Kid Birthday Party Food

Food For the Kid Birthday Party

The foods you serve at a child’s birthday party depend largely on the age of the children attending.  If your child is just turning one, you won’t be
serving pretzels or pigs in a blanket to the children.  However, you may have to serve adult foods if you have family members coming to the party.  In that case, keep the menu for your little ones simple.  Small squares of sandwiches with the crust cut off are good for children 1-2 years old, and you can also serve snacks that are easy to chew and will not cause choking (cheese doodles, small diced cubes of cheese, etc.). For children ages 3-5, you can be a bit more creative.  You can buy appetizer boxes at warehouse clubs or stores (small chicken nuggets, pizza bites, or pigs in a blanket) and serve snacks as well. Some toddlers are fussy about eating, so you may want to have cookies on hand to serve along with the birthday cake, just in case someone doesn’t like strawberry. Be sure you know if any of your guests have food allergies, so you are prepared to serve them an alternate menu, if necessary. When you plan your cooking approach remember not to microwave foods you are feeding to very young children. These can scald or burn a young child’s mouth because they are often much hotter at the center than on the surface. 

If you don’t see what you want here, you can search online to find more such sites or consider the themes we included below and see if a standard cake mix with some creative decoration can satisfy the theme. Serve your food on paper or plastic plates.  Stay away from breakable dishes and glasses for a child’s party.  You are only asking for trouble.  Plan where and when you will serve the food AND the cake and be prepared to handle spills and crumbs.  If you can serve outside in the summer or in the kitchen where clean up is easier, you will find it less difficult to accommodate those clumsy little hands.  If you must serve in a living room or family room, consider a themed motif that allows you place blankets or fabric on the floor.  You can place plastic underneath these fabrics and if a child spills, the fabrics will soak up the liquid or sauce. And you can minimize drink spills by serving drinks when the children are seated at the table, and pouring the drinks yourself. If you are serving older children, this concern is not as great, but you will still want to be prepared for the spilled drink or lunch. There is no doubt that having your party in a hall or outside location will greatly reduce the chance your Great Aunt Sophie’s vase is broken or your favorite pale yellow carpet is permanently stained.