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Original poster

Children's party without food?

50 replies

singingkat · 26/10/2004 16:20

I'm trying to organize a birthday party for my daughter who is going to be four. All the kid's parties I've been to up to now have all been with food (chicken nuggets, chips etc.) Is this obligatory, or would the children be happy with a birthday cake with drinks and some sweets if they are kept entertained? The entertainment costs a lot and I would like to keep costs down. Thanks for the help

OP posts:
Northerner · 26/10/2004 16:21

Don't see why not, but you'd need to make it clear on invitations that food would not be served.

Enid · 26/10/2004 16:22

marmite sandwiches and crisps don't cost much - more likely to enjoy the entertainment if they are fed - mine think the food is the highlight of any party! How long are you keeping the party going for? Personally I would think it weird if no food served.

Branster · 26/10/2004 16:23

you can probably get away with some crisps & biscuits, then cake & juice. could you not make some small sandwiches yourself (with ham, cheese, jam etc) to keep costs down and buy some cocktail sausages? also add to that the cost of paper plates, napkins, plastic cups. it shouldn't cost a lot.

WideWebWitch · 26/10/2004 16:23

I reckon you could do food but not much, so like you say, cake and drinks and maybe crisps. They never eat much at parties ime anyway, they're all too excited. Ooh I remember the year I made loaves and loaves of sandwiches only to have most of them left.

bundle · 26/10/2004 16:24

imo party food need not be expensive: one white, one brown loaf, one lot jam, the other marmite, couple of packs of chocolate fingers or pink wafer biscuits, bumper packs of crisps and a flagon of v dilute juice. margharita pizzas if you can be bothered. a few grapes in bowls. oh and a cake.

woodpops · 26/10/2004 16:24

I agree with enid, just lay on some savory nibbles, mini scotch eggs, crisps etc. What time is the party anyway???

teabelly · 26/10/2004 16:25

Some parents may assume food will be provided (just because it usually is). So long as you let them know, it's up to you what you have. Very often the kids don't eat half the food anyway, or it ends up in the carpet, grr, or there's things little jonny can't eat anyway, so it'll probably be nice not to have to worry about the food

Skate · 26/10/2004 16:26

Agree with others. My friend had a party a month ago where she hired a bouncy slide but otherwise she was pretty skint so just did a few ham and cheese butties, a big bowl of hula hoops, some cocktail sausages and then juice and cake.

I think that is perfectly adequate and for small children I think a lot of people go overboard nowadays (I'm a bit of an old fashioned tradionalist though and like the parties like 'we used to have' )

Mine will be getting those little papery bowls with jelly in when ds has his 4th birthday in March - he'll get a bouncy castle in the garden affair (and that's quite extravagant IMO!!) with Mummy's own party food!

Have fun!

Kayleigh · 26/10/2004 16:27

Think there should be some food but agree if you keep it to sandwiches and crisps you can keep costs very low. Party sandwiches look nice cut out with biscuit cutters.

Enid · 26/10/2004 16:27

I do marmite sandwiches, carrots sticks and bits of cucumber, bits of cheese, cocktail sausages (hot), potato wedges (hot), crisps. Then choc fingers, iced gems, THE CAKE and sometimes one other cakey biscuity thing I have made myself. Squash. it doesn't cost that much.

Skate · 26/10/2004 16:28

Also, what is it with party bags? What's the bloody point - most of the ones I've had for mine this year I've chucked most of the crappy toys out cos they are useless and usually a bit 'chokeable' too. A piece of cake and a balloon would be fine IMO (balloon blown up of course).

Do I sound like a right tight cow?!

Original poster
singingkat · 26/10/2004 16:29

Plenty of ideas, thanks! I will be trying to hold the party on a Sunday afternoon - haven't booked yet

OP posts:
SueW · 26/10/2004 16:29

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at OP's request.

Original poster
singingkat · 26/10/2004 16:30

Also the entertainer is for 2 hours - so the party will be that long

OP posts:
tortoiseshell · 26/10/2004 16:30

I do think some food is essential - at ds' party, the kids were all 'when are we having tea?' but as others have said, you really don't need to go to town - sandwiches will usually get left ime, but nibblable snacks are good (I often do a bowl of cheese cubes with grapes/apple slices, some crisps, carrot sticks and dips, then the obligatory biscuits/cakes/birthday cake.

When I was their age, EVERY party had jelly and ice cream! Does anyone else still have this delicacy?

Skate · 26/10/2004 16:30

And whatever happened to pass the parcel and pin the tail on the donkey????

OK, I'll shut up now.

woodpops · 26/10/2004 16:31

When my ds and dd have recieved party invites I've always just taken it for granted that there will be food. You'll pick it all up dirt cheap.

Original poster
singingkat · 26/10/2004 16:31

£65 is not bad I have been quoted £120 for two hours which is why I want to keep costs down!

OP posts:
Twiglett · 26/10/2004 16:31

yeah they all say its really cheap but its also really easy to get carried away

I ended up spending £60 for food for DS's 3rd party .. he had fourteen friends... so write a list before you go shopping and stay away from cocktail sausages

Original poster
singingkat · 26/10/2004 16:32

And that amount is without the costs for renting a venue - our house is too small.

OP posts:
Kayleigh · 26/10/2004 16:32

I usually do jelly & ice cream, but then my boys birthdays are June & August so usually hot. It actually goes down better with the adults than the kids. Think kids have too much choice now in the way of lollies/ice creams so a bit of jelly & vanilla ice cream is no big thing.

Skate · 26/10/2004 16:33

Where's Captain? She'll agree with me!

tortoiseshell · 26/10/2004 16:36

Hey Skate, the last party we went to we had Pass the Parcel AND Pin the tail on the donkey! No jelly and ice cream though.

SueW · 26/10/2004 16:37

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at OP's request.

Skate · 26/10/2004 16:39

Hurrah!! All the parties we've been to have been entertainers, bouncy castles, wacky warehouse etc. This is for 2 and 3 year olds and while I know that's everyone's choice, it means that this is what they all expect whereas I'd like to do a nice home one with the old games!

Mind you, I'm sure when we had those parties in the 70's our parents thought we were were spoiled! It's all relative I suppose!