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 🙂

Why would they need filling high protein foods - its a party - sugar is the main ingredient!

I hate it when people put whole cocktail sausages and popcorn out for toddler parties... They inevitably want them when they see them but they are both choke hazards.

Fruit I wouldn't be bothered about either way, mine would it eat it but wouldn't miss it either.

Carrots and cucumber is fine 😄

Absolutely don’t bother. Mum to a beige 3 year old here. Actually does like fruit but only if there is nothing more exciting and beige on offer.

It's a party. If they don't get their 5 a day then the world won't end

Why the general consensus that you have to feed kids junk as it’s a party? It is OK to give them healthy food, I have always included fruits and veg sticks, never given sausages or popcorn.

Because it’s fun and children enjoy it.

Cold pizza 😬 no go with sandwiches. But most important: don't sweat it! It's a party! Some will only eat a sweet, some will stuff themselves with everything, some will say they don't like anything but who cares? They will play and have fun and can go home and gave their berries and almonds or whatever at home afterwards.

My 20 month old DS would prefer pizza but he would be fine with sandwiches too.

I would add in some fruit. Watermelon is the easiest, and cheapest. Also berries and kiwi common allergens.

I'd maybe get a punnet or two of grapes, or strawberries are pretty cheap at this time of year. But I don't think it's essential.

Because it’s a special occasion. Part of the treat is the party food.

Bag of tangerines and then nothing is wasted if they don’t get eaten at the party. Can draw smiley faces on them.

Bear in mind they don’t eat very much. I always put far too much out.

Oh, missed the pop-corn bit! Leave out mini sausages (unless you slice them first) and the pop-corn. And no peanuts. You don't want your party to remembered for the wrong reasons🥴.. I have seen it happen a couple of times and it's really scary..

Because it's supposed to be fun and fun food you wouldn't have on other days is part of that

DD just had her 4th birthday party - I did pizza (cooked at venue but still possibly cold by the time most got to it), with one vegan one for one child who required that. It was demolished!

I’d had a thread on here asking if I needed sandwiches and came away with the impression I did need some, dutifully made a plate full which was entirely ignored.

I also did watermelon and berries - they all went, As did doughnuts and party rings obvs. Weirdly the crisps weren’t particularly popular. And nobody touched the cucumber!

Thanks all for the warning with popcorn, maybe not the best with excited kids!! Just found Aldi do 1kg of strawberries for £3.29 so might swap the popcorn for that, and then there’s some token fruit 😂 watermelon feels too messy but maybe that’s just from how I see our eating it!!

Maybe a sacrificial tangerine?

You have carrot and cucumber which is decent veg with first course and I would expect children to go for a sweet pudding. Fruit is expensive, fiddley to do and goes off if it doesn't go, I'd not do it. One thing I would say though is make sure at least some of the popcorn plain or salted rather than sweet, then if you do have a child who needs low sugar and so must avoid the party rings and chocolate fingers, there is something for them.

Aldi are selling a huge tub of strawberries for £3.50 at the mo. I think its 1kg or something.

If you want to nod towards health get something like that as everyone likes strawberries....... Otherwise don't bother.

If the party includes one year olds, I'd say fruit would be a solid and popular option!

Fruit is the one reliable thing all my baby friends can get down our older babies.

Strawberries and melon would be very popular.

Strawberries are one of the few fruits my DS doesn’t like 😂 he would be all for the chocolate fingers anyway to be fair.

He likes apples, bananas, grapes etc but strawberries (and blueberries) are a no go. Weird child.

The last couple of self catered parties we went to there wasn’t any fruit, it was fine, I definitely didn’t have an issue with it, I just made sure my boys had fruit at other times throughout the day.

The best one food wise we went to the parent had done individual lunch boxes for them all with a sandwich, packet of crisps, frube yogurt thing and a miniature chocolate bar. This was for a 4 year old party. It was great, more than enough food and whatever my sons didn’t eat we just took home with us.

It'll be fine with no fruit, it's just a couple of hours.

I would really advise against popcorn though, it's a choking hazard with young children and just to cover yourself it's not worth the risk.

Maybe some veggie sausage rolls or something for the non meat eaters? Kids won't know the difference!