To not put on food at my child birthday party?

[LittleDonkeyKong]

Having a party for my eldests birthday next month and have booked a DJ with a 2 hour party package. The party is 2-4. I think stopping for food is such a waste of precious dancing time and the party isn't over a meal time. Am I being unreasonable?

It doesn't have to be a massive effort, or an absolute feast, but you should provide something to eat and drink.

This is the funniest thread I have read in ages

The absolute frothing outrage at the hint of NO food at a children's party!!!!! The merest hint that the darlings may STARVE. Heaven forbid you will be chased out of town!!!! You may as well have said you have hired the local drug dealer for entertainment You would have had a better response for sure.

I can't believe this is the first party your eight year old has had! Don't make it a crappy one as you haven't been bothered before. Honestly, why do some people do the bare minimum. Provide lots of food and drink and don't be mean! Why wouldn't you?

Ditto Indianwoman
Why would you NOT provide proper party good & drinks ????
It is meant to be a Birthday Party .... 🤔🤔🤔

I’m very confused. Is it the mess you don’t want, the calories you would rather they don’t consume or the extra cost? Cheese sandwiches? Is that really a choice for a birthday party? Not trying to be snarky, just wondering.

You can do what you want as long as you understand that you will have to explain to every single child that there is no food, and why there's no food, and that yes, you know they were expecting it and have had a small lunch in anticipation, but you're not feediing them and they are to go and dance.

Also bear in mind that many 8 year olds do not dance, they run around and hit each other unless they have something organised to do like pass the parcel.

You keep saying you’re not tight yet the party bags sound very basic and unless this is a shit hot pencil from smiggle a pencil, a balloon and a piece of cake isn’t going to go down well. No 8 yo wants an uninflated balloon. They’re 8 not 6.

This is your dds first party. Why are you trying to sabotage it by considering not to offer food and putting zero effort into the party bags? Why not get some sweetie cones online if you can’t be bothered to put the effort in?

Offering cheese sandwiches and crisps as food. Words clearly failed me as I didn’t comment on them in my post above.

Wow. yabu.

Feeding them is a useful activity and calms them down so feed them

OP, get a load of sugary jam doughnuts and do that game where you thread them onto a string and the kids have to try and eat one without using their hands or licking their lips.

YABU. Give them snacks and drinks.

Not all children will enjoy the disco, and not all children will enjoy games but all children enjoy party food!

I don't mean find a magic thing which all children enjoy - it doesn't exist - but my dd would go to a disco party if there were other things to do too, the disco bit was the least favourite.

Don't stop for food then. Just have a buffet laid out so people can help themselves.

You can get cheap bubbly snacks from Super arket even Poundland, if you're that pushed. I think it'll come across pretty unpleasant if you don't provide a few nibbles, and definitely drinks. Best not to have the party at all if that's the case. Couldn't you just go out and do something nice for a couple of hours on the day?

Otherwise you'll be known as the tight parent. You may not care but your DCs will. Its just not the time or occasion to make a stand about party food, save that for your own personal events but not your DC's birthday.

You need to provide food. Some children aren't that keen on dancing. They will be expecting some food, cake and a drink.

I think snacks and birthday cake would be expected.

Party = food, drink and fun!

Definitely think you need to have something. As a kiddy I can’t ever recall a party where there wasn’t any food.

I’d say sausage rolls, party sausages, crisps, fairy cakes, mini pizzas and the like is easy and can be put out as a buffet style with some paper plates. Just keep it simple

You keep saying you’re not tight yet the party bags sound very basic and unless this is a shit hot pencil from smiggle a pencil, a balloon and a piece of cake isn’t going to go down well. No 8 yo wants an uninflated balloon. They’re 8 not 6.

To be fair to OP and having had 21 years of Bday parties - DD still only 9 - the majority of parents now just give out a slice of bday cake as a going home gift and a thank you for coming. There's never been any whingeing because they haven't got bag full of tat.

A kids party... without party food?! No party rings. No wotsits, quavers or doritos. No cocktail sausages.

No. Just, no.
YABVU to even consider it

Just put on a finger buffet and let them help themselves to nibbles as-&-when they want, rather than scheduling a sit-down party meal in. But you can't not do party food. That would be an "epic fail" as my DC would say

Kids favourite parties are latest music & dancing plus a few old favourites with actions think okeycokey, Agassi's, birdeysong etc.
Half way stop for hot dogs 🌭 tomato sauce, packet of crisps and bottle of fizzy pop with a straw.
Finish with cake candles and sing happy birthday.
Line them up at the door and hand out party bags.
Job done.

It was so worth reading this entire thread just for the crudites comment, and the toasted pitta strips 'if you think carbs are necessary'. There are some whacked out orthorexics out there.

YABVU! Kids love party food. Have a break after 45 mins for sausage rolls, water and squash and all the other food kids enjoy.
They won't dance nonstop for two hours.

Pizza, crisps, sausages, party rings, strawberries, birthday cake. The strawberries always go first.
Drinks.

(Jelly is admittedly messy.)

Otherwise you will become famous for the wrong reason.