Feeding Adults at Birthday parties

[HairsprayBabe]

DD is 4 in a few weeks, having a church hall party with a bouncy castle.
Party is 11:30-1:30
Kids are having lunchboxes with pre chosen rolls (plus other things) looking at the numbers it is approximately 25 children, including my own.

We are planning on feeding the grownups too as it is bang on lunchtime.

How do I work out how many to cater for? Do I assume one adult per child or more? We have adult family coming too.

Menu is not going to be extravagant for grown-ups, some sandwich/wrap platters, crisps, biscuits and hot drinks (cake will be available for everyone!)

I think it’s nice you want to provide the adults with something to eat.
I went to a kids birthday party with my child & no food was provided for the kids, let alone the adults! A birthday cake was cut up
into very small pieces & served to the children. That was it.

@Notmycircusnotmyotter @DappledThings there is a no alcohol line in the contract

I’ve never been to a party that catered for the adults. A village hall party I once did for my DS, I did do some cakes so parents could have a cake and a cup of tea which they appreciated.

I wouldn’t go mad. Get a few sandwiches and cakes if you need to but I wouldn’t get any more. The parents shouldn’t be expecting a full lunch for themselves at a small child’s party

@CRAmum its 23 +mine but some of the children are siblings, and then I have adult family (my siblings, grandparents, etc) coming too so I think closer to 38 is probably right

@Sparkle88K what! what time was it?!

Wouldn’t you just have a snack before you left and then cope until 2pm?

please ignore I’ve reported my own post

If I had to, but round here for nursery-aged children's parties parents normally do get fed. I mainly meant that in response to the people going 'there'll be plenty of children's food left over' - maybe all the children I know are just gluttons, but I've never seen that happen.

Well in that case I think you need to ask parents to let you know whether you should be catering for one or two. But it wasn't the norm to cater for parents separately back when I was doing small kids' birthday parties.

@BarnacleBeasley it makes sense to me, you can't leave a 3/4 year old at a party and 1130-130 is normal lunch time, as someone else said if it was at a softplay where food is available for purchase then mostly parents are left to fend for themselves - but round here a little lunch for parents is standard

I would definitely put food out over lunchtime. I’ve only been to parties up to the age of 5 so far, but even when they weren’t over lunchtime (actually I don’t think any have been over lunch, most have started around 3pm) there has always been sandwiches/crisps/crudites/tea/coffee/wine/beer for the adults. Pizza went down the best! Unfortunately I can never eat it as most easy party food contains gluten, and I’ve see all the kids pick up the food with their filthy hands, try a lick and put it back - despite having their own lunchboxes at some places. So, I don’t really feel I’m missing out!!

Also it’s quite common for both parents to come where we are as seen as social thing (unless it’s soft pay then everyone draws straws to avoid being the one to take them).

I think you’re better off just going with what’s normal around your area. I am just out the other side of village hall parties (kids age 11 and 8) and round here they don’t cater for adults who will just eat leftovers if there are any.

Find the ‘I’d be starving if I went to a 2 hour party over lunchtime and didn’t have food’ comments a bit mad. Surely you just adjust your timings for the day? Have a snack before you leave or something? Things in life will often come up that you can’t have food at a specific time and people seem to manage.

I think children’s parties are expensive enough without feeding another 30 odd people!!

I would cater some sandwiches or wraps and bowls of crisps for 1 adult per child attending plus your own family members - but also buy some extra wrapped items such as mini rolls/kit kats/penguins/a multi pack of crisps or some apples/satsumas etc that you could put extra out if more people turn up or people eat more than than you expect. What you dont use can be used for lunchboxes or snacks without waste.

@TaffyandTeenyTaffy that is a great idea, thank you!

It’s normal for our circle to do do parents’ food, and it always goes. I think work on the basis of 1.5 adults per child - as long as everyone gets something, the exact amount isn’t important. Be aware that if it looks nice, the kids will snaffle some too!

At my kids previous school the parents were very chatty and lovely. There was a good ethnic mix and the parties were late on Sundays usually. It was the norm to provide tea / coffee and the Asian parents often did curry for the adults which was amazing. I have done lots of different cakes for adults but no food per se for them. Then they take the extra home. I used to do party bags too but money is tighter now so I'm not going to I don't think - the cake is the party bag!! The schools they are at now are much less parent integrated so I guess there's less impetuous.

I would cater for one adult but in reality quite a few parents turn up with older or younger siblings.

The only thing I would caution against is the tea and coffee op! It’s a nightmare if you have to make it for people, or will the parents be making it for themselves? If not you need one person there just helping with that with that size of party. We did it once and never again! I absolutely hate the urn in our village hall and it’s never hot at the right time! It also causes the electrics to short! 😆

We made up big colourful gardening tubs full of ice and stuck a selection of mini waters, flavoured waters and more adult fizzy drinks in them with a sign for parents to help themselves. Mind you it was summer! We also ordered in some good quality pizzas which my sister cut up and circulated on huge platters with paper napkins among the parents intermittently so the children didn’t catch wind of it. 😃 (They had their own finger food squares of mini pizza in their food boxes.)

I swear by food boxes for dc btw! They are so much easier serving and clearing up! My top tip is to not include a mini drink box like a Ribena in the food box because they weigh them down and some fall out of the bottom. I would serve the dc drinks separately.

And for 25 dc you need as many volunteer helpers as possible especially guarding the exits at arrival and departure time and for loo runs. Children may need help with coats etc at this time of year too. Also there nearly always seems to be one unruly child who seems to need one to one monitoring so they don’t ruin it for the others (not blaming the child at all; just stating what we’ve experienced).

Finally, remember bin bags, basic cleaning materials, kitchen roll, sellotape, blue tack, a marker pen and some cardboard (for signs or games) , sick bucket and Dettol (just in case) and check the loos are all in order with soap and loo paper.

Have fun op! Hope your dd has a blast!

Generally no food for adults - just kids left overs and prosecco. (bunch of lushes the mums round here... heheheheh)

I would cater for 1 adult per child plus maybe an extra 5 people in case some children have both parents turn up. Or get an extra platter and keep it in the kitchen. Only open if you need it. You can always take it back home or hand it out at the end if it doesn’t get eaten. Our area also cater for adults, that’s the norm. I keep it simple and order pizzas for everyone as it’s just easier and works out cheaper for me. If you do run out of food, ordering a couple of pizzas is
also an option

I've attended around 200+ kids parties and adults have only ever been offered leftover pizza at some of the soft play ones.... 😂

Never ever experienced adults being catered for "properly".

I wouldn't think that adults would want prosecco etc as no doubt they will be driving home .If you are going to get food from Costco I would think a few plates of their sandwiches and sausage rolls would be enough. Parents will only be expecting a sandwich in my opinion.

I wouldn’t. I’ve done many a party with so many lovely spreads and never gotten anyone to actually eat anything! 😂 It all goes to waste. Coffee/tea and cake is perfect. Everyone will have already eaten or have plans to eat after.

I’m a bit of an over-estimator food wise but I’d probably allow for three adults per two kids. Most will of course only have one parent but that allows for those extras and it means you won’t run out and feel bad (if you’re anything like me!)
We normally put on a massive spread, the kids load their plates first then the hosting parent trots around encouraging the adults to have a plate too.

If it’s the norm then one adult per child, as I’m sure some won’t eat and some may have brought more than one child. Hopefully in a couple years it will be drop off party so you don’t have to provide extra food! I’ve only ever been to one party where parents were given food.