Mini Pizzas: Make Snack Time Fun

Having movie night at home with friends or family but can’t quite think of a fun snack idea that you can all share? What about some mini pizzas you can do together from start to finish? Not only will you all be able to have a piece that only includes what you want in them, but you’ll also have the extra bonding time together while having fun.

What you’ll need:

• A table that’s wide enough to accommodate your ingredients.
• Baking trays
• Several small bowls (as shallow as possible so it wouldn’t become difficult to reach in when to get a couple of pieces)
• Paper towels 

Ingredients:

• Mini pizza dough (store bought or made from scratch)
• Pizza sauce (this can be store bought or homemade marinara, pizza sauce, or just plain tomato sauce or ketchup)
• Topping options:
  • Pepperoni
  • Hotdog slices
  • Salami
  • Bacon
  • Green, red, or yellow peppers
  • Olives
  • Anchovies
  • Fresh basil leaves
  • Tomato slices
  • Onion slices
  • Garlic
  • Cheese (if you want it a little fancier or a littler more fun, have several kinds ready)
  • And any other toppings the participants would like to have in their pizza.

If you’re doing this activity with kids, it’s best if you prepare your dough in advance. This means laying each mini pizza dough in a baking sheet and spreading the sauce on your own. This way, you can minimize the chances of spills or unevenly covered surfaces. Otherwise, if you’re doing this with friends, just leave your guests to decide how much sauce they would like to have in their pizza. 

How to prepare:

• Sanitize your surface. Clean it well enough that you won’t have a problem laying food on it without worrying about disease or dirt. Doing so will also allow you to no longer need to bring out a plate for each participant.
• Set up designated stations at every part of the table. Make sure your table is sturdy enough to keep all your items from slipping.
• The first station should be where all the mini pizza doughs are placed. Take them out of the bags and transfer them in a big dish or stack them on a plate. For homemade ones, make sure to dust the dough with flour so it doesn’t stick together when they’re stacked.
• The next station should be where the pizza sauce bowl should be located. Note this only applies to when you decide to do the activity with friends or older children. Transfer the pizza sauce in a bowl and have a large serving spoon ready.
• Prepare your toppings. Slice the vegetables to even sizes. Try to avoid slices that are either too thick or too thin as it may not cook well and lose its intended flavor. You can choose to cut larger ones into rings (such as peppers, onions, and tomatoes) or chop them into smaller pieces similar to what you’ll typically use in an omelet.
• Place all the toppings in individual containers and arrange them in a single section of the table. There is no need to add a spoon for each. Part of the fun in this activity is to get your hands dirty – especially when you want to arrange your toppings in a specific pattern such as a face or a flower pattern for children. But even adults can unleash their imaginations according to how they want their pizzas to appear.
• Last part of the table sections are empty baking sheets. This is where you’ll place your finished dough creations to be later placed in the oven for baking.

How to do your assembly line: 

• Start off with getting a mini pizza dough. Even if you want to do several of them at a time, just take one and come back to the beginning of the line when you’re done. Doing so will avoid staying too long in the other table sections, and everyone will get their turn in an efficient manner.
• Ensure you have evenly spread pizza sauce on the dough. If you’re doing this with smaller kids, you can skip this step since you’ll already have this prepared for them. Or if you want them to try this too, have some paper towels ready in case of small messes. Guide them as they do this part to help them practice their motor skills and their hand and eye coordination.
• Start placing your toppings according to what you see fit for your taste. Don’t be afraid to get your fingers dirty in this latter step, This is actually the most important of all especially if doing it with kids (maybe even adults, too) because it enhances sensory functions as they touch and lay each topping of choice on their dough. If working with kids, encourage them to be creative with their toppings and create a pattern like a happy face, robot, or anything they can put together with the shapes available.
• Carefully place the finished pizza dough on the baking sheet and wait for everyone to finish. 
• Pop it in the oven to cook, and use the time to start clearing the table. Clear the table’s surface to make room for the cooked pizzas later. Have your usual condiments and table napkins ready so you can enjoy your meal later without having to locate these additional items elsewhere in the kitchen.
• When the pizza’s done, move each mini pizza out of the sheet and on to a big serving plate or individual plates.

Adults will always have a chance to do small talk and they can keep doing so while they prepare their personalized mini pizzas until they reach the end of the line. Children can actually do the same, and it’s a good chance for parents or caregivers to bond or catch up with kids as they proceed with the activity. A simple shared activity such as mini pizza making can be a fun experience that will take you all out of your usual routine. It’s a good way to share your time together and have fun.