help - 1ST BIRTHDAY PARTY BUFFET???

Question

Hi
I am in serious need of some help. Ive planned my daughters 1st birthday but somehow forgotten about the food side of it.
Im going to do a buffet which needs to be suitable for children and adults. Ne ideas? All this is very new t me and i dont know what people are going to expect.
Also do i have to supply alcohol? If not what do you give people to drink?

Answer 1

Fingerfoods! Little sandwiches. Fresh fruit and yogurt dip! Crackers and cheese. Water, juice and iced tea. Cupcakes!
Lots of napkins!!!

Answer 2

Birthday Party Buffet

Answer 3

I just did this myself a month ago. I made things that I could put together the night before, potato salad, pasta salad, chips/dips/salsa, deviled eggs, pigs in a blanket (froz and ready to go, just pop em in the oven and then onto the table) veggie platter, watermelon and so on... Then I ordered 4 ft sub (perfect for 20 people) and had it delivered the day of 1/2 hour before the party (get any toppings you might want cause they dont give you enough, mayo, mustard, itallian dressing) a half and half sub is usually good (half itallian combo half american combo). Im not sure how the sub thing is working where you are living but if you dont have a ton of delis around like me go to a large grocery store chain they usually have this. Beyond all this I made cupcakes, or you could order a cake from the same grocery store as the sub! A 1st Bday party probably wont last too long either, my sons was about 3-4 hours long. Dont bother with beer or anything no one really expects it anyway. Juice boxes in a cooler are great for the kids parents like it way better than just offering soda and they are less of a spill issue than cups. Im so glad I did it this way because I had nothing to do the day of except set up before everyone came. Even with all that I didnt get to enjoy the party as much as I would have liked, there is so much to do! Make sure you take lots of pics!

Answer 4

How many people are going to be there? A buffet for kids & adults, maybe hot dogs & burgers ,and a variety of salads. Picnic type foods. Don't forget some mac & cheese. Chips & dips.
No, you do not need alcohol at a child's party. Soda or punch. Coffee for adults, too.

Answer 5

My daughter just turned one on October 20th and my husband has a huge family and we don't have that big of a house and I didn't want to overwhelm my daughter. Because we did would rather not have spent the extra money to rent someplace and felt a one year old is not going to enjoy Chuck E Cheese. We had an open house we sent out invitations telling people to stop by anytime between 12-6 and it actually worked out really well. She didn't get too overstimulated and cranky and everybody seemed to enjoy themsselves. And than we just made a few cakes, some other baking and did up some platter of fruit, veggies, crackers and cheese. Hope that helps.

Answer 6

Birthday Parties for Kids
Celebrate their special day with favorite foods and friends

One of the many joys of parenthood is throwing the annual birthday party - and you can multiply that by how many kids you have. Although party themes change from year to year, the basic framework for a successful get-together stays the same.

Tips for a successful party:

Serve Familiar Foods. Keep the meal simple and recognizable - this is not the time to introduce new food items - chicken fingers, tacos or pizza are just fine.

Make it Finger-Friendly. Finger food is a great way to go; you don't need accidents with silverware. Make interesting shapes out of sandwiches or cookies by using cookie cutters.

Stay With a Theme. If your party has a specific theme, work that theme into the food, whether with creative naming (for a prehistoric-themed party, deviled eggs become dinosaur eggs), edible centerpieces (a gelatin-filled "fishbowl" for an aquatic party) or specially-shaped cakes (a basketball for a sports party).

Let the Food be Part of the Party. Get the kids involved in making their own food: miniature pizzas on English muffins, decorate-your-own cupcakes or an ice cream sundae bar are all easy ways to make the meal more fun.

Make it Fun. Kids love to play with their food. An assortment of dips (for, say, chicken fingers, raw vegetables or sliced fruit) makes even the simplest dish interactive.

Keep it Safe. Find out about food restrictions and allergies beforehand, if possible. If not, it's always best to avoid common allergens like nuts or seafood

I suggest a taco, hamburger and hot dog bar. That way there is several things to choose from and quests can prepare there food to their liking. For dessert put out an assortment of cupcakes & a fruit tray with chocolate sauce & whipped cream for dipping . For drinks I would not serve alcohol since it is a childs party and would serve fruit punch with fruit chunks & lemonade with citrus slices ( add some sparkling water to drinks for some fizz). Good Luck!

Answer 7

I would serve fruit and veggie trays plus little pieces of cheese with crackers for sure - those are things that would work for just about all ages. Pasta salad is a great idea too. What about cooking beef and/or pork, shredding it, and mixing with BBQ sauce to serve on buns, and then serving sides like pasta salad, chips, potato salad, etc.? Or you could just have appetizer-type things - little quiches, warm and cold dips with chips and bread pieces, etc.

For the 1st birthday parties for most of our kids, we have cooked on the grill - mostly it's the guys hanging around outside and the rest of the families inside snacking on whatever is around.

Alcohol is a tougher question. You could have beer and maybe wine available, but I would probably just make sure to have sodas, tea, bottled water, and maybe some juices for the kids. You could have bottled beer in a cooler if you like - that would make it harder for the kids to get into it without anyone noticing.

I don't think anyone is going to expect anything in particular. Just treat it like any other party you would throw for families, making sure to have food that young kids could easily eat, and don't worry too much about it.

And enjoy yourself - a 1st birthday party is supposed to be a fun and special time!

Answer 8

At a 1st birthday I would stay alcohol free it is just easier on you. You should keep it simple and just serve fried or roasted chicken, corn on the cob, fresh green salad and cut melon with Iced lemonade, tea and water. There is always the sandwich platter from the market, chips and dip and a platter of cut fruits or cookies with a variety of sodas and waters. Keep it as simple as possible since mostly people will wan to coo over the baby and you really don't want to worry about someone intoxicated accidentally hurting your child or anyone else.

Answer 9

I would serve iced tea or lemonade, due to the fact that it is summer. It can still be sophisticated and cool. For food i would make stuffed mushrooms, maybe those little hot dogs with dipping sauces, like honey mustard or bbq sauce.
The little hot dogs will also be perfect for little kids.

I suppose it depends on how fancy you want to get. You can make chicken tenders from scatch and fry them yourself and put hot sauce on them or w/e. You can also maybe make a big dish of lasagna or anything wiht pasta, maybe some baked ziti. You can pass those off as the main course.
Definitely have some vegetables, they are cheap and you can get alot of them. Some steamed brocolli, carrots or zucchini.

If its a 1 year olds birhtday party, its going to be mainly for the kids, so keep it kid friendly too! Dont just put all of your energy into the adult part. Just keep thinking , finger food, tiny bites and easy but fulfilling entrees.

Good luck!

Answer 10

It all depends on the time of day the party will take place. If the party is in the early-afternoon then hamburgers, hotdogs or frozen foods such as pizza bites, pizza bagels, frozen eggrolls....etc. Kids will ove them. That sort of food along with Sodas, Juices and coffee will suffice.

If your party is mid-afternoon (After 4pm) or later, it is considered a 'Dinner time' party and you should include such food as chicken fingers and maybe baked ziti or sausage and peppers along with a salad. Serving alcohol after 4pm is acceptable even at a childrens party.