Can I serve fish fingers at my lo's second birthday party?

[uhohgruffalo]

For reasons outside my control, we have to have my LO's 2nd birthday party over lunch time. So that means I need to serve some sort of "real" food. Also for reasons beyond my control, I will have very little time to prepare food before the party. So I'm thinking of options. We just went to a party where they served pizza, which I thought was a great idea. Only problem is my LO can't eat cheese (allergy). As I cooked fish fingers for lunch today, I began to wonder...

How horrible would the other mums think I was if I served up oodles of fish fingers? And what do I serve along side that is sort of a finger food (bearing in mind my LO and most of his friends will not contemplate eating crudite of any kind, so no cherry tomatoes, no carrot sticks, etc..).

We are having about 20-30 kids (30 if they all come. yes, I know, but it can't be helped...)

Help!?

chips?

God, LO would be in heaven... No, I think it's a step too far ;)

Herta frankfurters, as hot dogs? Filling, yummy, easy, a guaranteed success! (I did that for ds2 second birthday)

I am lying, Malory. Two of them do eat raw veggies, and they happen to be vegetarians. Two out of 28... what IS it with raw veggies, why do toddlers hate them so much? (or am I doing something wrong?)

Anyway, back to the fish fingers... had another thought, which is the oakham chicken teddy bears that they sell at M&S. They are actually really tasty and there's virtually nothing "bad for you" in them.

But they are expensive and, again, we'd need soooooo many.

Problem with the pizzas is that I'd have to get them from a place that doesn't have any dairy in their sauce or crust, either, which is pretty much pizza express ($$$). I've been living with LO's allergy for a while now, have pretty much investigated all fast food! In fact, the M&S chicken teddies are the only ones that I've found with no dairy.

I like the jam sandwich idea, but am afraid that's not enough for a proper lunch time...

Am I over-thinking this?

you can get mini fish fingers which are yum and quite party-ish

They'll be very happy. ~Pitta bread alongside? Cucumber rings. A fish finger sandwich in pitta. Mmm.

sandwiches are fine for lunch, but I wouldn't feel that you need to give them a proper lunch anyway, it is a party after all.

noddyholder, where do you buy mini fish fingers? Have never seen them. They sound perfect. nkf, I do like the pitta idea, and suppose I could put out cucumer and also cherry tomatoes and HOPE the little monsters decide to eat them, finally . What kind of sauce would you offer (to put in pitta with the fish fingers)?

i would do chips or potato shapes too not that bad and it is a party

i wouldn't stress too much though because apart from cake most kids i know are too excited to eat to much at a party

some kids love cherry tomotoes though (and i not the parents will)

I have done fish fingers and chips twice this year for my 2 DCs birthday parties. And I time them so it is lunch time too. Went down well both times. Had jelly and icecream for pud too.

party my dds went to most recently had
sandwiches - egg, cheese, ham and jam (not all in same sandwich obv)
crisps
cherry tomatoes, carrot sticks, celery and spring onions
coctail sausages
pineapple and cheese cubes on sticks

The children ate all the sandwiches, minimal crusts, all the tomatoes and most of the other veggies and only a few of the crisps.

Then they had bowls of fruit salad before getting birthday cake.

Don't think it matters hugely that it's lunchtime - small children, huge excitement, they won't eat much!

Potato wedges or jacket potatoes?
Beans or some mixed cooked veg?

Can you turn it into an 'under the sea' party hence no one could complain about fish fingers. Then just have some fish-shapped sandwiches, tuna-filled pitta bread or tuna pasta bake (pasta, tuna, can of tinned tomatoes). Or maybe mash? Easy to do beforehand and easy to heat in the microwave. Then do a sea-based craft activity, play some under the sea music, and off you go.

Anyway, what's wrong with fish fingers? I would much rather my child have a hot meal at a party than be filled with party rings and crisps!

Don't worry - serve what you like - they won't eat it anyway.

So long as you have a cake, the party will be a success !

Well said givepeasachance! They won't hardly eat anyway and who cares what you serve. Do a selection of whatever is easier for you and stuff what others think! Good luck!

The mini fishfingers are birdseye I think - they come in a blue bag rather than a box.

Mini hotdogs might be easier if you are doing quantities? (Bake chipolata sausages and stick them in bridge rolls).

For ds1's second birthday party we did hotdogs and mac and cheese. I figure it's a kids party so I made food that kids like.

My friend always serves sweets, biscuits, crisps and more sweets at parties. Fishfingers much, much, much better than this - and think of the omega 3 they will be getting.

i think you can get some nice fish gougons (posh fish fingers) in sainsbury's and maybe tescos.
i'd do chips or wedges and peas.
sounds like a good plan to me.

goujons even