Birthday Party Food

[jackie011]

DS’ 10th b-day party is this weekend. It’s from 1:00-3:00. Several of the guests will be at an activity that same day until noon. We were not planning to serve lunch, just snacks and cupcakes. (There are some dietary concerns and while the venue includes pizza, not everyone could eat the pizza and I don’t want to put a 10 year old in the position to turn down something everyone else is having)

I’m planning to serve Chex mix, veggie straws, cheese sticks and maybe a fruit or veggie tray, plus cupcakes. Is that enough? DS is a very picky eater, so I am very skewed on what most kids eat.

The party is at an arcade and they’ll be running around playing games for the majority of the time.

ETA: It’s not an allergy. There are 2 guests who keep kosher and prepackaged foods with the appropriate hexure are my only option. I cannot provide kosher pizza, hot dogs, nuggets, etc. to these 2 friends and I don’t want to put them in a position to make them uncomfortable.

[meowmaps]

I think that sounds good. Maybe some gogo squeez apple sauce packets and/or fruit gummies.

[Poppy]

I think that sounds good. Maybe crackers with the cheese? But I would not expect a meal at that time.

[rhian]

Is the event that the guests will be at until noon serving lunch? I'd be concerned that if not, you'll have a lot of hungry kids. I also generally serve a meal at any party personally, so my perspective is probably skewed. Since the pizza is not an option due to dietary restrictions, could you talk to the venue about getting permission to bring in an alternative?

[nicolewi]

This may not be a popular opinion everywhere, but we are at plenty of parties where there is SOMETHING that someone can't eat. As long as you have all the other options, I'd take the free pizza, cut it small, and put it out as one option on your food buffet line. Of course, not if there is a very severe or airborne allergy or something.

The rest of what you have sounds fine, though, so if you want to leave it more as snacks and less of a light meal, I think it's okay. One random side note is that a fair number of kids don't like veggie straws (in my world) and Chex Mix can also be a little dicey with the seasonings...maybe just something like plain potato chips.

[jewel]

If you can, I’d lean towards something more substantial, especially for a group of 10 year old boys. My kid is 9, and he and his friends can put down some serious food. At an arcade party, I’d imagine they’ll be pretty distracted but maybe something that they can grab and eat while they’re up? If you can bring in food, I’d probably grab something like a sandwich tray, big bag of tacos, a bunch of costco hot dogs, or similar. If you have time at home before you go, you could also airfry up a bunch of mini corn dogs and chicken nuggets and put them in a metal to-go tray.

[pittpurple]

I would make sure it's clear that you aren't having lunch as 1pm can go either way.
My kids' friends have a variety of allergies and I just make sure there's plenty for everyone - not everyone can eat everything. They have a lot of vegetarian friends so I make sure there are vegetarian-friendly options and double check for gelatine but we aren't a vegetarian house so there's often meat around. We have dairy free friends, etc too.
Of course if it's an airbourne / serious thing or the child has other challenges it's different but I wouldn't rule out the pizza myself.

[felicity]

As the parent of the child who has all the allergies, and often can't eat what is being served at parties, I really think it's okay to serve pizza along with all of the other snacks you mentioned. It's nice of you to want to provide things everyone can have, but I would feel really bad if the entire the party menu was dictated by my kid's restrictions. I think 10 year olds with dietary restrictions are definitely old enough to be okay with turning down certain foods at a party, and as long as the parents know up front what will be served, they can prepare accordingly. DS is 9 and handles it fine when he has to turn down foods.

[icedcoffee]

I'd serve the pizza that you're paying for already. I think it's ok to let them manage their own restrictions at 10.

But also--are you sure the kosher kids won't be able to have cheese pizza? I have a lot of family that keeps kosher and they eat vegetarian outside the home. So cheese pizza would be ok for them. Otherwise, they can have the snacks.  If they are so strictly kosher that they only eat all kosher then they are probably used to not eating at these events and will have just eaten at home.

[beerlover]

I would def serve the included pizza among other things.

[scm1011]

Include the pizza. At 1pm people are going to be expecting something more substantial than snacks.

[VillainV]

I’d probably serve the pizza alongside all the other kosher options that you mentioned. I’d probably make sure the kids who keep kosher go through the line first so they get plenty to eat before the other kids get a crack at the kosher food. I agree that 9-10 is old enough to manage their own dietary preferences, with perhaps one reminder that the pizza isn’t kosher so they are aware and can make their own decision about whether or not to eat it.


Also, how are our kids 10?!?!?

[pandora89]

I would include the pizza, 1 PM is around lunch time.

[cricketwife]

I’d add the pizza. And I would personally not do a veggie tray. Even if the kids do eat veggies in general, they don’t usually eat them at parties, IME.

[jackie011]

I came up with a solution and checked with parents and we’re all going to eat pizza!! Checked with the one place (private caterer) who makes kosher pizza and they had an option for us. It’s all going to work out.

Yes, VillainV, how is this possible?

[jorja]

I’d expect lunch at a 1pm party. I’d serve the pizza, along with some other snacks.