Food ideas for 5 year old birthday party

[Weareallmadeofstars]

Hi all, I'm throwing a big party for the first time (eek!) for 5 year old DD in a couple of weeks and I'm looking for party food tips! I've thought of the obvious stuff like crisps and sandwiches but just wondering what food goes down really well with this age group in your experience and if you have any fun idea to share. Thanks in advance

[BikeRunSki]

Hot dogs in rolls and chips
Ice cream (good in a bowl, more fun in cones) with a selection of sprinkles, sauces etc
Pizza slices
Fish and chips
Cheese/cucumber/grapes/pineapple etc on cocktail sticks, stuck into oranges (or half an orange for steadiness)
Chocolate fondue/fruit

[Pedestriana]

Was at something like this recently. Host had prepared lunch bags for the kids. Each bag had a sandwich, some crisps, an individual jelly pot and one of those tubes of yogurt, as well as a carton of drink. Fresh fruit (apples, grapes) out on the table, and fruit/veg sticks.
There wasn't much left, and there nearly 30 children there.

[Glamorousglitter]

I second the idea of individual portions - either in a lunch bag or on a paper plate. Much better than having a free for all at the table. Also 5 year olds at a party, they will eat but they won't eat much! So a sandwich, or chips and sausage - treat and drink and crisps - plenty !
I have also given up on things like fruit kebabs etc they end up all over the place and hardly eaten.

Paper plate/ cups and table cloth - all can be rolled up and thrown in recycle at end of party !

Birthday cake often doesn't get eaten - so divide portions wrap in foil and send home for party bag

Don't serve grapes (choking hazard) and if you do cut them length ways

Always have a large jug of water available for those that want while the party games are ongoing.

Hide or don't display the food until you re ready to serve it, unless you want half of it eaten before it s time and the party participants crowding around the table instead of the activities. Have a jug of water. / juice for the kids that are 'starving ' or 'need food now not later ' - don't start giving one or two little bits as invariably they ll all want some.

Also check re allergies / vegetarian it s good to have a few extra or plain version for the kids that 'don't like cheese in my sandwich' etc (or be practical and whip out the cheese as say there you go now )

I would also go with plain stuff for this age group - salted crisps / popcorn rather than flavoured etc as invariably someone won't eat the flavour you have or they all want the same.


Don't offer too much choice i guess (drink flavour / sandwich filling etc) as you can bet your bottom dollar that they will all suddenly want what you don't have much of lol!
(I speak from 9 years and 3 kids of hosting many parties of this nature )

They love visuals at this (and any) age!
We iced buns with coloured icing and stuck a lolly pop in the top, and put jelly tots on the icing - they all thought they were the best thing ever ! It was meant to look like a flower end result didn't really but kids loved it!

Cutting the sandwiches into shapes with cookie cutters also makes them more fun.

Another tip was I had every child's name printed twice on a sheet of stickers - when they arrived I got each child to find their name and stick it on their coat, and one to wear for the party.

I always have a few extra printed sheets of colouring paper/ word searches / dot to dot puzzles (various sky landers, princesses, my little pony, ninja turtles Lego movie scenes are all available free to print ) and a big box of crayons I have these set up in a corner for the kiddos that don't want to participate or want to have some time out (there s always one or two at a big party)

[DesertOrDessert]

Cocktail sausages.
Don't make too much. Plain boring food, then a mixture of cakes and biscuits.
The yoghurt tubes or cheese string things are usually quite popualer.

[Weareallmadeofstars]

Thank you all for the ideas! Individual portions sound like a good idea. We are hiring a hall so won't be able to cook unfortunately but I'll keep the hot food in mind for future parties

[Pedestriana]

Just remembered, our host served small slices of cake at the table for everyone. Small 'treat' cake was in our goody bag when we got home. Great for other siblings who didn't attend or for greedy parents like me

[Weareallmadeofstars]

haha! Nice idea!

[TheCunkOfPhilomena]

I had DS5's birthday party on Saturday and bought little cardboard lunch boxes for each guest and put in:

half a cheese sandwich
half a marmite sandwich
a packet of Pom Bears
raisins
cucumber and carrot batons
a mini pack of Oreos

They all seemed to love it and it meant that I could cater for allergies as I bought some stickers and wrote each child's name on them.

I then just had some jugs of water and juice on the table. I really recommend this, way less waste and mess!

[scarednoob]

Lots of great food ideas here, but just wanted to add that we had a piñata for my niece's 6th birthday recently, and my goodness the kids loved it - you can get them at tesco for about £5 and then fill them yourself. That's one way to get some treats into them!

(Although I was slightly disturbed by the 5 year old boy who slashed at it really viciously, screaming, "DIE DONKEY, DIE." )

It might be better for a slightly older party, but I thought the ice cream table was a great idea for pudding - the kids can make their own sundaes/cones by choosing toppings.

Another thing you could do cheaply and easily that they will like is glitter tattoos - even the boys were queuing up for those at my niece's party (admittedly most of them wanted black glittery skulls or something!).