Mid afternoon birthday party food

[tigress]

DD1's 9th birthday party is Saturday 2-4pm. Besides cake what food do you suggest? Its at our local YMCA, it is a dodgeball party with some games with her friends. Just kids, no adults besides my family that will be helping out. Its obviously not a normal mealtime but I don't know what to do (and my brain is mush with a 6 day old baby). Suggestions?

[goldengirlz]

We’re doing pizza and fruit salad at that time. No need to complicate things.

[thejen626]

Pizza, fruit, salad, cake.

[Crystal]

Yep. Pizza and fruit. I might add a veggie tray just because I like them, but keep it simple!

Congrats on the baby.

[candreco]

For 2-4 with games going on, I'd do a bunch of substantial snack food- crackers, cheese and salami, apple slices/caramel dip, pretzels and veggies with hummus, chips or popcorn, etc. But DD and her friends seem to be grazers more than sit-down-and-eat-a-piece-of-pizza kids, and pizza would be a lot easier for you with a newborn in tow!

[Deleted]

We've been to several parties at our Y and the food is usually in another room, so there's not much grazing going on. The parents usually complain there is too much food leftover and send boxes home with other families. Too much food is a better problem than not enough, but I would anticipate the kids being pretty busy vs. standing around and snacking.

[lolalolalola]

I would just do cake and fruit.

[lilafowler]

Apr 12, 2018 7:07:41 GMT -5 lolalolalola said:

I would just do cake and fruit.

😭😱

[Leeham Rimes]

Apr 12, 2018 7:07:41 GMT -5 lolalolalola said:

I would just do cake and fruit.

May god have mercy on your soul.

[lolalolalola]

Apr 12, 2018 7:17:12 GMT -5 Leeham Rimes said:

Apr 12, 2018 7:07:41 GMT -5 lolalolalola said:

I would just do cake and fruit.

May god have mercy on your soul.

Regional!!

[ginger]

Oh shit.

Maybe I should add pizza too. I was just going to do cake, homemade lollipops, a veggie tray, and homemade Italian Cream Sodas.

I was thinking since everyone would have already eaten lunch, they wouldn't be ready for a main dish yet.

[tacokick]

What about a sandwich/cold sliders platter? That is easier for grazing IMO because it doesn’t have to be warm like pizza.

[penguingrrl]

My son’s party was 1-2:30 and we just did cake and juice. He doesn’t like pizza so I wasn’t serving that and that’s the only thing you can easily serve, so we noted “cake and juice after” on the invitation to clue people in.

[Eagles]

Pizza and veggie tray.

[Leeham Rimes]

Every one is always hungry. Kids are always hungry. Always. All the time. There’s never a time where kids are not hungry. (Unless you only have broccoli available)

I once sent in 10 pizzas for Wesley’s class of 15 Kids. They were still hungry. 10 pizzas were not enough. Wtf.

[bronxgirl]

pizza

[namasteak]

This is an awesome party idea!

[tacokick]

Apr 12, 2018 7:39:32 GMT -5 penguingrrl said:

My son’s party was 1-2:30 and we just did cake and juice. He doesn’t like pizza so I wasn’t serving that and that’s the only thing you can easily serve, so we noted “cake and juice after” on the invitation to clue people in.

I would serve food but if you don’t, putting this on the invite is a kindness and much appreciated.

We are basically packing a picnic for the family party we are going to at 2pm Saturday that’s hours from home. We haven’t been to anything they’ve hosted and want to prepare for the worse lol I wish they had included a clue on the invite!

[pantsparty]

Apr 12, 2018 7:07:41 GMT -5 lolalolalola said:

I would just do cake and fruit.

[pegasuskat]

I usually have pizza or a sandwich tray. You could do PBJ sandwiches and cut them with a round cookie cutter like a ball. I always do theme stuff, I'm crazy like that. When granddaughter had a party and they were going to mess around on the tennis courts I added pretzel rods dipped in choc, then did a candy melt disc on the end and drew on it with edible marker to look like a tennis ball. It was very easy and so cute.

[HRH Queen Dick I, Orphan]

Apr 12, 2018 7:39:32 GMT -5 penguingrrl said:

cake and juice

[penguingrrl]

Apr 12, 2018 8:13:25 GMT -5 tacokick said:

Apr 12, 2018 7:39:32 GMT -5 penguingrrl said:

My son’s party was 1-2:30 and we just did cake and juice. He doesn’t like pizza so I wasn’t serving that and that’s the only thing you can easily serve, so we noted “cake and juice after” on the invitation to clue people in.

I would serve food but if you don’t, putting this on the invite is a kindness and much appreciated.

We are basically packing a picnic for the family party we are going to at 2pm Saturday that’s hours from home. We haven’t been to anything they’ve hosted and want to prepare for the worse lol I wish they had included a clue on the invite!

I figured a heads up was good! The relatives who came to the party place came back to our house after and stayed all day and we obviously had food and stuff there, it was only the preschool friends who were just at the party place we didn’t feed.

[jenny1980]

Ella's bday party is Saturday from 1-2:30 at a karate studio and the only food they allow is cake. I was tempted to put something like "they won't let us bring anything else!!!!" on the invites.

[cjcouple]

I guess I am the odd one out. I don't think you need a meal or pizza. Light snacks: couple bowls of chips/pretzels/chex mix or if you want to add fruit is good IMO.

It's 2 hours and part of it will be the cake and possibly gifts? even if you skip gifts it's still about a 90 min activity right? Ignore my 2 cents if you like but most kids would rather play than sit and eat in my experience. Have fun! Sounds like a cool party.

[cjcouple]

Apr 12, 2018 8:13:25 GMT -5 tacokick said:

Apr 12, 2018 7:39:32 GMT -5 penguingrrl said:

My son’s party was 1-2:30 and we just did cake and juice. He doesn’t like pizza so I wasn’t serving that and that’s the only thing you can easily serve, so we noted “cake and juice after” on the invitation to clue people in.

I would serve food but if you don’t, putting this on the invite is a kindness and much appreciated.

We are basically packing a picnic for the family party we are going to at 2pm Saturday that’s hours from home. We haven’t been to anything they’ve hosted and want to prepare for the worse lol I wish they had included a clue on the invite!

yup - I did a mid-afternon party once and just put "Please join us for cake and ice cream."   

[1confused1]

My daughter's party is on Sunday, 2:30-4, I am serving some snacks and cake. In my mind, it's not meal time. I did state this on the invite.

[lilafowler]

The Fremdschämen is strong.

[eb777888]

I would just do cake and pizza to make it easy. And that's all kids want anyways, lol. I love doing pizza for David's parties because they can just be delivered and easily thrown alway. Done and done.

[gummybear]

Apr 12, 2018 12:22:40 GMT -5 eb777888 said:

I would just do cake and pizza to make it easy. And that's all kids want anyways, lol. I love doing pizza for David's parties because they can just be delivered and easily thrown alway. Done and done.

I am Team Pizza always, morning, noon and night. But this is what I don't get whenever this topic comes up. Pizza takes 5 minutes to order, no time to be delivered, seconds to give out and 5 minutes to clean up. Veggie trays, fruit platters, hummus and pita, pb&j cut into shapes, sandwich roll ups, who has time for this? I also know whenever I try to be cute and do other stuff I end up spending way more than I would if I had just ordered the damn pizza. 

[eb777888]

Apr 12, 2018 12:47:45 GMT -5 gummybear said:

Apr 12, 2018 12:22:40 GMT -5 eb777888 said:

I would just do cake and pizza to make it easy. And that's all kids want anyways, lol. I love doing pizza for David's parties because they can just be delivered and easily thrown alway. Done and done.

I am Team Pizza always, morning, noon and night. But this is what I don't get whenever this topic comes up. Pizza takes 5 minutes to order, no time to be delivered, seconds to give out and 5 minutes to clean up. Veggie trays, fruit platters, hummus and pita, pb&j cut into shapes, sandwich roll ups, who has time for this? I also know whenever I try to be cute and do other stuff I end up spending way more than I would if I had just ordered the damn pizza. 

And who doesn't love pizza?? EVERYBODY loves pizza. Unless you're a weirdo, then I don't want you at my party anyway. lol