Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To not feed lunch at a kids birthday party?

93 replies

ginplease8383 · 30/08/2017 20:03

DD will be 3 in a month or so. I am considering having a village hall and bouncy castle from 2pm- 4pm.

AIBU to not serve food and just some cake and scones and some water/juice? DD eats at 12 and at 4. Which is what they do at nursery where a majority of the kids would be from.

OP posts:
87patshad · 30/08/2017 20:24

Yes I think that's fine for a party bag. Kids at that age usually want to eat the cake and will be pleased by the bubbles and play doh! Smile

Findingdotty · 30/08/2017 20:25

Always found it weird that people served food at this time at parties. I think it's fine as long as you are clear on the invite so people know what to do with their food plans for the rest of the day (as in don't give their child lunch or plan no dinner).

SheepyFun · 30/08/2017 20:26

That party bag is similar to what I did for DD's 4th birthday.

For her third, we just had a coffee morning with cake (carefully not labelled a party!). That was cheap (held at my house). No other food (though the cake was nice, and large!).

No need to feed the parents, though tea/coffee would be kind. They usually pick over what the children leave behind anyway.

You've mentioned having the hall for 3 hours, with the party for two. I hope you're good at clearing up...

SomeDoNot · 30/08/2017 20:26

I think they might eat the homemade play dough by accident on the way home.

87patshad · 30/08/2017 20:27

My local village hall is £35 for a party but obviously this will vary with other places.

If not already booked, do you have a large enough garden? Hire a bouncy castle and have a little tea party at home?

87patshad · 30/08/2017 20:29

SomeDoNot this would be the parents responsibility not OP's Hmm

dataandspot · 30/08/2017 20:29

My experience is you provide food and end up throwing loads away!

I think scones, cake and crisps after lunch and before tea time is fine!

Original poster
ginplease8383 · 30/08/2017 20:31

Have any of you done a party at home?

Is £50 for 3 hours for a village hall reasonable?

OP posts:
converseandjeans · 30/08/2017 20:33

I think you could do a basic party tea for cheap price - cut the sandwiches up finger size/crisps. What about getting some plain white paper bags and putting in each one say a small sandwich/bag of crisps/choc mini roll/squeezy yoghurt or something similar. Then there won't be any waste and kids grabbing stuff that then ends up in the bin. You can prep them all and just hand them out.
I would also say you could do 1 and a half hrs for the party?
Good luck!

converseandjeans · 30/08/2017 20:34

I did parties at home when they were little - then booked a hall once they were reception class age. That does sound about right tbh.

Original poster
ginplease8383 · 30/08/2017 20:34

Yes I was about to say- not my problem if they eat it on the way home.

Its not booked yet as its the end of October but Im a party virgin and scoping out my options.

I was considering doing a duple party at home as we have a large conservatory and a playroom attached to it but Im nervous what id do with them for 2 hours and that DD might bash anyone who played with her toys!

OP posts:
shamoffour · 30/08/2017 20:36

Yes that reasonable.
Go to aldi and get the stuff I'd go light on sandwiches, they sell cocktail sausages, sausage rolls, humus, carrot sticks and multi packs of fairy cakes all dead cheap.
I did plates of chocolate fingers, jammy dodgers and party rings looks a lot but costs pennies.

pictish · 30/08/2017 20:37

Food will be fully expected, yes.

horriblehistorieswench · 30/08/2017 20:37

Even if they wouldn't usually eat at that time they will have been running around like loons so will have worked up an appetite. Just do finger food for easiness - bread sticks, sausages, hula hoops, strawberries, party rings, chocolate fingers all go down well ime.

shamoffour · 30/08/2017 20:38

Xpost.
Seriously I would hire somewhere. At that age parents stay so it gets ridiculous I ended up with about 50 people at my house when I did my sons 3 birthday at home. I felt obliged to give adults drinks and it was hard work and the kids ran wild all over the house.

Littleraincloud · 30/08/2017 20:38

I think the price is reasonable. We recently served :12 bread cakes filled with cheese spread,12 breadcakes filled with ham, 6 pack of crisps, 48 sausage rolls,2 cheap quiche, 1 home made platter of carrots, cucumber and cherry tomatoes, 1homemade platter of melon,grapes and strawberries, orange squash , 3 packs party rings and a home made cake for just under £30 using asdas cheapest options. Went down a storm and fed 16 kids aged 2-6

Beach11 · 30/08/2017 20:38

My DS attended a 3rd party & each child got a book & a piece of cake. The Works online do 10 books for £10 with a very wide selection & some brilliant books.

Thinking of doing the same for DD's party.

WeAreEternal · 30/08/2017 20:39

I agree with previous posters.

I would do,

Two loaves (1 brown one while) made into ham, cheese and jam sandwiches, cut into quarter triangles.
Carrot and cucumber sticks.
And then a few bowls of crisps, grapes and party rings.

And tea, coffee and some niace biscuits for the parents.

Littleraincloud · 30/08/2017 20:39

I cut the bread cakes in half

shamoffour · 30/08/2017 20:39

"Felt obliged to give adults drinks" that sounds really mean what I meant was I was continuously making in drinks and playing the hostess as I felt I should as it was my house.

cheminotte · 30/08/2017 20:40

Totally understand why you don't want to do food at that time, but I think the better option is to change the time of the party. 11-1 always worked well ime.

CakeNinja · 30/08/2017 20:40

Never done a village hall, but when mine were younger (ages 5-8) we did soft play for around 12-15, never did whole class parties, just asked for the names of their closest and most liked friends, then their own siblings and a couple of family friends.
These used to come in at around £200 ish, by the time you added a cake and party bags.
Hosting for 27 is a bit silly if you're on a budget, obviously the less you invite, the less it will cost.
Now they have more expensive 'parties' with fewer children.

grandOlejukeofYork · 30/08/2017 20:41

It's a party, it's not about what time their regular meals are. Somewhat misses the point.

Theresnonamesleft · 30/08/2017 20:41

Parties are expensive as you make them. As they older it gets easier because they choose their own mates so no whole class parties.
Teens are a bliss bung your child some money for activity and Nando's, they are pay for themselves.

Get a couple of the big bags of knock off wotsits, quavers etc.
Bag of frozen sausage rolls.
Couple of loafs and do sandwichesOr just a couple of pizzas and cut them into more bite size than triangles, Couple of jugs of squash and water. Veg sticks and bread sticks.
Jelly in plastic cups.
Those savoury nibbles (pound shop for a tub).

.

Either

DisorderedAllsorts · 30/08/2017 20:41

£50 for 3 hours seems very reasonable because it's £50 per hour where I live.

Instead of traditional party bags for my dad's birthday, I've bought these bags which I will add a slice of cake and a packet of sweets to inside.

Swipe left for the next trending thread