What children’s party food would you do?

[Tinks15]

DD1’s birthday party is next week, we are doing the food.
Not planning on doing loads only feeding the children & not the parents too.

I’m planning on do:
Cheese sandwiches
Ham sandwiches
Cheese puffs/balls
Chip sticks crisps
Skips crisps
Cocktail sausages
Sausage rolls
Cupcakes
Cucumber strips
Carrot strips
Strawberries
Party rings
Pink wafer biscuit
Chocolate marshmallow tea cakes

Do you think that’s enough or should I add a few more bits? I feel like there’s something missing?

Pizza usually goes down well, bonus points for mini pizzas

cherry tomatoes
grapes
Nutella sandwiches

Vegetarian stuff... They only have cheese sandwiches at present. (Plus the veg).

Totally forgot about pizza & cherry toms is a good one.

How old are they?

4

For my son's 5th birthday party last month, I did heaps of margherita pizza (I cooked one pizza per 3 kids - there was a little left over but my calculations were broadly ok and various parents hoovered up the remaining slices!), cucumber and carrot sticks with hummus, hula hoop crisps in bowls and some sandwiches (Waitrose platters with cheese/ham/egg/tuna). They had chopped fruit wedges and/or Colin the Caterpillar mini rolls for pudding. I cut and wrapped the birthday cake and sent that home in goody bags.

They all ate tons but there was a little left over, which is always my aim. Me, DH and DS ate the leftovers for dinner on the same day.

I'd swap the strawberries for grapes (more robust). Also for drinks I would do fruit shoot type things as cups just get knocked over.

Maybe popcorn?

If you do decide to do grapes, deffo cut them up. Whole ones can get stuck in throats - sorry !

In my experience of having attended and held many many kids parties, the simpler the better for food. The kids hardly eat anything and most of it will end up in the bin which is a shame. You will have loads of prep and tidying up to do too. Little kids find a lot of choice overwhelming. The most successful thing I have done is either pizzas, mini sausages and crudités, plus strawberries and cake. Or making happy meal type boxes for each child with a sandwich, pack of raisins, babybel and a cake. To make life even easier, put a book or toy in the box as well and that’s your party treat too. Drinks wise, kids drinking bottles can be bought from supermarket / wilko and filled with water and that can be taken away too as a party gift so you don’t end up with lots of plastic waste - drink and gift in one!

hercules your party food sounded fab! Good choices too.

Oh yes I would always cut grapes up, I think I will be for years to come. It’s a fear of mine.
I’m not keen on popcorn either - isn’t that a choking hazard?

coco - seen a few people do these party boxes. Such a brilliant idea. Im just slightly worried the children wouldn’t like what I put in them . But it would save so much faff & waste! So something I’m going to think about tonight!
I have already got sweet cones for them to take away as a party treat so I wouldn’t be getting them a book or a toy to put in the box. Do you think that matters?

Vegetarian stuff... They only have cheese sandwiches at present. (Plus the veg).

If any of them are vegetarian, something like Quorn sausage rolls.

You need Fairy Bread! I think it's an Australian thing but it's basically white bread + butter + 100s & 1000s

Kids go nuts for it

Crisp sandwiches (or are they just Irish)

Your original list sounds perfect for 4 year olds OP. They mostly don't eat much except crisps.

I only do vegetarian food at parties, then everyone can eat away without worrying. Glad to see party rings on there!

Love the fairy bread - that looks pretty easy!

luxembourgmama - I love a crisp sandwich, you’ve reminded me I haven’t had one for ages!

Thank you Jamhandprints don’t want to do too much but want to make sure there is a little variety.

Who doesn’t love a party ring? slippermaiden

you missed one thing.the play mate that goes on the plate with the party rings! cadbury chocolate fingers tinks15
it all sounds lovely.
pizza is a great idea.means you can go veggie aswell.

we also got some of those veggie nuggets frrom the freezer which aided the veggie coverage.and they are really nice.

I did the boxes for dts 4th and 5th birthdays

Half a cream cheese sandwich
Half a marmite sandwich
Pom bears
Chocolate mini roll
Carton of juice

Cut up cucumber and cherry tomatoes on platters on the tables.

Pretty much everything got eaten, I almost think by limiting the choice they end up eating more.

From 6th birthday onwards - ordered in pizzas, even easier

I'd stick to one type of crisps/puffs - easier to top bowls up that way. I'd also dich sausage rolls - poss swap for veg pizza. Tomatoes are always the things which get left behind so I never bother with them.!

Oh my god chocolate fingers yes! I haven’t had those in years I completely forgot about them!
Will definitely do some pizza I think that will be a hit! It doesn’t matter if it’s cold does it? The party is in a hall so I would just cook in that morning?