Children’s party food with no fruit?

[Yessiryessir3bagsfull]

AIBU not to include fruit in party food for 1-4 year olds? There will be sandwiches, crisps, cocktail sausages, chicken bites. Carrot and cucumber sticks, popcorn, party rings and chocolate fingers. Will fruit be missed - it’s so expensive for 20-25 kids.
thanks 🙂

I wouldn't even expect the cucumber and carrot tbh! It's a party.....sandwiches, crisps and a slice of cake should suffice surely? why bother laying on a platter that nobody will appreciate.

Just do whatever is easy and will result in the least waste.

So just sandwiches, crudités and fruit. Parrrrrrtay!

They don’t eat it….they just want the shite….it ends up in the bin

Salmon pate sandwiches?! Hmm I'd go with cheese or ham!

We just had a 4 year old party with 18month - 4 year olds and had strawberries (halved) and blueberries and they were demolished! They have giant trays for less than £3 in Tesco of strawberries.

Isn't this a job for a stunt pineapple?

I have yet to go to a lids party where fruit isn't offered. It also always seems to go. But i guess depends on the kids and the parents.

It's a safe option for a lot of dietary requirements too. Have a DD owth dietary restrictions and often the cucumber, pepper and fruit is all she can/will eat.

I'd skip the popcorn and cocktail sausages at a young kids party though. Choking hazard generally but riskier woth hyper kids running around.

Seriously, it's absolutely fine not to provide fruit, but if you want to provide some fruit, then you could maybe do something like chop up the cheapest melon you can find with a few grapes (yes, cut in half first) and maybe some pineapple, if you're feeling flush, to make mini fruit kebabs on cocktail sticks. This type of thing has disappeared quickly when I've made them (and also popular with any adults hanging around the party tea).

Fruit kebabs are like crack to my two. We went to a gala day and they each had about three.

I'm actually quite surprised that people haven't been to parties of 1-4yos with fruit on offer before, almost every self-catered party I've been to with my 5yo and 2yo has fruit that has been demolished! Not claiming my two are healthy eaters, they'd also eat an embarrassing amount of junk, but that age group around here, fruit is really common at parties in the home and kids mostly seem to all like berries etc.

It's the sandwiches and sausage rolls that seem to be left over

Grapes are a major choking risk - unless sliced longways. Even then many parents are wary of them. I wouldn’t do grapes for a children’s party.

You know some very unusual children. 😁 Cheese, ham or jam sandwiches for kids parties. Margherita pizza & sausage rolls maybe. Crisps and sweet stuff definitely. Done.

It's one snacky type meal, they'll be fine without fruit. If little Eczema Marie wants lychees she can have them at home.

That's great if you live somewhere where you can get watermelon.

The nearest three supermarkets to me are a Morrisons, Tesco and Aldi, None of them had watermelon for sale this weekend.

I would skip the cocktail sausages and popcorn for a children’s party- both are choking hazards.

It’s £2.50 for a watermelon. Cube it. And about £2.50 for a couple bags of satsumas. Put the segments into a big bowl. Really not expensive.

Weird. Those are the three supermarkets I have nearest me and all 3 sell watermelons.

Nobody expects little kids to ingest anything of any nutritional value at a party, I wouldn't sweat it.
Watermelon is a great idea though if it is going to worry you

I don't think my kids have ever gone to a party where there's been fruit served 🤔 I've never had any at my children's parties either

Mine love fruit. I'd put some out if budget allows at all. Even melon is good and that's pretty cheap.

Bloody hell. My youngest is sixteen so it's been a long time since we organised or attended this type of party. However, they were all beige food and sweets (just like when I was a kid!) Do parents really expect fruit and multiple healthy options these days?
For what it's with, OP, I think your plans sound perfect!

That's interesting. I never thought of salmon paste sandwiches as being unusual. They were just a cheap source of protein.

But that's a good thing about MN, you get challenged about your beliefs!

I'd imagine, even if kids do love fruit they can have some when they get back to their own homes, shouldn't think it'll be missed at a party.

You sound fun.🙄

D’yi bide on the moon?

This is the saddest thing I’ve read since yesterday, when I saw someone bragging that they had a great relationship with their kid’s boarding school matron