Do I need some semblance of healthy food at a 3rd birthday party?

[SimplyNigella]

Or can I just give in and serve traditional party food?

I'm making up food boxes in advance as the venue doesn't have catering facilities and I am planning on including a small sandwich (cut into a shape), mini pizza, couple of cocktails sausages, small bag of Pom Bears (obviously), a pot of fruit in jelly and a drink.

I was considering offering carrot sticks or pots of fruit but they are a bit of a faff and I'm fairly sure the children will ignore them.

What do you think? Would you be horrified by your child being served that at a party or is that what you expect for party food?

My 3 year old would be all over the carrot sticks and fruit. Cucumber and cherry tomatoes would go down well too

I would be happy if you gave my 3 yro what you have planned. It is a party and tbh your food is great esp when you consider what play venues provide as party food
I would bring extra water, milk and juice to cover play time.

It's about what I'd expect, but some cucumber sticks, or cherry tomato halves, or some grapes sliced in half would usually be popular with most kids.

I would not be horrified at all, but my pfb isn't 3... I do clearly remember one mother who would only let her dd eat the strawberries at DC3's 3rd party as there was nothing else "suitable" for her - she wasn't allowed refined sugar or anything processed!

How well do you know the other parents? If they are all nursery friends how hot is the nursery on all organic healthy food? You can probably assume you'll have some parents who are very strict about what their kids eat if the nursery really pushes organic, unprocessed, vegetarian food as one of its selling points, but less so if it simply adheres to government early years food standards without going OTT.

What about just getting some of those pre packed mini bags of fruit/veg they sell at Asda for lunch boxes. Bit more expensive but saves you the faff.

I'm planning on bringing a load of small sports cap water bottles (enough for 3 per child) and some sugar free Fruit Shoot as most of the children at parties we've been to seem to drink squash (not being smug that DS doesn't as he won't drink water either, only heavily watered down milk).

canyou that was my thinking too, soft play parties around here offer sausages, chicken nuggets and chips then jelly and ice cream.

If I were feeding the children at home I would definitely include fruit and vegetables but I need to prep the food the night before and transport it in the morning which isn't ideal and I am lazy hosting 30 3-4 year olds so want to keep it simple.

Kids have always loved the carrot sticks and cucumber at our parties. I'd definitely put something healthy in.

My v fussy child at 3 would only have eaten the cucumber/carrot and fruit and none of what was in the food box!

One idea I have seen that might make it easier, is to do the food boxes exactly as you've planned and then add a couple of extra platters of fruit and veg on the table. That way the kids that want it can have it, and those that don't won't mess around with it or waste it as they might if it were in the food box.

Also, if you think they won't eat much of it, you don't need to put that much out.

Yeah I'd probably throw some carrot sticks at it tbh

When ds was little I had a party with 'naughty' stuff (jelly and cream, cakes etc) and 'nice' stuff - apples, tangerines, carrot sticks, baby tomatoes, hummous.

I was a bit worried to start with do put the sweets in a bowl on a shelf out of sight and told the mums and nannies to dish out as they saw fit.

Both went fine and there wasn't any hoo-ha about the 'bad' food. And this was trendsville Notting Hill.

Kids do love jelly and cream (they never knew it was veggie jelly, soya squirty cream and sprinkles from the health food shop, ha!).

I provided some healthy options at DD's 3rd birthday party and hardly any of them got eaten.

It's fine. However a sandwich, mini pizza, whole bag Pom bears, and pot of jelly alone would be way to much for mine at 3 years

I would do:
Small sandwich or mini pizza, not both
A few Pom bears in a small food bag. 1/3 of the pack. Not whole bag
Pot of jelly

That is plenty when they have limited time to eat, and will be running around. They won't eat half otherwise. Presumably you have birthday cake at some point also.

You have to have carrot/cucumber to placate the parents

Kids prefer junk

Pick up carrot battons, sugar snap and grapes on the way and just divide up when you get there.

I have to say I used to dislike seeing boxes of food at parties, children hidden behind boxes seemed so much less sociable than helping themselves and passing things from serving plates. Also gives them more choice, if they don't like one type of sandwich choose another rather than being stuck with what's in the box. We bought a set of plastic plates and a few foil platters and always set the table like a teaparty so they could help themselves to what they wanted rather than just having what's in their box. Just take the food along in cake tins, plastic boxes or whatever and transfer to platters on arrival.

I would definitely go with cucumber/carrot sticks and fruit, maybe not cherry tomatoes or whole grapes in case of choking though. Grapes cut in half would be safer.

I also think a bag of Pom bears is too much, mine didn't start having a bag of crisps all to themselves until they were 5ish

I was including the different options to give them choice and working on the assumption that most kids will eat at least one of the savoury options and they can swap between them if necessary. I am definitely doing the food boxes as I have decorated 30 of the bloody things now.

Cake is going home with the party bags rather than being eaten at the party

Right, I will pick up some pre-prepared carrot batons in advance (no option to pick them up en route as we will miles from the nearest supermarket) and put those in instead of the crisps. The little darlings had better eat them.

My kids love getting a box at parties. It's fun and easier to transport.