About this toddler party food menu?

[EssentialHummus]

Following on from the other thread, in which I learnt that a toddler party ending at noon needs proper food, can anyone offer views on the following please? Anything missing? Toddler is turning two, guests are two. Clearly some of the food is more for parents, others for kids.

Sandwiches, various fillings
Crisps
Veg sticks and dips
Mozzarella sticks
Filo spinach and cheese pie
Savoury pastry parcels
Fruit bowl (+fruit kebabs?)
Cake
Various soft drinks

My kid will eat anything, so isn't much of a barometer.

I’d stick out a pizza instead of the spinach and cheese pie

Top hats marshmallows? My DIL would go mad, choking hazard I was told, ditto popcorn.

If it's soft fruit, snapped up bits of dried spaghetti could work, robust enough for spearing fruit but unlikely to cause injury by accident it if deployed as a weapon

Yy Party Rings and Hula Hoops party essentials for me 😉

A couple of pizzas and a few packets of party rings would go down well with adults and children.

Most people are vegetarian or pescatarian and we're Jewish, so no sausage rolls I think.

In that case, you've forgotten fishballs At least, in my neck of the woods, fishballs are the Kosher equivalent of cocktail sausages, it's the law to serve them at any buffet.

What about a cheese and pineapple hedgehog? You've got to have the hedgehog!

Sounds great though OP

I'd be worried about the sticks if you do fruit kebabs, it would be difficult to keep tabs and make sure none of the kids run with it in their mouth.

This. I can't bear to watch when fruit kebabs are served at parties. I am on edge, waiting for someone to lose an eye.

Fairy bread tbh

I'd have a hot platter of mini pizzas/pies/quiches, cocktail sausages, sausage rolls, fish fingers, chips for the tots to eat.

What do tots eat these days? I forget! Fuck all apart from a bowl of pasta from recollection! Maybe a big bowl of pasta carbonara and a bowl of pasta with a tomato sauce and let the parents dole that out to them? Paper plates. It's a party - fuck the fruit lol (though some crudités for Mums are a good plan).

Plus don't forget little Johnny who only eats smoked salmon, kale, quinoa and hummus.

I would have a 20 minute allotted eating time for them at 11 maybe. Where they all sit down on cushions or something and get to eat if they're hungry.
Well done having a party btw. I only had family at my littlies parties.

Maybe have some yoghurts in the fridge too for if it's not a 'meal' time for some of them at that time.

I'd do a big platter of fruit rather than fruit salad or kebabs.

And slices of pizza.

Mozzarella sticks
Filo spinach and cheese pie
Savoury pastry parcels

Personally I wouldn't bother with these.

Those would have made the party for my two DC (vegetarian from birth). Please don’t take this advice to leave them out. Not everyone’s child is freaked out by interesting food.

Plus don't forget little Johnny who only eats smoked salmon, kale, quinoa and hummus. wink

They are all little Johnny round my way. Squash has not touched the lips of any toddler in my corner of London.

runout luckily unfortunately for my guests I live that far from the hubs of kosher catering that there will be no fishballs, unless I am particularly taken to gefilte-ing something in the coming week. It seems unlikely .

I don't think it needs to be too fancy for toddlers. The spinach and cheese pies won't be popular with the children. I would substitute with pieces of pizza instead.

Banana dolphins for the fruit platter.

I am considering an intervention. You’re Jewish, it’s at 10 am and there are no bagels??? Oy.

You deffo need wotsits, party rings and chocolate fingers.

This probably falls into the Little Johnny category, but might want to make sure you’ve got enough dairy free options - e.g. the dips (I’m guessing from your name OP that hummus will be one of them so that’s fine!) and perhaps some sandwiches with mayo instead of butter.

Soft drinks don’t seem right for a toddler party imo. Maybe just juice? Or even squash seems better.

Don't get rid of the fruit, I'd say it's the 2nd most popular thing (after biscuits/cupcakes) at all the parties I've been too - I guess because the DC are all hot from running about.

Also I wouldn't worry about catering for adult tastes, every adult I know loves kids party food and will happily hoover up the leftovers

Looks lovely. I’d avoid pointy sticked kebabs for sure though! Will they eat the spinach and cheese pie, maybe either keep half back or replace with quiche or pizza? Unless of course it is something you’ve seen them (or at least, yours) eat regularly before. The parents will enjoy it though!
Yes to hula hoops and party rings! 👍

unfortunately for my guests I live that far from the hubs of kosher catering that there will be no fishballs

Unfortunately for your guests That's no excuse! They can be found next to the essential hummous in my local branch of Waitrose but failing that:

www.ocado.com/products/mr-freed-s-dairy-free-fish-balls-fried-12736011