1st party for 6 year old, and I"M doing the food. Help!

[maldivemoment]

It's going to be an 'outdoorsy' type party. Think den-building and that kind of thing. I've opted to do the food myself as the venue were charging £££ for a plate of sandwiches and some wotsits! It's about a half hour drive from home so I'm going to need to pack up the car with enough food for about 12ish children. Where do I even begin? Having never done this kind of thing before I'm feeling a little overwhelmed.

Perhaps what I need most advice on is what to make and quantities. I'm assuming I wont have access to any ovens when we arrive so would kind-of-warmish sausage rolls, etc be okay or a big no no? What will a bunch of 6 year olds be looking for at a party? My initial thoughts were; h/made mini sausage rolls, sandwiches, mini breadsticks, crisps, bland-tasteless-cheap pizza, mini sausages, babybel, grapes, cucumber...you get the idea.

Thank you in advance for all you words of wisdom. (next time I'm paying and the venue can do it!)

This is quite old so I am not sure if your party has already happened OP? If not, I would say your list sounds great, possibly with the addition of cocktail sausages which always go down well, and maybe some satsumas. Then, afterwards, chocolate fingers and fairy cakes and you are done.

Only thing I am not sure about it is cold pizza. The base can end up a bit rock-like on those.

Put it all in a lunchbag and just transport 12 of them to the venue. Drink, crisps, cake, roll with ham or cheese. Maybe some chocolate or a packet of haribo. Done. No messing about.

I wouldn't let warmish food sit around in a car for a couple of hours. Food poisoning risk. How about cold food but with hot chocolate from flasks? Or take hot dogs in boiling water in flasks, and serve in rolls with ketchup. If you have friends or family who camp, they might be able to lend a flask.

The best advice I've ever had on party food is estimate your quantities, then halve the number of sandwiches and double the crisps! 2 sandwiches per child will be more than enough esp if you do sausage rolls and pizza as well. And I think you need a much shorter menu. You don't need sandwiches and HM sausage rolls and cocktail sausages and pizza. 2 of those would be fine, 3 max.

Pizza works well cut into little squares, like little pizza bites.

Cater plenty of pudding. Birthday cake if you are serving it there (and this is less fiddly than putting in party bags), or some fairy cakes if not, plus eg party rings and chocolate fingers, or pink wafers and bourbons.

Lunchboxes might work well.