17 April Fools’ Food Ideas Kids Will Love

April Fools’ Day is the perfect time to get creative in the kitchen and surprise your little pranksters with food that looks nothing like it tastes. From mashed potato sundaes to “grilled cheese” that’s actually cake, these playful recipes will have your family and friends laughing with every bite.

Pulling off the perfect food prank doesn’t require advanced cooking skills, either — just a little bit of imagination and a few clever ingredient swaps. Whether you’re planning a silly breakfast, lunch, dessert or classroom snack, these fun and easy ideas are sure to delight kids and maybe even fool a few adults.

Explore 17 April Fools’ food ideas below that will bring a side of giggles to your table and make this holiday one to remember!

1. Sweet sunny side up eggs

These faux fried eggs are actually sweet treats! This delicious breakfast prank is super simple to prepare. Use a dollop of vanilla yogurt for the circular egg white base and add apricot or peach halves for the yolk. Top with chia seeds to simulate pepper. To go the extra mile, add gummy bacon strips and serve on top of French toast.

2. Grilled cheese pound cake

Want to put a sweet spin on a childhood favorite? Mix a small amount of red and yellow food coloring in white frosting to simulate the color of American cheese, then generously spread it between two slices of buttered pound cake. Leave grill marks for added authenticity. This sweet “grilled cheese” is also a funny school lunch to pack!

3. Cookie fries

Swap salty for sweet! Roll out sugar cookie dough and cut it into french fry shapes of your desired thickness. Cut the ends at a diagonal angle for a more realistic appearance. Brush with egg and sprinkle with sugar before baking. Pair with strawberry syrup or jam as ketchup for the finishing touch.

4. Meatloaf cake

This fun April Fools’ Day party food is sure to shock and delight your guests when they cut a slice. Mix and bake bread crumbs, milk, eggs, ground beef and sausage to create a firm meatloaf. Green onions, parsley, soy sauce, salt and pepper add complex, savory flavor. Use a spatula to completely cover the meatloaf with mashed potato “icing.” Finally, cherry tomatoes stand in for a ring of decorative cherries on top.

5. Dessert tacos

Does April Fools’ Day fall on Taco Tuesday? These dessert tacos have a realistic appearance that's sure to cause some double-takes. The “taco meat” is actually a mix of peanut butter, chocolate and quinoa. For the outer shell, use mini flatbreads coated with cinnamon sugar. Complement your tacos with strawberry “pico de gallo,” whipped cream instead of sour cream, shredded coconut as cheese and black jelly beans or blueberries in place of olives. For a simple cooking activity for kids, have them help with preparation and let them assemble their own tacos.

6. Dessert nachos

Want to pair your dessert tacos with even more sweet treats? Try these creative dessert nachos with a cheesecake base and pie crust chips! Add jam, licorice, gummies and other candies to simulate colorful nacho toppings.

7. Mashed potato sundae

This “ice cream” sundae is actually made of shredded chicken layered between creamy mashed potatoes! At first glance, the chicken looks like chopped nuts in a traditional ice cream sundae. Top it off with a cherry tomato and prepare to prank your dinner table.

8. Candy onion rings 

These convincing faux onion rings make great April Fools’ food pranks. Just connect the ends of thin licorice strings with a mini marshmallow or licorice pastel, melt down white candy coating, dip the rings in, then roll in graham cracker crumbs until fully coated. Lay them on wax paper and let them harden. Pair with sweet dips like strawberry jam.

9. Cauliflower popcorn

Cauliflower popcorn is a great way to sneak some veggies in. Break up the cauliflower into popcorn-sized pieces on a baking sheet, drizzle them with olive oil and sprinkle them with salt and garlic powder. Top with turmeric for a seasoned, buttery look before popping it in the oven. Serve in fun popcorn boxes for added flair. Since this one is so easy to prepare, you might even want to make it a permanent after-school snack option!

10. Candy sushi

Candy sushi is a great April Fools’ Day food addition to a bento box for kids. Fish gummies and rice cereal create the base, while fruit leather is used in place of seaweed wraps. For extra color, add diced fresh fruit. Think honeydew for wasabi or mango for tamago (egg). 

11. Peanut butter potstickers

These adorable little peanut butter pot stickers will please even the pickiest eaters, and they’re a breeze to make. Just use a round cookie cutter to cut peanut butter sandwiches, then use a dumpling press to reseal them. Brush the outside lightly with chocolate syrup for a “pan-fried” look, and serve with a dish of chocolate syrup to simulate soy sauce for dipping.

12. Banana pudding lasagna 

When you think about what to do on April Fools’ Day, making a lasagna probably isn't the first thing that comes to mind — but this pretty prank will change all that. Alternate layers of pound cake and vanilla pudding, then accent with sweet ricotta, sliced banana, vanilla wafers and strawberry jam as fake tomato sauce. Top with coconut shavings and mint for extra color.

13. Pudding pot pie

When it comes to delicious April Fools’ food ideas, you can’t go wrong with these mini dessert pot pies. Use a fork to mark the sides of mini pie crust bases. After baking, fill each crust with a few spoonfuls of vanilla pudding to simulate the mashed potatoes from a pot pie. Add tiny pieces of fruit or candy to mimic vegetables like peas, corn and carrots. For the meat filling, tiny chocolate pieces simulate sausage, while apple rings simulate chicken.

14. Sweet crispy rice chicken wings

These “wings” are a fun school snack idea all year round and a great surprise for a tailgate party. Pinch crispy rice treats into chicken wing shapes. Make a sweet glaze for them with orange juice and brown sugar. Pair with green licorice for celery sticks and marshmallow creme as ranch dipping sauce.

15. Hamburger cookies

These tiny burger cookie sandwiches are next-level adorable, and they make great kids’ birthday party food. Use vanilla wafers as buns and chocolate cookies for the burger patties. Tint coconut flakes green with food coloring to simulate lettuce. Add yellow and red frosting as cheese and ketchup. Finally, top with sesame seeds.

16. Succulent cacti cupcakes

Whether you’re a pro or a novice cookie decorator, you’ll love these picture-perfect succulent cacti cupcakes complete with edible planters and chocolate “dirt.” Use modeling chocolate or fondant to make the leaves. Add some black food coloring to white modeling chocolate and roll it out for a cool marbling effect on the bowl bases.

17. Chocolate ice cream steak

Here’s yet another super simple sweet treat masquerading as savory. All you need to do is use a skewer or knife to make crossed diagonal “grill” marks in a slab of chocolate ice cream cut straight out of the carton. Fill those grooves with dark chocolate cookie crumbs, shape into a “steak” and refreeze the ice cream for about 30 minutes. Pair with pound cake fries or the cookie fries featured above. Finally, serve with strawberry jam in place of ketchup.

Prepare for tasty pranks this April Fools’ Day

This year, forget the whoopee cushions and fake bugs. With these recipes at the ready, you’ll be prepared to prank your loved ones with some tricky treats!

Order all the ingredients you need for April Fools’ food through Instacart and get them delivered right to your door. From pound cake to pudding mix, you’ll find everything you need to celebrate this silly springtime holiday.