Perfect Party Bites

The Summer Solstice has passed and we’ve officially rolled into everyone’s favorite season: summer.

If your family includes wee ones in school uniforms, then you’ll surely associate this season with summer vacation! Water parks, picnics, cool libraries with special events just for kids, and sleep away camp—for parents summer means keeping little hands busy.

But according to Time Magazine [1], summer vacation wasn’t always a guaranteed break for students. Apparently, back before the Civil War, schools followed one of two calendars depending on whether it was situated in a rural or urban area. “Rural schooling was divided into summer and winter terms, leaving kids free to pitch in with the spring planting and fall harvest seasons. Urban students, meanwhile, regularly endured as many as 48 weeks of study a year, with one break per quarter. “

You may want to mention this to your children next time they let out sighs of boredom in between summer vacation activities. But be warned, if you start a sentence with “back in the day, kids didn’t have summer vacation…” you’re automatically uncool.

Though those of us in the older crowd may not get three months of leisure time to develop a tan at the local pool or hang out at the mall, sunny bright days and warm summer nights make for the perfect backdrop for a mid-afternoon barbecue or evening soiree. And there’s nothing we like more than a good summer party.

Don your favorite flowery summer dress with a cool, icy drink in hand and enjoy these 5 perfect party bites from our fellow VegWebbers:

1. Stuffed Mushrooms
[2]2. Open-Faced Samosas
[3]3. Stuffed Tomatoes
[4]4. Stuffed Grape Leaves
[5]5. Corn Tortilla Quesadillas with Summer Veggies [6]