2 year old party - party food ideas

[mum101]

Hi all,
Does anyone have some good ideas for party foods for a 2 year old party (kids aged 2,2,3,5)? Some party foods that parents will like to is a bonus!  We are having a family occassion with a few of dd's playmates coming.
 

[TDR'smom]

Rice Krispy Bars,
Chicken Strips
Pasta salad
Chips/Pretzels
Veggie and Fruit tray with Dip
Crockpot Meatballs

Cupcakes
Juice Boxes for the kids

I was just at a 2 year old birthday party and that is what they served.

HTH

[binxyboo]

Pizza
Cream cheese and jam sandwiches (use a cookie cutter to make different shapes)

Whatever you feel the adults may like...I have never been to a birthday party where the children have ended up eating significant amounts of anything, so if you want to entertain the adults it wouldn't all have to be kid-friendly.

[Jaime]

at luke's party i think we are going to do hot dogs for the kids, and get sandwichs for the adults.  or... i might just get sandwich supplies & lay out an assembly line, so then the kids can have all the sandwich stuff too.    also going to have a veggie & dip tray, probably some potato chips or pretzels, lots of drinks (sodas for adults & juice boxes for kids).

[dkjokisch]

All of the suggestions sound great!  I just wanted to add that you should keep in mind if there's anything the kids can't have, to try not to serve it.  We attended a birthday party recently (a kid in dd's playgroup), and everything had nuts in it - celery sticks with PB and raisins, PB&J cut into fun shapes, PB cookies, even the cake had nutella filling.  Poor dd can't have any kind of nuts yet, so all she could eat was animal crackers.  She wasn't the only one, but I felt like the worst mom in the world telling her she couldn't have cake at a birthday party.

[mum101]

Thanks for the ideas mums.   

Juice boxes will definitely be a go-er as they are self-contained, not soft-drink and DD loves them atm! I hadn't thought of them. 

TDR's mum - what kind of dip would you put with the veggie and fruit tray - my daughter loves hommus, but do you have any other recommendations?

Deborah - I was thinking of food allergies, but fortunately all 4 kids attending don't have any allergies.  I'm taking notice of these things in particular as Rory's creche has a list of guidelines about what can be included in cakes brought in for kids birthdays (no coconut, nuts etc).  I make a note not to have any food in her creche bag too - I would hate for a kid to try and eat something from her bag and have a reaction. 

But what a shame the party planners at the party you went to didn't think of that!  I think if they didn't know the kids allergy history they should ask.  If their kid wanted a nutella cake you could bake muffins, some with nutella and a separate batch without! sheesh!

Well that's my rant for the day.   

[binxyboo]

I think all the nuts at a kid's party sounds pretty bizarre...

[ry,cait&alex]

Well....thanks for this thread!!  You guys have just saved Cait's party.  Yes, I realize that her bday is not until June, but I start WAY far in advance......so much goes into it.  Plus I hand make all the invitations. 

Luckily this year, I am scaling it WAY down to just a handful of family members.  I think I will do the sandwich route this year.  One of the local stores up here does a "sandwich ring" and I think that will be perfect!  So thanks for all the ideas, sure helped me!!!

[binxyboo]

Can never go wrong with sandwiches, yum!

[TDR'smom]

TDR's mum - what kind of dip would you put with the veggie and fruit tray - my daughter loves hommus, but do you have any other recommendations?

For the fruit trays you could put out a yogurt dip.  Yummy.

For the veggies, whatever dip you get for the chips would work...ranch, french onion. 

Have fun!!!

[Jaime]

and, if you're feeling super groovy, hollow out a green pepper and put the veggie dip in there.   

[TDR'smom]

and, if you're feeling super groovy, hollow out a green pepper and put the veggie dip in there.   Cool

Whoa!!! Now that is getting way to gourmet for me. 

I was thinking more along the line of her purchasing those little tubs of dip and opening up the lids.   
That's more my speed!

[mari]

Alex had a traditional tea party, all little ones sitting up to the table with lots of sandwiches, cakes, pasties and biscuits and jelly and ice cream!!

It is her birthday! and she eats well all the time so a few treats are ok!