Posted by cel

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Hosting a birthday party for kids is a hectic affair. The best approach to serving food is to keep it simple, kid-friendly and to have at least one “light” option for the adults (usually a simple salad does the trick to keep them happy). Beware of spending too much time on the food since kids are more interested in playing and activities and can be picky eaters.

My most recent “menu” for my son’d 4th birthday was easy and a hit.

• Pizza: We ordered pizza from a local favorite pizzaria.
• Fresh fruit salad: You can buy what is in season and on sale to keep cost down. You can also choose to cut it up your self or buy the pre-existing fruit trays that are usually available at the grocery store. Be sure to that fruit pieces are cut small enough and cut grapes in half to prevent choking hazard.
• Munchies: We had pretzels and corn chips.
• Mixed Salad: Make this at the last minute. We assembled fresh spinach, gorgonzola cheese, cranberries, sliced almonds, and red onion and offered a couple of dressings.
• Drinks: Bottled water, assorted sodas, box juices and capri sun’s kept everyone happy.
• Store bought birthday cake.

Other good options for the main entree (instead of pizza) are sandwich trays which you can get at the grocery deli, subway or other sandwich spots. Also, Costco and stores like it have tons a great prepared food and can provide inspiration if you just go and look around. We had some success for a different party with some frozen lasagnas that you can heat and serve. (Be sure to check cooking time before the day of the party to make sure you have it ready in time.)

Mini-Sized Foods and Portions

Kids love to see foods designed for their size and the portion control avoids waste. Mini pizzas (like bagel bites), baby carrots, mini muffins, and tea size sandwiches can be fun.