To not do food at a 6 yr old birthday party?

[yellowgecko]

I’m organising a village hall party on a Saturday, 2pm-4pm. The plan is to do a kids disco, and put out bowls of sweets and crisps, do the cake towards the end and give everyone a party bag on leaving.
I think we’ll end up with around 25 kids. I’m just fed up of going to parties and seeing all the food waste!

AIBU - yes you need to do a buffet / proper food
YANBU - snacks are fine, no one will starve

You are either brave or daft not to supply food at a party.....

I am surprised so many think snacks is ok. They will be running around. Doesn't have to be a 3 course dinner but come on. A few sarnies and things can not be too hard

I voted YABU because I think the food bit breaks it up a bit, kids need a bit of a calm down. 2 hours of running around snacking on crisps and sweets will be a lot! Is someone else providing the disco for you?

I think considering the time of the party and the snacks you've said you'll provide, it's fine to not put on a buffet. If my children were invited to a party at that time they'd have lunch before and dinner after.

I think it's fine as long as you're clear on the invitations. Definitely do fruit as well as crisps etc though or you'll be slagged of for the rest of eternity (esp if you're fat yourself sadly).

We went to one where the children played first, juice and biscuits available.
Then they sat down and had a paper bag in with sandwich eg cheese or ham, drink, crisps and a little treat. They then cut the cake at the end and were given a piece to add in. Children were also encouraged to take the bags with them to finish at home. I think they also gave a little party bag too.
I hate when people don't specific on the invitations, as I need to know what to take feed dc if no cafe there.

Edited to say that the sitting down at end worked great, because it calmed them down and meant they were hungry from all the running around!

Every party of that size I've ever taken DC to has had a buffet party tea, regardless of timing, so I think it would go against the grain and other parents will think you are stingy.

Savoury snacks would probably be OK but I'd be pretty grumpy if you gave my DC free access to bowls of sweets for 2 hours.

It isn’t a party without food imo. It’s a very basic part of hosting, not optional imo and I wouldn’t want kids of that age running around with sweets in their mouths.

Aren't you a hoot.

This kind of thinking makes me think of this poem

genius.com/Philip-larkin-as-bad-as-a-mile-annotated

How on earth did we manage to survive childhood. How can we strip every bit of joy out of life.....

Do you always serve your cheese sandwiches dry? I serve mine fresh…
Op this is very poor hosting and not really a good reason to not provide refreshments at a party. I’d expect a spread at the sort of party you’re describing

Don’t be ridiculous

I would tell everyone to give their kids lunch and then you'll serve 'tea' at 3pm - and I'd just do fruit and cakes.
No one wants the shitty sandwiches.

It's fine just warn people that it's snacks only

@yellowgecko to save waste, do party food boxes. Give each invitee/parent a minimal choice to increase chance of it being eaten and reduce waste that way. E.g.

Please choose a sandwich:
Ham, cheese or jam.
Please choose a drink:
Apple juice cartoon, orange juice carton or water.

Then, make up individualised party boxes with 2 quarts of a sandwich in a sealed sandiwhc bag, a drink, a packet of crisps and a freddo.

If they don't eat the crisps or freddo or drink the drink, no worries, when you tidy up just keep them for your snack cupboard as they are in packets so 'clean' from dirty hands.

Sandwiches - they were made for each kid to their choice so likely they'll be eaten.

When you tidy up, if they don't even open the sandwich bag at all, put it in your freezer for when you need instant sandwich for your own kids. The waste will be crusts and half eaten sandwiches. The plastic sandwich bags you can wash and reuse yourself.

Minimal waste!

As a veteran of these types of parties, I totally agree about not having bowls of sweets out. In my experience, you get a few/a lot of kids just standing round, shovelling in as many as they can and then running around like crazy (and vomiting based on the last part we went to). And I spend all my time worrying about the kids jumping around with lollies in their mouths. Based on parties we’ve been too, I also think that two hours is too long for a ‘disco’ at that age, even if there are party games. The children often get bored and start playing up. We had one that sounds similar last weekend and it just descended into a massive balloon fight within an hour and nobody was interested in dancing or playing musical statues. The food break gives them all a chance to sit down and chill out for a bit, rather than becoming increasingly feral. I also would never underestimate the ability of some children of that age to be starving the whole time!

I hate the food waste at children's parties.... it's shocking.
One time I did an afternoon birthday party for similar age, I did masses of watermelon and packets of hola hoops. Went down a treat, everyone quite happy.
Other friends have done a little 'lunch' bag before with food in which has worked well.
Make it clear on invites and it's absolutely fine not to provide huge amounts of food at that time!

Give them food. There's a social aspect as well, they calm down and chat to each other. Serve either sandwiches, wraps, pizza slices, or mini pittas with a filling.

Sounds fine apart from free bowls of sweets. I did a party like this, made it clear there wouldn't be a meal and had individual bags of crisps, popcorn and mini cookies available. We've been to 2 similar this year as well so it's pretty normal. Actually much easier if your child is fussy or has dietary issues.

I’d buy a wrapped sweet biscuit and bag of crisps and put in a bag with a cheap ham or cheese sandwich and an apple or satsuma. I’d have a few spares for hungry/fussy kids, that you can eat later if not used. Minimal cost/effort but all options and food groups covered.

You don't have to do a full spread but, some cheese and crackers, fruit, sausages rolls, crisps, cheese twists etc.

Don't put sweets out, save them for a party bag, little cookies or fairy cakes on the table

Snacks are fine, but not just sweets and crisps. We usually do a 2-4pm party too as have found there's so much food waste when I've done a proper lunch buffet. I'd do crisps/cheddars, couple of trays of watermelon, tray of cucumber/veggie sticks, sausage rolls, mini pizzas, packets of mini cookies and party rings.

I have never ever known food be left at a children’s party, I would say though it does need to be a proper “time for food”, NOT combining it with running round or disco - then you’re asking for trouble.

It’s so easy and cheap to make some cheese sandwiches or cut up some carrots. You don’t even have to make loads.

Are you thinking that the children will just grab a few crisps and sweets as and when and bop around run around like loons while they’re eating it? If so, I think that’s not a great idea. A huge choking hazard and just think of the mess!
If you intend them to sit down to eat then it’s not quite so bad but still a bit shit. If you don’t like food waste then don’t prepare loads and loads of food! The kids will benefit for a breather half way through in my opinion.

I think it sounds fine but my concern is that sitting down for pizza and juice could kill a good half an hour - will you manage to keep them entertained?