April Fools' Day Food Pranks

I don’t know about you, but on April 1st, I am wary of everything… all day. And, for good reason – I live with a bunch of pranksters and April Fools’ Day is their national holiday.

It’s true, I may live in constant fear for one day a year, but I also have a few tricks up my sleeve. Some silly – if you haven’t tried serving your four-year-old juice made from Jell-O, you haven’t lived - and some a little more tongue in cheek.

Have a kid that refuses to eat his veggies? Brussels sprout cake pops may be what’s missing from their diet. Be sure to have a camera ready, because that first bite is priceless!

Here are a few of my favorite April Fool’s Day pranks – they’re easy to make and you can grab the ingredients at your local Harris Teeter!

Dessert Spaghetti and Meatballs

Place unfrosted cupcakes in a pasta bowl. Fill up a pastry bag with prepared icing and cut a small hole at the bottom. Drizzle icing ‘noodles’ on top of the cupcakes to replicate noodles. Top with chocolate truffles and drizzle with strawberry preserves to create the meatball and tomato sauce effect.

Faux Toast & Eggs

Dollop out a generous amount of vanilla yogurt to mimic the look of the whites of a fried egg. Place a halved peach (from a can of peach halves) in the center and sprinkle with poppy seeds. Slice pound cake on the bias and serve alongside the ‘egg’.

Jell-O Juice

Make Jell-O according to package directions and pour into juice glasses. Insert a bendy straw in the glass and refrigerate. Once set, serve as “juice” and wait for the giggles!

Prank Cake Pops

Skewer trimmed brussels sprouts onto cake pop sticks and insert into a styrofoam block. Melt chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl until smooth. Dip each brussels sprout in the chocolate, allowing excess chocolate to drip off. Sprinkle with candies and re-insert into the styrofoam block to cool completely. Serve as cake pops, but be prepared for some backlash!

Pudding Plants

Prepare chocolate pudding according to package directions. Pour into clear glasses and allow to set in the fridge. Place chocolate cookies in a re-sealable back and crumble with a rolling pin. Sprinkle cookies on top of the pudding. Insert large mint springs into each pudding cup to create the look of a growing plant.

Katie Harding is the publisher of Forks and Folly. A self-taught cook and die-hard foodie, Katie lives in Charlotte with her husband and three boys. Besides cooking and eating, she loves craft beers, running, and napping.