Just snacks at kids party

[JuniorMint14]

First time organising a kids birthday party and in a quandary re food. The venue we have booked have expensive options for hot and cold lunch boxes and don't allow outside catering except for snack items like crisps. (I didn't realise this at the time of booking - you live and learn!)

The party is 10-12, I'm wondering if I can get away with just a selection of packet snacks like crisps, biscuits, packs of raisins and some juice? I'd make sure there was plenty so each child could have 2-3 things. I would personally not mind that as it finishes before proper lunch time but don't want to look tight if something more substantial is expected! Thoughts?

12pm is lunch time for 4 year olds surely. You will look a bit tight tbh

What sort of food do they do? Could you order bowls of chips and put those out with the snacks and some fruit? And then the cake.

Then that's fab, at the finish time if 12 the parents can give them their lunch!!

I think just snacks are fine with the timing, especially as there will be activities before and after a break for food.

Sounds like a really good set up, and the kids will love having just snacks and cake, they're the fun bits!

I wouldn’t have been bothered at all by this given the timing. A few snacks will keep them going and they can have lunch once it’s finished. Honestly don’t put too much pressure on yourself financially over a party, it’ll be forgotten in a week and I’m sure the kids will be happy with snacks and great entertainment.

Is this how people think? It wouldn’t cross my mind. I think snacks are fine when a party is not at a meal time.

I've never been to a party where the food is served at the time it ends, how does that work?

I yet have to see a child actually eat (not just take a bite and bin the rest ) of sandwiches etc. Usually they go for crisps, raisins, cake, berries and the rest stays behind.
Souce: 2 kids, one late primary, one in secondary, so easily 50+ birthday parties attended
I would pack a generous goodie bag with a berry pot etc.

the actual kids are NEVER interested in the food food and just want snack!
at a recent party there was on offer crisps, packs of haribo, made up “10p mix up” bags of sweets, those long flump marshmallows…. The actual sandwiches were ignored!!

Where do they draw the line on what food you can provide. It’s a bit random that they say just snacks but definitely no sandwiches.

Surely you can either provide your own food or you can’t.

There’s lots you could offer to make it enough food to be acceptable that isn’t sandwiches. Crisps, biscuits, fruit, sausage rolls, cocktail sausages, picnic eggs, pinwheel wraps, pepper/carrot/cucumber sticks etc.

Whos actually policing what food you bring?

I have never experienced this rigid approach to mealtimes anywhere but mumsnet. Snacks at that time are fine. Just the same as school or nursery where they have a snack and then lunch. Surely a snack at 11ish then the parents feed them lunch when they get home.

If you haven’t invited people yet just make it 10-1130 and say something like ‘celebrate max with party games and cake!’ And then everyone can bring a lunch for after or grab something on their way home if they really need to.

2 hours without a proper food break is LONG for a hall party like this.

Sounds fine, they're not there at a meal time so would be weird to provide lunch at 11. Snacks and cake is already plenty.

I agree that for a 2 hour party for that age group at that time I’d expect some proper food. Perhaps you could just order smaller quantities of the hot food, or pad out the snacks as pps suggest?

Fwiw my 8yo’s party was at 9.30-11.30 this year and we only brought snacks, and loads of the kids were saying they were starving - I felt really bad!

She didn’t say it was in a hall. I think it’s something like trampolining because she says there are expensive food options. In a hall she would be able to bring food in.

I mean I’ve done a fair few parties In my time but food is generally part of it and 4-5 yr old tend to have lunch between 11:30-12 so it’s a bit boarderline.

I think you have a couple of options here:-

• do the party 9:30-11:30 or 9-11 instead
• suck it up and pay for the food
• change venues and book a village hall or somewhere that you can do what you want to food wise

it’s odd they allow “snacks” but not proper food. That’s really strange.

Have they been specific on “snacks” though? Could you do some sausage rolls, fruit etc?

It would be fine with me but I’d appreciate a heads up as normally lunch is there so I would want to have given my kids a decent late breakfast! This happened to me once and my kiddo was unwell because he was hungry and snacked on the crisps/chocolates they had there!

You manage to appear ghastly quite frequently.

Thank you for all the comments. Mixed views but I'm leaning to sticking with snacks but will maybe write on the invite something like 'entertainment, games and snacks' to temper expectations. I will make sure to bring plenty of snacks so there is choice. We have to be cleared out of the venue by 12 so in reality they will be going home about 11.45, so I'll maybe also put 10-11.45am on the invite to make that clear.

The venue food offerings are quite restrictive, I can't just order a sandwich platter from them, it's a full meal box only. If I could just order a smaller amount I would definitely do that!

There is a cafe on site so if any kids are 'starving' they can get something before they go home. The venue is close to most of their homes so no one will be more than 10-15 mins drive max to get home for lunch!

@somanychristmaslights they said snacks like crisps and biscuits... I feel sausage rolls would be pushing it unfortunately. Could maybe get away with a cheese string...

That sounds fine to me! As it’s finishing at lunchtime they can just eat after. Very sneaky of the venue though!

Crisps, biscuits and some healthy snacks (breadsticks, cheese cubes/strings, carrot sticks, cucumber sticks, -apple slices, berries), and you are good!
They can’t really object to healthy snacks, and food gets served around 11, so way to early for lunch!

Ah, now you’ve said the time of the party, then I think snacks is fine 😃. I’d offer fruit though as well

Make sure your party entertainer knows the kids are only having a quick snack.
She may be assuming the kids will be sat down for 20-30 mins having a party lunch.
Speaking from bitter experience 'party games' with 4 year olds don't take anything like as long as you might expect and you will have like 45 mins to fill with these if she is doing her dance thing for 30-40 min so til 10.40 the kids might snack for 10 mins tops and you then have maybe as long as 50-55 mins to fill with vague 'party games'

Trust me 50-55 is aaaaages to keep kids this age entertained and engaged.