Birthday party 4 year old no meal

[HettyMeg]

Is a birthday party without a meal ok for 3 / 4 year olds? The party is from 1.30-3pm so a funny time to serve lunch. Is fruit/crisps/cake/juice OK or will we be considered odd to do this?!

I think that will be fine but would probably make it clear on the invites that you won't be doing a full party spread, just some crisps / fruit. Then people can give lunch before coming rather than only giving kids a snack expecting a full spread.

For a 1.30pm party I think parents might be thinking their DC is going to be fed. That said, fruit, crisps and cake is food.

I would add in some mini sandwiches probably.

absolutely fine but id suggest communicating to parents in advance. I’ve lost count of how many parties I’ve been to (even those which legitimately fall over a meal time) where so much food is thrown away as the kids just want a couple of crisps and a biscuit, not sandwiches, carrot sticks and so on. My daughter’s last party was sometime like 2-4 and I made it clear there would just be some crisps, grapes and a piece of cake. No one seemed to mind and I saved £50 on food!

I would prefer to feed my child before 1330 and would welcome a note saying “cake and crisps only at the end” or similar so that I could just feed them normally

That sounds fine to me.
Just enough, with cake, to be a party.
Late enough after lunch, early enough not to spoil supper, cake is what makes a party for little ones.

I think it’s absolutely fine, but I would make it very clear on the invitations that there will only be snacks. Every kids party I’ve been to has had a full meal (not that the kids ever eat much), even at really weird times.

There is so much waste at parties, the kids just aren’t interested in eating and getting ones that age to stop the fun and sit down is a nightmare. The party is only 90 minutes and it’ll be done before you know it. I think your plan is absolutely fine, but I’d just make sure people coming are aware it’ll be snacks on the go only.

It’s fine, as you say it isn’t really over a meal time, but just make it clear beforehand that it’ll be party snacks and not a party tea.

I think I would do some food, at least some sandwiches or pizza

I think it's really sensible - lots of infant schools serve lunch about 11.45 and most people don't eat tea before 5 so your party is very late for lunch and to early for tea. I think many people will thank you actually, because keeping little ones hungry, or working out how to feed them tea when they've eaten too late to properly have tea, but too early to be full all night is a challenge. Just make it clear on the invites, like "Please come to X's party. We will be playing games from X-Y with a yummy snack at the end". Then people know to plan a proper lunch and tea.

That is not a funny time for lunch. At any party at any time I’d have a selection of sandwiches, crisps, veggies and fruit.

Agree

I loved clear invitations at that age so as long as you mention it I think it’s fine.

Personally I preferred them to have fruit/healty snacks (and cake for a treat) than full on party food as you can keep to your own routine.

Othwise the outcome was they’d come home with a massive sugar rush or be starving because they’d been too busy having fun to eat.

Main things is to have lots of drinks if they are going to be dashing around.

Maybe not if they sit down to eat straight away at 1.30. But that would be unusual - food tends to be in the middle/end of the party - probably 2.30 in this case. For young children that’s a very late lunch!