Party food!

[scorpiogirly]

I'm doing the party good for my daughter's 4th birthday party on Saturday. Never done this before and I'm not exactly a whiz in the kitchen. There will be about 25 kids I think.

So far I have
Cocktail sausages
Sausage rolls ( frozen ones)
Chicken poppers ( frozen)
Ham sandwiches
Cheese sandwiches
Cucumber sticks
Carrot sticks
Party rings
Mini pizzas
Cheese and pineapple
Vol au vents (frozen which I'm going to bake and fill with tuna sweetcorn mayo the morning of)

Is this enough? Am I missing anything I shouldn't be?

Also how far in advance can I make this? The night before maybe? Apart from the over stuff which I'll do the morning of the party.

Oh also should I buy individual bags of crisps or tip some into a few bowls?

Any idea what crisps?

You may have noticed I have absolutely no clue!

Sounds tons. Are you expecting to feed the parents too?

I'd say that's more than enough, children don't eat much at parties, I had so much waste at my DS's first party at 4, never again!

I'd do individual bags of crisps as then they can be used if they don't get eaten up at the party.

Too much if anything

Sounds fine. Kids will go through it like a plague of locusts and go back to playing. They won't even notice what they've eaten.

I found party entertainment more stressful than food!

Too much, but the parents will hoover it up no doubt!

I would take away some of the savoury stuff-
sausage rolls
vol au vents

And add in
chocolate fingers
pom bears for crisps or hula hoops
little mini cup cakes?

Thankfully I've got an entertainer sorted so I won't have to do any of that sort of stuff.

Can I make the sandwiches the night before?

Er of course you can.

Do you think sandwiches in Tesco are made on the day?

Yes ham and cheese grated is fine. As long as you tightly wrap cling film or put in airtight containers

Haha that made me laugh! I'll do that then.

I don't think I'll ever do this again. The stress has been unbearable!

4 year olds hardly eat anything at parties I find. Well obviously all the party rings will be gone! But don’t go crazy on sandwiches

I don't know exact numbers but I was thinking enough for 2 triangles each? Maybe three loaves of bread? I don't mind if the adults pick at it either

I used to make up individual picnic bags. 1 juice, 1 jam sandwich, 1 ham sandwich, 1 bit of fruit, 1 small chocolate bat, 1 box of juice, 1 party tooter or similar. I'd serve the adults cake and tea/coffee. Piece of cake home with everyone alongside their party bag. So much easier than a buffet that gets savaged by kids.

I used to do boxes too. Half a ham and half a cheese sandwich, Pom bears, drink and a mini bag of party rings.

Cucumber / cherry toms and fruit on platters

Tip - make the sandwiches up but don’t cut them into triangles or squares or whatever till the day - they’ll curl up in the fridge if you make them into all nice triangles and arrange them nicely on a plate. Speaking from experience!

i wouldn’t bother with vol au vents, nice as they are.

Crisps - for parties ours like skips, wotsits and hula hoops. But they’re all popular. You can tip into bowls or just have a bowl of packets - maybe into bowls for little kids so they have a few of each??

3 loaves is way too much, don't use wholemeal either or even less will get eaten.

About 2 carrots and 4 cherry tomatoes will get eaten (by parents).

The poppers, sausages and pizza will go.

I'd do crisps in bowl otherwise you'll be chucking loads of half full packets.

As a PP said, a few more sweet bits - fairy cakes, bowl of iced gems.

Big bowl of strawberries (mostly for parents)

By 'cheese and pineapple', do you mean on cocktail sticks? I would avoid cocktail sticks with 4 year olds.

Omg my daughters 4th party on Sat and I'm just doing jugs of juice, cupcakes, bowls of crisps and maybe some carrot sticks/cucumber slices. My experience of young children at parties is that they care not for food!

A half sandwich each would be mine done at 4, so wouldn't touch the sausages and cheese.

I'd honestly cut down on the amount you're offering, you could easily just do the sandwiches and a few party rings with fruit and crisps etc.

Most 4YOs barely eat at parties and you’ll have leftovers coming out of your ears with all that. Party rings will be a hit. For the savoury I’d do the cocktail sausages, mini pizza, sandwiches, cucumber/carrot sticks and ditch the rest. Maybe Pom bears too in individual packs so you can take the leftovers home but definitely no need for vol au vents unless they’re for the adults to have with a glass of fizz! Round here there’s always booze on offer for the adults at 4/5 hear old parties.

I think you need to do a bit more than that tbh unless it's at 9am in the morning. Food also kills time.

The fruit and carrot / cucumber has always been eaten at parties we've been two.

It gets a lot easier when they get older and you can just order in pizza!

Need more sweet stuff, maybe biscuits

Some fruit maybe? My nephew is mad for watermelon.
Maybe some crisps.
I wouldn’t bother with the vol au vents, or the cheese and pineapple.

Forgot to mention. I halso have those mini chocolate biscuits animals. Will also get some jaffa cakes. Good call either he cocktail sticks!I could cut the ends off I guess yo make then less pointy.