Good snacks to take for children to eat at a wedding (bonus points for vegan + no need for keeping cold!)

[mummabubs]

We have a family wedding coming up in the UK in a few weeks. All catering is vegan and our children are the only children invited. Bride has reached out to me as it's a morning ceremony and then wedding breakfast isn't until 4pm. She's worried the kids will be very hungry (I agree!) and has suggested I bring some snacks for them. Obviously I'm more than happy to do this, but I just find I'm drawing a blank beyond a couple of ideas. I guess ideally we're looking for meat-free finger foods that aren't too messy given they'll be in smart clothes.

Please feel free to pop your suggestions here as I'm confident Mumsnet will broaden my idea horizons!

Thanks all 😊

Ages? What sort of thing do they like to eat?

Very odd timings, where is the wedding being held?
If you are able, I would just take the children out (depending on ages) and give them a proper lunch somewhere. Stick to normal mealtimes, but then I am not a fan of "snacks".

Are the kids vegan? Or can you just make a normal lunch box for them like you would for school? I’d have breadsticks, apples, sandwiches/wraps, crisps, biscuits…it’s a long day if they’re very young so I’d keep the snacks coming tbh. You’ll need a decent size bag ideally a cool bag. Sorry

I am usually the same on meals Vs snacks, however the venue (stunning as it is) is in the middle of nowhere - nearest small town is a 20 minute car ride away.

Sorry, slipped my mind! 5 and 9. Both are relatively adventurous eaters but most of the things I make fresh for them need to be kept cool and there's no way to do that at the venue. (Bride has advised we're technically sneaking food in as the venue doesn't permit outside food so I can't ask to use their fridge!)

The snacks don't need to be vegan if the kids aren't! Agree you should give them a normal lunch, snacks won't really cut it until 4pm.

Will nobody get any food from morning til 4pm? That's really weird!

Anyway. Raisins, mini breadsticks (Aldi do them in individual packets), apples, nakd bar type things?

And have a massive proper cooked breakfast beforehand I guess.

Are the child vegan or ar you just looking for something that fits with the brides day? If it’s the latter I think as long as it’s not a chicken drumstick they are gnawing on I think that they don’t have to be strictly vegan.

If it was mine I would make them a packed lunch and take some snack, slip off with them to give them lunch around 12 or whenever you can. Even if just to the car. Unless they are really central in the wedding no one will notice.

Snacks - breadsticks, veg sticks, vegan banana muffins, maybe vegan “sausage” rolls, dried fruit, flapjacks.

Everyone will be starving ... not just the kids! How odd. Is there seriously no food from morning until 4pm? If there's booze, everyone will be rat arsed.

Avocado on rice cakes, marmite sandwiches, I’d just do normal lunch though.

Never mind the kids- I’d be starving too!! 😂. And what is happening between the ceremony and 4pm?

Give them solid breakfast in the morning and early lunch if possible.

Oatcakes

Get a cool bag with frozen ice blocks. Cheese and crackers. Veg sticks. Cold pizza. Pasta salad. Sandwiches or wraps. Fruit. Perhaps no meat or fish anyway in case not cold enough.

There are loads of options, particularly if you don't bother making it vegan (why would you?). Normal foods they'll eat every day - bananas/any fruit, sandwiches, Mini Cheddars, crisps, grain bars, biscuits, cake, croissants...

Everyone's going to be very bored and pretty hungry in the several hours between the ceremony and the food, so I imagine there'll be plenty of people heading out looking for grub. Having a packed lunch for your kids won't be a problem for anyone.

Roasted chickpeas are amazing. Drain and rinse a couple of tins, pat dry then toss in oil and your favourite spices, then roast for 45 minutes. They are great warm or cold and very filling.

Could the bride ask the venue to provide some sandwiches for the kids in the time between the ceremony and meal? If yours are the only kids. They often provide food for photographers and the like.

Never mind the kids, what is everyone else getting for lunch 😂

Adults are getting canapes at 1:30pm, I'm hoping there are plenty of them!

Ooooo good shout! I used to make these ages ago in the air fryer and forgot all about them!

Marmite sandwiches, apple/banana, carrot/cucumber, crisps/rice cakes, a couple of biscuits (lots are vegan though I doubt anyone will mind at that level of detail - oreos are a ubiquitous one). Water bottle. Wet wipe for their faces before you rejoin the crowd.

I do get the people saying don't bother with vegan food. I feel a duty to be a bit respectful of the bride and groom's position, but I concede that meat-free might be the way to go in order to make things they'll actually eat(!)

Unless the kids are vegan, take their normal food! Sandwich for sure as they're filling. Stuff like peanut butter doesn't need to be kept cold. If only from morning to lunch, an ice pack keeps most things relatively cool (even yoghurt tubes etc).

I'd stash a 30 pack of crisps in your car, you'll be the most popular person at the wedding!

What would they normally snack on or have in a lunchbox, I think almost everything can be made vegan nowadays so just tweak that (e.g. vegan sausage rolls, vegan chicken/ham sandwiches, crisps without milk as an ingredient - I’ve found these are mainly the meaty ones weirdly! - fruit, veg and bread sticks, hummus, falafels, wraps, nuts). Vegan stuff is unlikely to spoil in a few hours like dairy, meat or fish luckily.