Recipe: 'Bears at the Beach' Gelatin Cups

These sweet little bear snacks were the perfect addition to my son's nautical birthday party.  Not only were they a tasty hit with the kids, but they also were incredibly easy to make.  I have to say, what I liked the most was that I could make the Jello cups several days in advance and assemble them right before the party.  I always seem to be scrambling at the last minute before events, so I'm turning more and more to recipes that can be made in advance.  Overall, these were my favorite snacks on the menu: yummy, easy, and a time saver.

Ingredients:
Blue Jello 
Teddy Grahams 
Gummy Savers 
Honey Graham Crackers (optional) 
Small cups or shot glasses (I used 2 oz. plastic cups)

Step 1: 
Prepare Jello according to the directions on the box.  Fill your cups 3/4 full with the prepared Jello mixture and place in the refrigerator until Jello is set.  

Step 2: 
Sort through the Teddy Grahams and set aside the bears with their arms up and feet together.  These bears are ideal for sliding on the   gummy "beach floats".  Use your finger to gently stretch the middle hole of the gummy Life Savors and slide onto the Teddy Grahams, feet first.  Repeat for the remaining bears. This step can also be done in advance.  After you attach the gummy Life Savors, simply store bears in an air tight bag and add to the Jello cups before serving.

Step 3: 
Place the feet of each bear into the individual Jello cups and serve. 

Optional: Make edible "sand"
Crush honey graham crackers with a food processor or place crackers in a sealed bag, place on a sturdy surface, and pound with a mallet (I don't own a mallet so I actually use a super heavy ice cream scoop). Spread cracker crumbs on a serving dish and place the Jello cups on top.