How to make reindeer food (a glitter-free recipe for the garden)
A three-ingredient, glitter-free reindeer food, with quantities for one child or a whole class, what to leave out for birds and pets and where to sprinkle it on Christmas Eve.
Reindeer food is the handful of oats children scatter outside on Christmas Eve so that Santa’s reindeer can find the house. Many mixes contain glitter, and the RSPCA says even ‘edible’ glitter is very bad for wildlife. The recipe below needs three supermarket ingredients, gives quantities for one child or a whole class, and lists what to leave out when birds, foxes or the family dog share the garden. Christmas Eve boxes and the rest of the night’s props are in our Kids & Elf collection.
What is reindeer food made of?
The classic “magic reindeer food” is porridge oats mixed with glitter: the oats feed the reindeer and the glitter is meant to sparkle in the dark so they spot the garden. The oats are fine. The glitter is not: the RSPCA’s own reindeer food is glitter-free, and it says even ‘edible’ glitter is very bad for wildlife.
Wildlife-friendly versions keep the oats and swap the sparkle for seeds and red fruit. The RSPCA’s recipe starts from wild bird seed, rolled oats and dried fruit such as cranberries; our simplest version uses equal amounts of those three.
- 3ingredients: porridge oats, bird seed, dried cranberries
- 1:1:1equal amounts of each
- 2 tbspof each ingredient per child
- 0glitter, sequins or sprinkles
Reindeer food recipe: ingredients and quantities
Any tablespoon works as the measure. Two tablespoons of each ingredient fill one small paper bag or jam jar, enough for one child to scatter.
| Ingredient | One child | Four children | Class of 30 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Porridge oats | 2 tbsp | 8 tbsp (120 ml) | 900 ml |
| Wild bird seed | 2 tbsp | 8 tbsp (120 ml) | 900 ml |
| Dried cranberries | 2 tbsp | 8 tbsp (120 ml) | 900 ml |
| Total mix | 90 ml | 360 ml | 2.7 litres |
Method
- Tip the oats and the bird seed into a bowl and let the children stir.
- Add the cranberries last, snipping any large ones in half with kitchen scissors.
- Let each child add “a pinch of magic”: an imaginary pinch from an empty hand, which costs nothing and harms nothing.
- Spoon the mix into paper bags or small jars and label them.
- Keep them in a cool, dry cupboard until Christmas Eve.
Optional extras from the RSPCA recipe
The RSPCA’s version adds grated cheese, dried mealworms or waxworms for the birds, and a hint of chilli powder, which it says stops squirrels and rodents stealing the food. Cheese goes off, so add it on Christmas Eve rather than weeks ahead.
What to leave out of reindeer food
Whatever the children scatter will be found by something other than reindeer: birds in the morning, a fox, the dog next door. These ingredients turn up in older recipes and shop-bought bags.
| Leave out | Why | Use instead |
|---|---|---|
| Glitter and sequins | The RSPCA’s recipe is glitter-free | Dried cranberries for colour |
| Edible glitter | The RSPCA says even ‘edible’ glitter is very bad for wildlife | Dried cranberries |
| Raisins, sultanas, currants, grapes | The RSPCA warns that any quantity can be toxic to dogs | Dried cranberries |
| Chocolate | On the RSPCA’s list of common dog poisons | Keep it for Santa’s plate indoors |
| Sugar | The RSPCA’s recipe does not use it | Leave it out |
Where and when to sprinkle reindeer food
Reindeer food goes out on Christmas Eve, Thursday 24 December in 2026, just before bed, once the letter to Santa, the mince pie and the carrot are in place. Tradition says the lawn, but a raised tray keeps leftovers away from pets and hedgehogs.
- Garden: a tray or shallow bowl on the garden table or bird table, or a short trail from the gate to the front door.
- No garden: a saucer on the windowsill, the balcony or the doorstep.
- Christmas morning: tip what is left onto a bird table or into a feeder.
Photograph the tray before bed, then tip half of it into the bird feeder after the children are asleep. The second photo on Christmas morning is the proof the reindeer called.
Reindeer food bags, labels and Christmas Eve boxes
Brown paper bags or small jam jars avoid plastic. For a reindeer face, close each bag with a brown pipe cleaner twisted into antlers and glue on two googly eyes.
Label wording
A label tells the children when to use the mix and tells anyone else what is in it. Ours reads:
Oats for the journey, seeds for the flight,
cranberries red for a nose shining bright.
Sprinkle me out before bed, then sleep tight:
the reindeer will find you by moon and starlight.
(No glitter, no plastic.)
For a Christmas Eve box
A bag of reindeer food fits neatly into a Christmas Eve box, next to pyjamas, a book and a hot chocolate, and tells the children what the evening holds. Our guide to Christmas Eve box ideas has lists for children, teenagers and adults.
Elves Behavin' Badly
Mini elf-design Christmas Eve box, 26.5 x 17 x 8.5 cm, hinged lid
An edible reindeer snack for children
If your child wants a reindeer food they can eat, make a second bowl for indoors: breakfast cereal hoops, mini pretzels, a few chocolate buttons and dried cranberries for the red. Label it clearly and keep it inside, because chocolate and some dried fruits are dangerous for dogs.
Gingerbread house kits, elf props and the other Christmas Eve extras are grouped in our Kids and Elf range.
Frequently asked questions
What is magic reindeer food made of?
Traditionally, porridge oats mixed with glitter so that it sparkles on the lawn. The RSPCA asks families to skip the glitter, even the ‘edible’ kind: its recipe is based on wild bird seed, rolled oats and dried fruit such as cranberries.
What can I use instead of glitter in reindeer food?
Colour that comes from food rather than plastic, such as dried cranberries for red, as in the RSPCA’s recipe. If the children want sparkle, put it on the label or the jar instead of in the mix.
How do you make reindeer food in the UK?
Buy porridge oats from the cereal aisle, a bag of wild bird seed from a supermarket, garden centre or pet shop, and dried cranberries from the baking aisle. Mix two tablespoons of each per child, bag it and sprinkle it outside on Christmas Eve.
What should I put in reindeer food?
Oats for bulk, bird seed such as sunflower seeds or millet, and something red such as dried cranberries. The RSPCA’s recipe adds grated cheese, and a hint of chilli powder that it says stops squirrels and rodents stealing the food.
Is reindeer food safe for dogs?
Keep out the foods the RSPCA lists as dog poisons: raisins, sultanas, currants, grapes and chocolate. Put the mix on a raised tray if a dog uses the garden. If a dog eats something harmful, call your vet; the RSPCA also points to the Animal PoisonLine on 01202 509000, a paid 24-hour service.
When do you put reindeer food out?
On Christmas Eve, just before bed: Thursday 24 December in 2026. The dry mix can be made any time in December and kept in a sealed jar in a cool cupboard, with fresh fruit or cheese added only on the day.
What kind of reindeer food can I make for my child to eat?
A snack mix that stays indoors: cereal hoops, mini pretzels, a few chocolate buttons and dried cranberries. Serve it in a separate, labelled bowl so it never ends up in the garden, where chocolate is a risk to dogs.
