To want to be fed at birthday parties?

[LurkNoFurther]

I have a 3 and 4 year old, so get lots of invites to birthday parties.

AIBU to expect some food at these parties?

For example, we had a party 12-3pm, food was served to the kids at 1.30pm. All the adults were standing behind their respective DC (small room) watching hungrily while they ate. There was a canteen there but it wasn't close to the party room and we had to be supervising our DC so no real option to get /eat lunch.

I could see some adults sneaking in a cold chicken nugget when they thought no one was looking!

At the end of the party I was so hungry, I ate the cake & sweets from the party bag!

It doesn't happen all the time, but I do myself getting annoyed when it does...

Now I'm not expecting a full on meal, but the hosts could have brought some home-made sandwiches that wouldn't have cost more than £20. Please consider the adults at these lunch time parties!

AIBU?

I think the best one was my DD's party at Baby Loves Disco and it had a bar! 😂

Oh bugger I'm doing a kids party this weekend and panicking now. It is a drop off but some parents will stay as there's kids with major allergies

I think I've just about catered for the allergies more or less

I really can't afford to feed parents too though. Parties are blooming expensive

I find if it’s a party at a soft play or similar, where the food would be included in the party package that the hosting parents paid for, only the kids are fed as the venue provides the food. If it’s a party at a village hall or someone’s home then, in my experience, the parents usually provide enough for adults too.

YWBU to expect to be fed at the former but YWNBU at all to expect to be fed at the latter

I'd never expect to be fed.. it's a kids party.. I just eat before I go

You don’t have to feed them as such nosleep just set up an area with flasks of coffee and a plate of muffins/adult biscuits. Tends to keep everyone pretty happy.

I have a 3yo and I have to admit to the whole “it’s just food for the children” thing taking me slightly by surprise when we first started going to parties. We usually have tea and coffee. I just wait till after and eat something before if it’s going to be a later finish.

I don't think it is acceptable to be fed as an adult, at a kids party

Say each kid turns up with one adult, suddenly instead of catering for 15 kids you are catering for 30 - or worse if both parents turn up

The cost could be prohibitive for some parents

and as for eating the goody bag - ffs...bit desperate

We've always provided tea, coffee soft drinks and biscuits for the adults and they are welcome to eat whatever is left after the kids have eaten but never discussing food for adults.

Neither would I expect to be fed beyond the above. There's far too much to sort out without having to also think about adult's food!!

Think of the extra cost. I have never stayed, been asked to stay or requested any one stay at my children's parties. Is this a new thing? You know what time the party is so have a snack in advance or pop a banana in your bag.

I always cater for everyone - adults and kids.

YANBU.

I don’t mean full-on food but drinks and nibbles/crisps and serve cake to everyone.

Parents never stayed a parties in my day,you dropped them off and picked them up 2 hours later, this from the age of about 4

In Spain everyone gets fed and it has now totally put me off having parties. I won't do it any more.

12 children who bring two adults each. The issue and expense is not organising the childrens party it is the adults who see it as a social occasion and expect superior grown up food. All 24 of them.

It drives me insane

YABVU it is a party for children. You are not going to starve, eat before or after.

Having just done a class party for 30 kids where most of the parents stayed, we would have really struggled to cater for the adults as well. I thought it was pretty standard just to invite the parents to eat what the kids didn't.

YANBU. We fed the adults at our DD's 4th birthday, just some finger sandwiches and kettle chips. And prosecco too. We're not savages

yanbu about no food at a 3 hour party, but a generic 2hr party at soft play, etc where you have to pay per child for food, or at a whole class party in a hall I would not expect to eat other than leftover sandwiches at the end or maybe some cake.

YABU if you don't know that all those carrot sticks, cucumber sticks, mini tomatoes and half bitten cheese sandwiches are the Adult food at children's parties. .

Step away from the party rings, sausage rolls and crisps though, there are never any of those left after a children's party. .

Maybe take a packed lunch.

It depends on the time of the party. 12-3 is a bit harsh to not have any food for adults.

I've purposely avoided standard adult mealtimes for my DDs party so as not to have to feed adults. It's 2-4.30pm with kids being fed at 4pm.

My DS doesn't like pizza, chips or nuggets (the freak) so I eat them for him so he's not sitting in front of a full plate. Never noticed any funny looks, but then I am too busy chewing.

There's usually a platter of sandwiches somewhere for the parents though IME.

and as for eating the goody bag - ffs...bit desperate

Yabu for this alone as if you are you’re childs party bag I agree just eat before you go out.

What? Birthday parties are expensive enough without having to feed the world.

You’re a fully functioning adult, bring your own lunch!

What next, supervision at the toilet?
Hand holding in the parking lot? 😂

I've only been to one party where there was lunch for the adults, and that was a bit awkward to be honest as no one really wanted it but the host was most insistent it was eaten. I think most of the parents had already eaten.

I provide tea, coffee, and some biscuits.

YABU to eat the stuff out your kids party bag, that’s ridiculous. If you can’t go without food for 3/4 hours then take a snack.

I think it totally depends on the time of the party. 12-3 is completely taking up lunch time so most people will be needing food. So yes, some nibbles would be reasonable to expect. 10-12 or 4-6pm, no food required as no one needs to eat at these sorts of times.