Contrary to what many could think judging by its name, el Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is mostly a celebration of life. It is a time where we honor and remember our loved ones that have passed away and we do so by celebrating with joy the memory of their lives. In Mexico, colorful altars are created either at home or the cemetery. These altars include skulls and other symbols that represent death but they are lively decorated, full of color and cheerful details, as the idea is to bring to life the positive memories we have of those who have died. Personal objects, mementos, pictures and even favorite foods of the deceased are placed as part of the altar. The whole family gets creative thinking of ways the altar can best represent the memories of those that have passed on and are held near and dear to their hearts. As much importance is placed on creativity, I wanted to share an edible idea that is meant to get your creative juices flowing: Día de los Muertos Sandwich Art.

The shape of traditional sandwich bread is close to the shape of a skull, so just like decorating cookie skulls, you can decorate a piece of bread to make fun and creative sandwiches or toast. This is a great idea to involve your kids and to allow them to learn more about the traditions, but also to become part of the celebration. If you do not partake in the creation of an altar at home but do want make sure your family knows about this celebration, why not try this edible activity for breakfast, lunch or snack time, while telling stories about the lives of our loved muertos.

Here are a few Día de los Muertos sandwich art ideas but remember the possibilities are endless.

Using an apple corer or simply a knife, make two holes on a piece of bread to resemble the eyes. Do the same for the nose and mouth. Spread peanut butter and jelly on another slice of bread and top it off with the cutout sliced so that the jelly shows out, adding color to the face of the skull.

If you want to get even more creative, make an open face sandwich. Have various types of nuts, candy, and fruit on hand and on a slice of bread, use a smooth spread of your choice. The spread will work as a glue that will hold together your work of art. This is a good idea for a sweet treat or snack.

For a healthier version, spread cream cheese to create a blank canvas. Use cold cuts, sliced cheese and veggies to cut out shapes that will give life to the skull.

Being a bicultural Latina raising biracial kids while living 300 miles from our nearest Spanish-speaking family means that any opportunity to celebrate our Latino roots is one I cannot pass up. My 3 year old daughter is becoming increasingly aware of holidays and traditions, so I felt it was imperative to celebrate Día de los Muertos.

Before adorning her beautiful face with calaca face paint, Alina and I spent some time talking about the holiday and traditions associated with Day of the Dead. The opportunity to use the words Latino and Mexican and speak in Spanish within a very specific context was beneficial to our bilingual endeavors. Toddlers absorb so much more when they have an actual context in which to learn.

Alina was not a bit scared of the imagery of Día de los Muertos. She was intrigued and asked many questions, wondering why the calavera looked so silly. She adored the plethora of flowers we made specifically for her hair, hanging the papel picado and having her photo taken. So far, our celebrations have been well received by our magical toddler and I know the holiday will remain part of our traditions for years to come. Our Día de los Muertos celebration will continue into the weekend by attending themed events throughout our hometown of Las Vegas.

But, apart from the colorful décor, ofrendas and altars, I most appreciate the opportunity to honor the life of my grandfather, Papi. The promise I made to him to raise bilingual children is the reason why I embark on this journey of language immersion. He would have loved looking at these pictures of his little calavera. And I love that Alina speaks his name and recalls stories of her great grandfather as though she actually knew him. Celebrating Dia de los Muertos gave us the opportunity to pass down the legacy of a man so important to the lives we live today, and for that, I am grateful.

My first memories of Día de Los Muertos was the smell of fresh mole and bolillos (baguettes) that my grandmother made and we took to the cemetery where her parents and siblings were buried, this repeated every November first, it was the most magical event of the year for me. I didn’t really know about Halloween then.

Abuelita said that bringing your relatives’ favorite foods to their tomb will bring their souls back to their buried bodies and we will feel close to them again –“death is part of life and we shouldn’t be afraid of it,” she used to say. She died last year in her sleep; she was not afraid to welcome La Muerte (lady death).

To bring her close to our heart, my son and I made an altar with some of her favorite items: Virgin de Guadalupe, Saints, Claveles (flowers) and fruit (sorry Abue, I don’t make mole!)

The one thing I learned about the sugar skulls and why you write your name on them is to think of your own death as part of your own life – in a sweet way – to not be afraid of it, just like Abuelita said. To celebrate our dead we decorate tombs or at-home-altars with Flor de Cimpasúchil, papel picado, tissue paper flowers, sugar skulls, pan de muerto, atole, fruits and the beautiful Catrinas o Calaveras which were made famous by painter Diego Rivera in his Mural Sueño de una Tarde Dominical en Alameda Central

One of the places in Mexico that has celebrated the Day of the Dead for centuries is Pátzcuaro, Michoacán, 30 minutes from where I grew up. This place is as magical as my childhood memories. In this town every November 1st, you can feel the souls of your ancestors, you can smell  wonderful foods and enjoy the vivid colors of the decorations. We believe the dead take the food’s flavors, therefore you are not supposed to eat the food offered to the ancestors. It is a big and colorful celebration that lasts all night!

{Photo courtesy of Michoacán el Alma de México}

I would like to invite you to celebrate your loved ones that have passed by sharing your Dia de Muertos pictures and stories on SpanglishBabyPlayground.  You can try to cook their favorite foods and decorate an altar with their pictures. I think it’s a wonderful experience for the whole family and especially for our SpanglishBabies who will continue a very dear cultural tradition their ancestors have celebrated for centuries.

It was one of those days…. I was missing my Tio who passed away 3 years ago.  With Dia de Muertos / Day of the Dead (Nov.2nd) around the corner, I decided to start building an alter in his name.  I put on his favorite song “Miss You” by the Rolling Stones and played it loud on repeat.  Choked up with tears stuck in my throat, I tried my best to belt it out and get to the rest of the song without a complete break down.  The title “Miss you” seemed perfectly appropriate.  My Tio loved Kellogg’s Rice Krispies, he use to eat them all the time.  He also loved his caramel, so why not combine the two to make the perfect treat.  My family has always observed Dia de Los Muertos but it takes on a completely different meaning when you are honoring a close family member dearly missed.  I dedicate this recipe to him and hope that where ever he is now, he’s eating his favorite foods with his friends having the best time.

Ingredients for Chocolate Caramel Almond Dia de Muertos Rice Krispies Treat:

Non-Stick cooking spray

1 – stick butter (melted)

6 – cups mini marshmallows

2 – tablespoons milk

50 – caramel candies (plastic wrapper off)

1 – box of Kellogg’s Rice Krispies cereal (12 oz.)

1 1/4 – cups whole almonds

2 – cups milk chocolate chips (melted)

I decorated my calavera with the following items:

Royal icing

sugar cookies

smarties

mini marshmallows

raspberry gummies

Kellogg’s Fruit Loops

edible metallic decorative balls

colored sprinkles

pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

Spray a 9×13 pyrex glass baking dish, one pot, a big mixing bowl, and mixing utensil with non-stick cooking spray.  Set to the side.

1. In the sprayed pot over a medium flame add butter and marshmallows.  Mix until marshmallows are completely melted and smooth.
2. In another pot add milk and caramel over a low flame and mix until melted and smooth.
3. Then take both mixtures and pour into the big sprayed mixing bowl. Mix until combined.
4. Next pour Kellogg’s Rice Krispies and almonds into the marshmallow caramel mixture.

1. Mix until completely combined.  Then pour mixture into 9×13 sprayed pyrex dish and press to make mixture even. Allow to cool completely in baking dish.
2. Once cool, flip over onto a cutting board.
3. I drew a big calavera (skeleton head) on a piece of wax paper, then cut it out and used it as my stencil.  Place stencil on top of rice krispie slab and cut around it.
4. Remove excess pieces and either eat or use later for decoration.  That’s up to you.
5. Once you have cut the calavera, leave the wax paper on it and flip it onto a different cutting board with the wax paper facing the cutting board.
6. Then take the melted chocolate and brush the entire calavera with the chocolate and along the sides as well.  Allow the chocolate to harden for at least 4 hours.

Decorate!

Once the chocolate is completely dried, take a small knife and run it along the edges to detach it from the cutting board.  Then flip it over and remove the wax paper.  Chocolate surface down, exposed Rice Krispies on top.  Then decorate as you wish.  Pull inspiration from my photo or anything else that makes you happy. To you and your loved ones departed or living this Dia de Muertos.

Disclosure: We are one of the Kellogg’s Champions of Great Starts bloggers and proud to have Kellogg’s as a SpanglishBaby sponsor.