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 😊

This is a truly terrible plan. Id be so cranky by 4pm!

are the kids not allowed the canapés?

Will you have your car?

I would do a packed lunch honestly. Sandwich and fruit and crisps etc etc - whatever you’d pack for a day trip. It’s bizarre to make people wait hours and hours to eat.

Your children getting a decent meal is more important than any wedding, OP. Give your apologies to the bride and groom and just stay home.
@mummabubs

@VividDeer

oh you’re so cool and rebellious!
Not.

Cold bag if possible, single fruits like grapes, blueberries, individually wrapped cheese sticks peanut butter, ritz type crackers, nuts, crisps.

@Mydogisagentleman

ffs, no. the bride and groom are vegan and Op wants to be respectful of that on their special day.

Chill out ffs, the bride and groom aren't going to care what the kids eat out of sight / in the car.

I don't think there's any need to make DC's food vegan.

This is it. They're going to have to be discreet to eat anything or they'll get in trouble. So even if they did have a Babybel it'd be well away from the wedding party and unseen.

Peanut butter and or jam sandwiches, vegan ham or vegan chicken sandwiches. Pre cooked sausage rolls. Crisps, fruit, sliced peppers/carrots/cucumber and hummus. Pack and ice block on a small cool bag. Oreo’s. Party ring biscuits. There’s loads of stuff that doesn’t need a fridge if taken out a fridge in the morning and kept cool

We used to do almond butter sandwiches but cut into small bits.

Make them some sandwiches and make one for yourself while you're at it. Bride's food planning sounds rubbish.

Everyone’s going to be ravenous by 4pm, it’s very short sighted of the bride and groom putting a few canapés out at 1.30 after a morning ceremony especially if there’s alcohol on offer.

I’d be making a packed lunch for our family to keep in the car in a cool box, I wouldn’t be sneaking snacks in if the venue doesn’t allow them nor would I be willing to stand about hungry because of the bride and grooms poor planning.

Bananas
hummous sandwich
guac and chips
carrots sticks and a dip
apple slices and peanut butter for dipping
cold garlic bread

Make up some tupperwear bowls of favourite cereal (dry) and take a carton of uht / plant milk that doesn't need chilling. Don't forget your spoons!

Have eggs or omelette for breakfast then a bowl of cereal for lunch, topped with some banana. Peanut butter and jam sandwiches and some squash or fruit juice as extra snacks.

I wonder if they’ve spent the food budget on a nicer venue? Canapés is going to be a couple of vol au vents per person if you’re lucky. Is she warning the guests to have a big breakfast? And what are you expected to do with yourselves in the hours between the ceremony and the wedding breakfast? The most wonderfully behaved children on earth are going to be a bit tetchy by 4pm and a three course vegan meal is unlikely to cheer them up.

I would say sod sneaking food in. I’d either drive to the nearest pub doing food and have lunch there, or have a full packed lunch for each of us in a cool bag in the car, where I would be sitting when I ate it.

Thanks everyone, there's been some really helpful ideas including this one! Brings back memories of having dry Wheetos as a snack in the 90s!

I'm so confused - kids get packed lunches all the time for school, maybe just take a look at vegan packed lunches ideas on the internet.
If what you bring needs to be cold just put a cold pack?

It is a very posh looking venue, I haven't asked them to add in any sandwiches as a) I dread to think what they'd charge and b) they'd be vegan fillings which would probably not be eaten by either of my kids to be honest! The entire menu for the day is vegan, so I'm looking forward to seeing what we're offered! (The mistake I made was selling the wedding food to my kids as "it's just like a roast dinner"... It most certainly isn't on this occasion 🤣🤦🏻‍♀️)

@canklesmctacotits

garlic breath at a wedding not cool tho

If the plan is for your kids to be in the wedding photos, I would avoid any foods that might stain their clothes, like strawberries.

I'd go for veg sticks, apples, cheese sandwiches (I'd say jam, but that might end up a sartorial disaster), dry cereal like cheerios, crisps, biscuits. I'd avoid stuff like dips and hummus that could be messy. You want food that can be dropped down the front of their wedding outfits and it's going to be a dusting off job rather than full scale disaster.

this!

dry foods only

no peanut putter, hummus, etc. too messy and might get on their clothes

I’d just pack up a cool box with a picnic lunch and eat it in the car!

Two old T shirts to sling over their wedding clothes are the first thing to pack! Then you can have dips etc.

I’m with those saying make it veggie but not vegan. You aren’t going to be munching a chicken drumstick in the bride’s face.

They might and it's their big day.
They might be 'militant' vegans or they might turn a blind eye, why risk it when the children would be ok with peanut or marmite sandwiches or vegan pork pies.

Yeah @VividDeer they don’t need meat, it won’t do them any harm to have vegan food for a day