To serve hotdogs at a kids party, how’s best?

[Lilsmum21]

Hi all

DD is 4 in winter, her birthday party is just a bouncy castle in a hall. I will have a newborn so thought rather than preparing a whole buffet I’d do hot dogs. How would you keep them warm? I’m thinking the slow cooker? Thought I might do a bag of chips in the oven too and just some fruit and veggie sticks on the side. Any tips from anyone would be great please? Thanks all

I’d also do some crisps and snacks because you’ll probably find a lot of four year olds aren’t fans of hot dogs.

Yep keep the sausages warm in a slow cooker, buy pre split rolls and serve with things you can buy in packets and open, eg crisps, party rings.

I wouldn't do hotdogs as most children aren't actually keen on them in my experience. It would be easier to do sandwich platters from the supermarket and a few bowls after crisps, veggies and party rings.

You need to cut them in half, otherwise they’re a choking hazard for under 5s and jumping around at a party likely adds additional risk. But they’re ready cooked usually so you just need to warm in an oven or microwave depending on what the hall has.

Hotdogs are full of disgusting crap I certainly wouldn’t be serving them to children

why don’t you just get some cheese and tomato pizzas delivered? Lots of kids don’t like hot dogs and some parents might not want them to have them. Pizza is a fail safe option and you could still have the veggie sticks on the side.

I wouldn’t serve hot dogs either. We usually did chicken dippers and smiley faces.

I’d do crisps and biscuits and fairy bread and cheese sandwiches and grapes. All things that come out of the fridge. No heating needed.

What about a pre made packed lunch in those party boxes instead? A small sandwich, fruit pot, crisps, party rings and a carton of juice.

We did this in a village hall for one birthday (also winter). I roped in some parents to form a production line...heated the sausages on the stove, then had some at the serving hatch dispensing ketchup as required. We also did a couple of trays of oven chips, but that really added to the stress of timings etc, so I wouldn't recommend that.

The kids loved it - there were 30 kids and they all ate them happily. We did a few little bowls of veg sticks etc, but they were hardly touched.

I would do the hot thing as something veggie so you don’t have veggie kids there who wouldn’t eat it. I also would be a bit grossed out at my kids eating hot dogs because they’re full of shite, but maybe that’s just me being snobby and others wouldn’t mind. Cheese and tomato pizza is a safer bet imo, get it delivered or cook in the hall’s ovens

Are you sure that you won’t have any vegans, vegetarians , people with allergies or people who can’t eat pork attending?

Pizza is easier to vary but easiest is those individual cardboard lunch boxes with a sandwich, crisps and snack if you don’t want to do a buffet.

It's a party. If they aren't eating hot dogs, it will be chicken nuggets or pizza.

With crisps and party rings.

Slow cooker sounds good to me, OP. As long as you don't have any children that are veggie or can't eat pork.

Oh my god. The comments. Kids turn up at a party and either eat the food offered or they don’t. They are more concerned with running around like idiots!! I wouldn’t sweat, this sounds a great idea and easy to cater for/clean up. If someone’s parent is worried about their child being vegan/veggie/allergic/anxious about upf tell them to bring their own. Sorted x

DS went to a party once where each child was sat down and given a cardboard lunch box (like a happy meal box), inside was a supermarket version of a fruit shoot, a bag of crisps, a fun size bag of Haribo, a cake bar and a filled roll. You could make the boxes up in advance of the party except the rolls which you would make and put in on the day. When I RSVP’d I got a reply asking which sandwich filling DS would like out of cheese, ham or jam. The child’s name was written on the box so the parents knew whose was whose on the day. I thought this was a really good idea, saves making a buffet and the children can take what they didn’t eat home with them.

Pizza would be more popular.

If you serve hotdogs served them as normal sausages rather than the hotdog ones that are not good.

I would be terrified of a child choking on any type of sausage.

Do the party 2-4 and serve snacks and drinks only! Another Mum did this and I thought it was genius so have done the same since 🤣

They take a very long time to come up to temp so I’d say if you can heat them in a saucepan / transfer hot to the slow cooker it’s best

Agree

That's at least two posters now who've said 'all kids like pizza/it's a failsafe option' but people often seem only to post from their own experience and assume it's universal.

Neither of my DC liked pizza (one will eat it now as an adult, but only with a 'white' base) and both liked hot dogs, 'crap' or otherwise.

But really the option of the ready-made boxed tea with a choice of sandwich fillings as suggested by a PP is probably easiest.

I did hot dogs at many kids parties and they ways went down really well and were easy (i also always served fruit skewers because I doscovered if I made pretty skewers they would eat the fruit! Thank God as the hours I spent slicing watermelon thinly then using a cookie cutter to make a star for the top of every skewer.....)

I didnt have any veggie needs but did buy chicken ones a few times when we had children who couldn't eat pork.

Most church halls have an urn so its super easy. Take a large pot with you and fill it with boiling water from the urn. Dump hotdogs in and leave for a few minutes. they will warm up and be fine.al

And to add, frankfurters can be eaten cold from the fridge so you are heating them only for flavour and texture. There is no worry about needing to be cooked, hence a bit of hot water is fine.