seltzer water.

(Great Value Selter Water from Walmart)

Ice Cream

1/4 cup of ice cream would yield approximately 64 servings per gallon of ice cream.

1/2 cup of ice cream would yield approximately 32 servings per gallon of ice cream.

Flavor Syrup

One pump of syrup is supposed to be 1/2 TBSP. At this dosage one 750 mL jar should contain about 100 pumps.

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/276060/homemade-cream-soda

Drink: Irish Cream Chocolate Milk

As an alternative to the more complex Irish Cream Soda Floats try chocolate milk instead.

Chocolate milk with added Irish cream flavoring syrup topped with whipped cream and green sugar. Served with a green and white straw.

Snack: Piled High Popcorn

Serving Size: One bag (2-3 cups of popcorn)

The VBS manual calls for an overflowing cup of popcorn. Since the Irish Cream Soda Floats are really the star of this snack day, we decided to serve our ins 1 oz popcorn bags. This allowed us to prepare them ahead of time and focus on making the special drinks during the VBS rush.

SUPPLIES LIST

• 1 oz popcorn bags (Amazon)
• popcorn

You could choose to buy large bags of pre-popped popcorn, make it in a popcorn maker, or in an air popper or on the stove.

Day Five: Goodness and Mercy, Dwell in the House of the Lord

What says Ireland more than potatoes? Today’s snack features golden round hash browns and a yummy Irish inspired dip. Serve in a plastic nachos tray or in a paper boat with cups of dip on the side.

SNACK: Potato Nachos

Serving Size: One boat (10 potato tot rounds) and 1/4 cup of cheese dip (2 oz) or 1/2 cup Reuben dip (4 oz)

Potatoes

Here are a few choices for the types of potatoes you could use. Think something similar to a potato cake or tater tot. I like the golden rounds which remind me also of gold coins.

• Potato Cakes (Boxty)
• Golden Round Hashbrowns

This 30 ounce crispy rounds shredded potatoes from Walmart serves about 12 kids.

Dip

Choose from an Irish cheese dip, a reuben dip, or go crazy and serve both! Want to make it easy? Try nacho cheese sauce instead.

Irish Cheese Dip Recipe

8 ounces cream cheese

7 ounces Kerrygold Dubliner cheese (See substitutes below*)

1/4 cup mayonaise

Spreadable Cheddar Cheese Tub (Merkts, Shullsberg, Kraft)

*Kerrygold Dubliner cheese can be substituted with several cheeses, including Gruyère, Gouda, or Fontina, as they share similar nutty and slightly sweet flavors. These alternatives work well in recipes that call for Dubliner cheese due to their melting properties and taste profiles. sharp cheddar

Place all ingredients in a crock pot. Allow to melt together on medium-high heat, stirring frequently. Once melted keep on low or warm and serve from the crock pot into small cups.

Reuben Dip Recipe

8 ounces cream cheese

8 ounces swiss cheese

1/2 cup Thousand Island dressing

1/2 cup sour kraut (drained and chopped)

1/4 cup mayonaise

1/4 lb corned beef, finely chopped

Combine all the ingredients above in a slow cooker or roasting pan. Cook until warmed through.

Note: I have already reduced the amount of sour kraut and corned beef in this recipe by half of what many recipes suggest. This is both of budget consciousness and awareness that the kids may not like those ingredients as much. You can adjust “to taste” if you’d like.

Serving Dishes

Here are a few options for serving the potato nachos. We’ll be using nacho trays, but you can use what works best for your set up.

• 2 pound paper boats
• 2 ounce dip cups or 4 ounce dip cups
• nacho trays

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Other Irish Themed Snack Foods to Consider

Gardetto Garlic Rye Chips

Kerrygold Butter

Irish Apple Cake

Irish Soda Bread

Irish Onion Soup

Reubens

Potato Cakes

Corned Beef

Cabbage

Other Psalm 23 Themed Snacks to Consider

Sheep Snacks (See my Emerald Crossing Pintrest board for some super cute ideas!)

Breadsticks (shepherds rod & staff, consider making a curved top for a staff shape)

Pretzel RODS and hummus