Planning a kid’s party is not as easy as it seems to be, be it a virtual kids’ party, or a real one. Since balloons, presents and a cake is not enough to keep the children in a party mood. Kids are fussy eaters, by taking part in different games and activities for extensive hours; they wish to have a happy meal box packed with a tempting selection of goodies. Fortunately, it doesn’t require breaking the bank as long as you have budget-friendly ideas to employ. Before you proceed to plan the menu, it is highly recommended to contact the parents of each guest and make sure whether their child has any food allergies or not. Though, in most cases, they know what they are allergic to and ask; there are some who only assume that whatever is served to them is fine. So, it is always better to remain on the safe side when it comes to allergy triggers. Besides, it is beneficial to think small i.e. bite-size everything. Make sure children can handle everything easily and will not leave the plate with two bites taken out. Here are a few other tips to help you along in the kid’s birthday party catering…
You Don’t Have to Worry
These days there are plenty of local catering companies that can arrange the party food for you. From small gatherings to larger birthday events, sometimes it is easier to let they deal with the food rather than street over it yourself.
Don’t Forget The Adults
If you are also inviting moms and dads to your party, it is nice if you add at least one item that they can enjoy. If you are serving pizza then there is no need to provide extra however if you have hotdogs on your menu then you should also serve some sandwiches for them.
Theme the Food
Food has played a supportive role to pull your party theme. Always tailor your presentation to the theme of the party. Children tend to enjoy it a lot. If you are having a Halloween party, you can serve punch in a hollowed-out pumpkin or you can also serve chips in a cowboy hat if you have arranged a cowboy party.
Buffet
The best way to go with party food is always a buffet. Let kids and adults pick and choose what they want when they want it. While it will always look like you have done too much buffet food at the start people will soon peck away at it.
Make The Food Fun
Regardless of the food, any items that look like something else have always been a hit, especially in the case of children. Try some food fun. For instance, cut hotdogs into strips and boil them, they will take the shape of waves. You can add fun by serving them with the name of worms. You can also serve pizza with toppings by including different expressions, beasts, animals, etc.
Store-bought Isn’t Bad
Store-bought food or making your own? It is essential to ponder how much time you take to prepare the food and what your cooking skills are. It’s not at all bad to buy store food if you want to have the arrangements within a budget. In fact, most children prefer to have store-bought food over homemade. However, the food needs to have a long shelf life or can be frozen until the party end.
Adult Drinks
Much like the food for adults suggestion earlier you should also think about making teas, coffees or other adult beverages to make sure everyone is happy, especially if the party goes on for some hours.
Don’t Forget The Birthday Child
Offer a special treat to the birthday boy or girl but be sure to have a few suggestions. You can keep the rest of the menu simple with their ever-favourite food items like hotdogs, pizza, sandwiches, nachos and chicken nuggets.
Hot is Not Needed
You don’t need to have hot food at all and even if you do make sure there isn’t too much of it that might spoil. Most kids will tend to go for sandwiches and colder snacks, so it is only the adult that will enjoy warmer foods.
Right Food, Right Time
You should always choose your menu by considering the time of your party. For instance, if you are arranging a party before the afternoon party then snacks will be acceptable, but if you are having a late afternoon party then pizza would be the most appropriate option.