food for 0-5 yo's please!

[addictediam]

my dd is having her 1st birthday party next saturday and i have just realised i have no idea how to cater!! I was really hoping to do a buffet type thing, but would a sit down and eat whats on your plate be better for this age range?

they will all have their parents with them, so I'm catering for them too. there are 15 children invited aging from 5 weeks! to 5 years old. plus then around 15 adults. my budget isnt very big I have about £25 to spend on decorations, a cake (which will be a superrmarket one) and food

so what should i do?

Keep it simple.

I'd have plates and kids sitting down, but sandwiches etc on a platter and have a grown up wander around and dole them out, simple fillings - ham, soft cheese, hummous, finger foods like cucumber and carrot, some crisps, bread sticks. Some kids will eat very little - but prepared for wastage - some kids pile food on their plates but don't eat it.
One pudding I saw at a party which I thought was a great traditional idea was jelly and ice cream - the jelly had been made into paper cups and then a quick scoop of ice cream and it was ready, really quick and all the cups went into the bin afterwards so easy to clean up after.
Little buns. Could you make your own? If not, I think the Smarties ones are yummy and nice and dinky.

I don't think adults really expect food, do they? Unless it's really an adult/ family party with a few children. You just need crisps, grapes, a few little sandwiches, cakes, biscuits, jelly and ice cream.

My parents and inlaws are coming from a long way so wil want feeding, also weve invited some of the adults aswell ( as in given named invites to some of the parents) so they will be expecting to be fed.

I'm also pregnant and have cfs (should have put this in the op [hblush]) so am really wanting simple foods i can buy from tesco open packets and put on plates!

sandiches are easy and i do have some adult helpers before the party helping to blow up balloons and put out food, so i can do that but i think (atm [hsad]) prepairing jelly is beyond me (i know its easy, but i cant commit to anything that takes time iyswim as it may not happen and i will feel guilty for all of eternity!! [hgrin])

so i have

sandwiches (ham, soft cheese and cucember maybe one other?)
grapes
crisps
saussages/mini saussage rolls (dd loves these!)
buscuits
maybe some cheese and pineapple sticks (my fav.)
fairy cakes

and that will be enough?

i can do that!

I wouldn't even make sandwiches if I were you.

For DD's 3rd birthday party I bought a couple of french sticks, a block of cheese, and a load of chipolatas from the butcher.

Buttered the bread, cooked the sausages, cubed the cheese - there was nothing left at the end of the party. Also grapes, blueberries, and sliced banana.

When that was done I brought out biscuits and flapjacks, then the aforementioned jelly in paper cups.

I hope you have a lovely party.