your go to dinners for playdates?

[kjnewk]

Ds is increasingly having friends over after school and I need to make them dinner. Last couple of times, I went for pizza but that didnt seem to go down all that well. Now am feeling nervous as I dont want the kids to go home hungry and complain to their parents. So please hit me with your fail safe dinners. Ds is 7 years old if that makes any difference.

Charcuterie board but adapted for kids!

Make your own Pizzas, fajitas or burgers are my go tos.

With the Pizzas, they get to pick toppings. Tomato sauce, cheese, pepperoni, ham, mushrooms etc, herbs.

The fajitas, I usually have grilled chicken slices, prawns, cooked and raw peppers/tomatoes/mushrooms, cheese and sauces to pick from.

Burgers, it's usually a choice of beef, bean or chicken with a similar list of optional extras as the other two with skinny fries.

Sometimes we do make your own toasties with homemade soup. One friend of dc1's is willing to try most things so the last time she came for tea, we had roast chicken with a chickpea salad, a watermelon and feta salad, skinny fries and garlic bread.

Dessert is always make your own ice cream sundaes by request. In October they are Halloween themed and in November/December Christmas themed.

If I know they are coming, it's usually make your own pan au chocolat and a mug of hot chocolate when they come through the door as well.

My Reception-aged DS doesn't like pizza as he doesn't like melted cheese. It's one of the few things that he really dislikes in every scenario - it's a texture thing I think. He doesn't like pasta bakes, lasagne etc for the same reason.

He will always eat sausages, fish fingers, beans on toast (cheese on the side), pasta with tomato sauce or pesto (but no melted cheese on top).

When I was skint I used to do “Mums cafe”
fried egg,oven chips, beans. Ketchup bread and butter. Most kids will eat something from that list.

Don’t worry about it too much. Ask the parents, if they don’t give you a clear answer they can’t complain if their kid doesn’t eat. Make sure you have fruit available.

Round here play dates are strictly nuggets, pizza, pasta! I certainly don’t think it’s my role to insist someone else’s child eat a vegetable if they don’t want to.

Pasta with toppings they add themselves - tomato sauce / pesto / cheese etc. or baked potatoes plus toppings - cheese / beans / sweetcorn / tuna etc.

Pasta with green or red pesto

Surprised pizza didn't go down well. It was our first choice and only choice. Play date = pizza night. I always served with salad stuff so cucumber, tomatoes, pepper etc. most kids didn't eat that but it made me feel like there was a vitamin in there.
I also make my own dough and they do their own toppings; passata, cheese, pepperoni, ham, veg options, (even pineapple 🤯)
The dough is easier to make than you imagine. Or buy the premade dough. Or use french stick cut lengthways.

Just ask a bigger amount of whatever you were making for dinner anyway? Blows my mind anyone makes specific (usually unhealthy) food for kids. If the visiting kid is hungry they’ll eat it.

Fajitas! Always popular.

Fish fingers. When in doubt, fish fingers are the answer.

Sausage and mash with big yorkshire puddings (home made) and a choice of 4 veg - either carrot or swede, peas, and two leafy/cruciferous greens

Spag bol for picky kids

Home made chicken curry with coconut & almond & spinach for adventurous kids

Fishfingers or nuggets and chips with 4 veg as above

I always make a homemade desert - jam roly poly, rice pudding, apple crumble, flapjacks (i don't put loads of sugar in the way a shop bought one is made)

I get lots of kids who's parents tell me they are picky who polish off a plateful at mine when mum isn't there!

I used to pretty much always make Toad in the Hole... definitely my 'go-to'

Otherwise, similar to others - top their own pizzas, meatballs & pasta.. maybe pie?

Spag Bol

Pasta bake of some sort

Fajitas

Fish fingers, chips and peas or fish finger sandwiches

Jacket potatoes and let them add their own toppings

Sausages mash and beans

Fajitas are fun, they can build them themselves and add the toppings they want. Go for chicken, black beans, cheese, smashed avo, salsa, tomato rice etc…
Or a big lasagna/ shepherds pie/ moussaka, they’ll be used to those kind of easy but home made dinners I reckon. Beige food doesn’t go down as well in the posh parts.

Hummous
Baby bel
Crudités
Pitta
Wedges

Fruit Platter
Chocolate Fingers

"Generally playdates are considered reciprocal."

For some people they are. For others? Something their children enjoy.

@kjnewk Pasta pesto, garlic bread, fruit and ice cream.
Microwave rice with chopped ham, cooked peas and sweetcorn stirred in. Fruit and ice cream. Or lollies to same on the washing up.

I tended to ask the parent of a new visitor what they like to eat. Try not to fret-no disaster if they don't eat- they can have something when they get home. Do tell the the collecting parent though, so they are ready for a demand for toast.

Toasties/paninis where they pick the filling. Pizza kit with toppings laid out for them to add. Spaghetti bolognese.

My daughter is an adult now but you definitely move in different circles if you think jacket potatoes, avocado, lettuce and tomatoes ate a safe option!

I always did butter chicken - quick to do in the Instant Pot when you get home after school, or make ahead. It's mild but tasty, you can include hidden blended veg, and anyone who doesn't want to eat it as intended can dip Naan into the sauce, or just have rice, or indeed just have Naan (cheesy Naan if you can be bothered).

I also put a chopping board full of salad sticks, cherry tomatoes, grapes etc in the middle of the table, and made clear that pudding depended on the board being clear by the end of the meal. So you need to work as a TEAM! Worked brilliantly, bless them.

Perfect 😁
This would nail it for my DD

The biggest hits here was them making homemade pizza 🤣. We did fajitas, chicken pesto Panini, homemade Caesar salads. I tend to do things where they control the end result. It wasn't planned just kind of happened.

Spag bol or chilli nachos.

Kids in my house eat adult food not beige.

Alternatively ask them in advance what they want.

🤣🤣

Hot dogs, make your own pizzas, macaroni cheesy, picky tea stuff.