This magic reindeer food is so much fun to make! Gather the family and make this reindeer food recipe with your kids or grandkids, and create holiday memories that will last for years to come.
Most everyone leaves treats for Santa, but often the poor reindeer in front of the sleigh are forgotten! Use simple pantry ingredients to create a magical treat for Santa’s reindeer that will keep them going on Christmas Eve.
Keep reading for 4 different versions of a printable reindeer food label that are FREE and ready to download!
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How to Make Reindeer Food
It's so fun and easy to make reindeer food! Use our FREE printable tags with a reindeer food poem and wait for Santa's visit this Christmas.
Author: Debbie Chapman
Materials:
- Free Printable Reindeer food poem (more label options below the tutorial)
- 3 Tablespoons Oatmeal
- Sanding sugar (clear, red, and/or green)
- Red and green sprinkles
- Small Ziploc bag
Check Out The Video Tutorial:
Looking for more fun Christmas ideas? Here's a few of our favourites:
How to Make Paper Snowflakes
Felt Christmas Tree Favor
Stained Glass Cookies
Instructions:
Step 1: Find what you need
Gather your supplies and materials.
Step 2: Mix up the reindeer food
Add about 3 tablespoons of oatmeal to a bowl.
You can measure this out or just estimate the amount. The exact quantity isn't important as long as it fills your bag.
Next add in a few sprinkles of sparkly sanding sugar. We used clear and green for this bag of reindeer food.
This sparkly sugar is the magical ingredient!
Next add in some colourful sprinkles to help attract the reindeer's attention.
We measured with our heart when adding these sprinkles. Just add whatever amount looks right to you (we probably added 1 Tablespoon total between the sanding sugar and sprinkles).
Next, use a spoon to mix up the reindeer food.
If you're going right outside to sprinkle the food, there's no need to package it up.
But if you're giving the reindeer food as a cute little Christmas present you'll definitely want to add the magic food to a small Ziploc bag.
Step 3: Print off and attach the reindeer food poem
Print off a reindeer food poem to add to the bag. We have 4 different reindeer food printables available (find the links below!).
We recommend printing on cardstock, but regular printer paper will also work.
Cut out the label and then fold it in half.
Open the label back up and add glue tape to the inside.
Line up the label with the top edges of the reindeer food bag.
Then simply press down the other side of the label.
If you don't have glue tape you can staple the poem onto the bag.
Step 4: Have fun sprinkling the reindeer food
Your reindeer food is complete! Enjoy using it yourself, or give it away to friends and neighbours as a cute holiday favour.
Follow the poem's instructions and sprinkle the reindeer food outside on Christmas Eve for Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen, and Rudolph to enjoy!
Helpful Tips:
- Use a fun selection of Christmas sprinkles in your reindeer food recipe to attract Santa’s reindeer.
- Using a Ziploc snack bag to store your reindeer food? Print off one of our long labels, linked below.
Download our FREE reindeer food printables:
Click on the links or images below to download our free, printable reindeer food labels! The PDF files will open in a new window. Then print the template in colour on 8.5 x 11 (letter size) printer paper or cardstock.
>>> Green Reindeer Food Printable #1 <<<
>>> Red Reindeer Food Printable #2 <<<
>>> Long Green Reindeer Food Printable #3 <<<
>>> Long Red Reindeer Food Printable #4 <<<
What poems are used for reindeer food?
The poems for reindeer food are very important, because they give instructions on how to use the food!
You can print off our reindeer food poem tags, or you can write the poems on your own tags. Here are two poems for you:
Reindeer Food Poem #1:
The reindeer food, it sparkles bright.
Sprinkle it on your lawn tonight!
As Santa’s reindeer fly and roam,
This will guide them to your home!
Reindeer Food Poem #2:
Guide the reindeer to your home,
With Santa’s sleigh they fly and roam.
Sprinkle the food on Christmas Eve,
and Santa will visit if you believe!
What type of sprinkles are used in a reindeer food recipe?
We used different combinations of sprinkles in our bags of reindeer food. Sanding sugar is a must, to give the reindeer food a nice sparkle that attracts the reindeer.
We used clear, red, and green sanding sugars — but don’t use red and green together in the same bag, or else you’ll end up with brown sprinkles. 🙁 (Ask us how we know this, haha.)
Then we also used combinations of a holiday sprinkle mix with red circles and green holly leaves, and nonpareils in Christmas colours.
Basically, anything that looks jolly and sparkly will make your reindeer food extra appetizing for Rudolph and the gang.
Can I use glitter in my reindeer food?
We don’t recommend using glitter, unless you have edible glitter or luster dust. Since the reindeer food is sprinkled outside, you want to use sparkly sprinkles that will melt quickly and won’t harm wildlife.
What type of plastic bag is used to make reindeer food?
We used a small resealable bag that we found in the craft section of our dollar store. These bags are 4-3/4 inches tall and 3 inches wide.
You can also use a snack sized Ziploc bag. Use one of the long labels linked above for this size of bag, or attach one of the small poems with a hole punch and ribbon.
How much oatmeal do I need for a snack sized Ziploc bag?
You’ll need about 1/2 cup of oatmeal to fill a snack sized Ziploc bag with reindeer food. Increase the amount of sprinkles accordingly!
Create a fun holiday tradition by making reindeer food! It’s such a cute activity to enjoy with the family at Christmas time.
Give the packs of reindeer food to friends and neighbours, and then use it yourself on Christmas Eve. Let us know when you see evidence of a reindeer visit!
Here’s even more fun and easy Christmas ideas:
Sock Snowman
Felt Ornaments
Christmas Bark Recipe
Our bookLow-Mess Crafts for Kids is loaded with 72 fun and simple craft ideas for kids! The projects are fun, easy and most importantly low-mess, so the clean up is simple!
Where to buy:
You can purchase Low-Mess Crafts for Kids from Amazon, or wherever books are sold:
Amazon |Barnes and Noble | Books-A-Million | Indiebound | Amazon Canada
