3 year old party food suggestions?

[princesspeppax]

DDs 3rd birthday party in a few weeks and not sure what would be best to do for food initially was going to just do a small buffet, fish fingers chicken nuggets chips etc for kids to help themselves but have seen that lunch bags / boxes seem to be quite a nice idea

So can you tell me if you have ever hosted or been to kids party, what is the better option?

Many thanks 😬

[BackforGood]

How many dc?
Are you in your own kitchen or in a community hall?
What space are you working with (ie can you get them round a table or are they going to be 'picnic-ing' in the living room) ?
What time of day is the party ?

[princesspeppax]

Backforgood

Sorry just realised i never really gave much info, around 15 kids and its in a small hall with small kitchen and a few tables for kids to sit round, party is 2-4pm

[angelopal]

Kids parties we have recently been to for 3 and 4 year olds have been cold buffets which had sandwiches, sausage rolls, cocktail sausages, veg sticks, fruit, cheese, bread sticks, sweets, top hats and cakes.

[BackforGood]

In that case I would go for cold stuff - all prepared before you go (which is where the lunch box idea comes in useful) - so you are free to supervise the children once they arrive at the party and not cooking stuff. You are also not relying on the cooker working / them having the right baking tray / etc. etc.
It is a good time for a party, as they will have had lunch and it won't yet be tea time.
Don't go overboard on the sandwiches - it's all about the cakes at this time.
The other handy thing about doing lunchboxes is it is easy to keep any vegetarian or food for children with allergies or ethical or religious beliefs dictating dietary needs for the right child.

[princesspeppax]

Thankyou, this might be a totally ridiculous question but i have no clue, if i was to make sandwiches and wrap them in clingfilm at say 1pm before i left and kids ate at 3.30ish would they not start going hard ? Sorry i realise this sounds so silly but its my first ever organising anything like this

[BackforGood]

No - they'll be fine.

If you think about it, everyday 100s of 1000s of people make their sandwiches at breakfast time and don't eat them until lunchtime

[princesspeppax]

Thankyou

[Avebury]

Honestly at that time of day I'm not sure I'd even bother with sandwiches. I'd probably pop in a bag of mini cheddars, a baby bel, raisins, mini bag of chocolate fingers or some equivalent treat and a mini pot of jelly with a plastic spoon and then have a couple of fruit platters on the table.
Presumably there will also be birthday cake.
And all in a box so they can take home what they don't eat at the time.