Help with food for party please

[EvaLongoria]

Hi All

Please please I need your help. I absolutely hate the kitchen and therefore cooking and baking.

My DD will be 3 next week and we are giving her a party in a small hall nearby. There will be approx 18 kids with parents and a few smaller siblings under 1. The party will be for 2 hrs starting at 2 and ending 4pm.

I hired a magician for an hour and there will be a bouncy castle as well.

Now I hate cooking as mentioned and just realised because the party starts after lunch and finish way before dinner I do not have to give them food. Am I right? If yes or no please say why. And also if only cakes, sweets and crisps, what would you recommend?

8 of the kids, I know the mums because they are friends. 3 other kids are DH's colleagues kids, and 4 are from pre-school (never met parents) and rest are from childminders (briefly met parents)

I therefore need or think I do need to give both kids and parents something. What would you suggest I give?

Many thanks

I would suggest a few sandwiches, crisps, cocktail sausages, sausage rolls, biscuits, buns, grapes, sweets, mini rolls. All shop bought (except the sarnies). Only do food for the kids and the parents will hoover up the leftovers. I think people will expect a little bit of party food.

Soft drinks for everyone. I'd be happy

Thanks whatagradeA

Do you really think that even though they might have had lunch before coming to party and will definitely have dinner after party to still give food? I just do not want to waste food.

I agree I would do a bit of food for the children. I've normally do just what WhatagradeA says - make the sarnies and buy the rest, it's not that much trouble and you can have it all on plates (or the table) and ready to serve when the time is right. TBH it takes up half and hour of the party and the children probably woud like a drink and a nibble. They don't eat much so you don't need loads, I've just done a party for my 5yr old and I made two loaves up for 20 kids and there was just enough.

Yes, every party my DC have ever been to has had food. If you hate cooking, just do some sarnies, maybe some ham, some marmite, some jam, buy some ready cooked cocktail sausages, cut up a bit of fruit ( squirt with lemon juice to prevent browning ), some crisps eg Pom Bear or Hula Hoops and some sweet stuff eg Party Rings, chocolate cornflake crispies, mini rolls.

I wouldn't bother with sandwiches. I would give mini muffins, crisps, chocolate (mini milky ways that type of stuff) and a plate of fruit. And choice of fruit juice, water or chocolate milk all around mid- way, say 15.ooh. Hope you have a lovely party.

we had a party at 2pm and just did grapes, cucumber sticks, crisps and biscs and lots of drinks......worked fine and no waste!

I wouldn't do much, they'll have had lunch and if they eat too much then it just mess's them up at tea time, they won't want anything but will need to eat before bed.

I would do snacks, no sandwiches, maybe crisps, sausages, mini buns, fruit/veg sticks, drinks.

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