Multi age lunch- ideas please.

[123fushia]

I’ve invited 2 lovely colleagues for lunch- one is vegetarian and has a 5 year old and a 4month old baby. The other has a 4 year old and a 2 year old. I want to look after them and give them a lovely lunch and also some time to relax if they can. I want to be able to spend as much time helping with the children as possible, and not be stuck in the kitchen sorting food out. What would you offer a mixed bunch like this that they would all eat and that I could mostly sort beforehand?

Quiche or frittata, something simple and not too strong in flavour so something like cheese and tomato or broccoli and cheddar rather than goats cheese, just to make it more likely the kiddies with like it.

Crudités and fruit, little kids tend to really like berries so I'd have a platter with cherry tomatoes, cucumber sticks, carrot batons, blueberries, raspberries and strawberries.

A more grown up salad option for the parents and a nice fresh baked loaf/ baguette with some butter/dips/spreads.

All can be prepped in advance, takes minutes to put out and should give everyone a little something they can help themselves to. In my experience kids enjoy buffet/help yourself style meals.

A really nice extensive cheese and biscuit board

Second quiche or frittata. With some nice bread and butter.

Veggie soup with nice bread and maybe a salad on the side

Cheesy tuna pasta made in advance bung in the oven with garlic bread when there. Serve with prepared salad

Do check the kids coming will eat quiche/frittata if you go down that route. Mine at that age found both hated quiche (although would have eaten it to be polite) and found frittata slimy (not even to be polite).

Leave out the push for the veggie

Fish!

Baked potatoes with a variety of toppings they can choose from. Or a pasta bake - that always goes down a storm with kids IME.

Brilliant ideas - thank you everyone!
Looking forward to it now.
Your time is much appreciated. 😘

Little buffet including cheese and biscuits as pictured above by a pp, some sausage rolls and fresh crusty bread, maybe a quiche too. Breadsticks and dips are usually a sure fire hit with all kids for some reason.
Gives everyone a chance to pick what they want.

My 2 are 2 & 5 and I always do a small buffet if we have friends over because I don't know what they will eat from one day to the next. Children can be awkward fussy buggers!

Yes I agree with previous posters suggesting a few options served buffet style.
In your situation I’d do French sticks with good butter.
A couple of cheeses
A quiche or puff pastry tart with tomato, mozzarella and (veggie) pesto.
Crudités, cherry toms, Breadsticks and dips.
A carb based salad, either cous cous with roasted Mediterranean veg, harissa roasted chickpeas and pomegranate seeds or a sweet potatoes salad.
Maybe a meat option, probably sliced chicken breasts marinated in lemon, garlic and herb or homemade sausage rolls.