I am passionate about making and eating cute food. People often assume that all of the food art I create is made for children. Why should only kids have all of the fun? I even received the following comment on Pinterest for my Lily of the Valley lunch, “Cute but terrible idea for a kid – Lily of the Valley is toxic”. It was cream cheese and chives over wild rice. I see the point but that meal was made for an adult. Cute food does not have to be only for kids. Here are 10 reasons why adults may decide to eat cute food.

1. Advanced Age – When you are old you can be young again. You’re never too old to enjoy life and eat cute food. When I was a teenager I went to a tea party at the house of my grandmother’s friend. The woman put on a cute spread and dyed Easter eggs. It was memorable to me that an older woman still took steps to make a meal fun and special. Also sometimes when a person is older they do not have as much of an appetite. You can make a cute meal for an elderly friend or relative as a way to motivate them to eat a nutritious meal.

2. Sickness – When you are sick you need to limit your diet and most food is not appetizing. Make toast more fun. Or better yet if you are feeling sick hopefully someone who cares about you would make your toast look appealing. Grace at Eats Amazing has some fantastic toast art.

3. Special Occasion – There are many adult only occasions in which fun shaped food would be appropriate. Holiday meals for adults, a wedding, tea party, bridal or baby shower are a few occasions that come to mind. You are limited only by your interests and imagination. Themed food such as shaped butter can also make an occasion more elegant.

4. Fandom – Do you or someone you love have a fandom obsession? Is there a fan of Hello Kitty, Doctor Who, Snoopy, Naruto, Harry Potter, or Star Wars in your life? Fandom possibilities are endless. Celebrate your interest with themed food.

5. Something Good Inside – If you love chocolate or cheese and know it is inside a cute bundle of food will you decide not to eat it because you think cute food is just for kids? Most likely you will eat that panda shaped bread with chocolate inside or a jack-o-lantern themed calzone. You can call me weird but the night I ate this jack-o-lantern calzone, I was delighted to eat something so cute and delicious.

6. Pick-Me-Up – When you are feeling down a way to turn that frown upside down could be a smile themed meal. This meal makes me smile every time I see it.

7. Kid At Heart –  Did you retain a childlike spirit? I am guessing that most people who know me would not say that I was a kid at heart but when it comes to eating cute food, I am. Cute food amuses and delights.

8. Simply Enjoy It – Why not? It is a common misconception that cute food is only for children. You don’t have to be a child to enjoy whimsically shaped food.

9. Only Food Available – You are starving and the only food available happens to be a turtle shaped bread. You want to eat fruit but will not because the watermelon and apples are cut into star shapes? I am guessing that most people would eat it anyway.

10. Your Hobby is Crafting with Food – You enjoy creating food art and do not always have a kid around to eat it. Or there are leftovers from the meal you made for your kid. Crafting with food is a wonderful creative outlet for people who do not like clutter. When you are done with your creation you can eat it.