Best finger foods for an outdoor birthday party? Lots of guests, not a lot of time! Help!?

Question

I'm having my sons first birthday party outside at a big park. There will be 50-60 friends and family, and I want to serve some food, but not have a big cookout/dinner. So far I'm doing:

* Cake and Icecream
* Chips
* Chex Mix, Cheese Nips or M&M's
* Finger Sandwiches
* Veggie Trays w/ dip
* Diced Fruit
* BBQ Meatballs

But that isn't enough food. I need more ideas! I won't have a lot of time to prepare everything, so I need easy (preferably inexpensive) ideas.
Thanks!

Answer 1

Ring around the Posey:
1 container (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Strawberry Cream Cheese Spread
1 jar (7 oz.) JET-PUFFED Marshmallow Creme
28 NILLA Wafers
28 apple slices

MIX cream cheese spread and marshmallow creme until well blended; cover.
REFRIGERATE at least 1 hour.
SPOON cream cheese mixture onto center of dinner plate just before serving. Arrange wafers and apple slices alternately around cream cheese mixture to resemble flower petals.
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Appetizer Bites:
Ham and Turkey slices
Bread 'N Butter or Kosher Dill Sandwich Slices or spears, cut in half lengthwise
1 tub (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Garden Vegetable Cream Cheese Spread

PAT meat and pickle slices dry with paper towels.
SPREAD each meat slice with about 1 Tbsp. cream cheese spread. Top each with 1 pickle slice; roll up. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap.
REFRIGERATE at least 1 hour or overnight. Cut each roll-up into 4 pieces to serve; secure each with toothpick.

also you could do little sausage and cheese wedges which fill people up.
or on celery sticks put cheese spread on some and peanut butter on others and alternate them on a tray.


All of these items are pretty cheap and do not take too long to make.
Hope your son has a Great Birthday!

Answer 2

No time to prepare, and you want to have "inexpensive" ideas??? No way with 50-60 people in attendance!

Maybe you could enlist some family and close friends to prepare something (you could reimburse them for their costs)

Re-consider the ice cream unless you have a foolproof way to keep it cold.

Finger Sandwiches are labor intensive, but there are some types you can make ahead & freeze.

Actually, now that I think about it, I'd probably forego all the little different things and go to a bbq or chicken place and order some Beans, Slaw, Chicken & Ribs. Probably will come out cheaper in the long run and will look more substantial. Could still ask some family to carry some dishes in that you will 'gladly reimburse them' for (they'll probably refuse anyway)

With 50-60 people and your child only 1 year old, I'd probably put something on the invites like "Come help celebrate Charley's first birthday party at the park.. No gifts please as he has plenty of toys already.'

Get a dozen or so disposable cameras and give them out to folks and ask that they take pics of the general festivities (not just their own kids).

Have fun!

Answer 3

Buy several packages of the Lil' Smokie Links and several bottles of Teriaki Glaze, Stir together and heat up. If the links are too expensive you can always substitute cooked hot dogs or smoked kielbasa sausage; just slice them into rounds.

Hummus is always good and you don't have to worry about keeping it cold. Drain two cans of chick peas (reserve the liquid of 1 can), Dice several cloves of garlic, 1-2 tsp of lemon juice, 1-2 tlbs of peanut butter (you are suppose to use Tahini sauce, but it is very expensive and peanut butter give almost the same taste) olive oil & salt & pepper. Put the chick peas in a food processor and add the garlic, peanut butter and lemon juice, pulse a few time until things start to look grainy, add olive oil 1 tsp at a time up to 3 tsp. The hummus should be smooth, if not add the reserved liquid a tsp at a time until it is smooth, taste & add salt & pepper to taste. Serve with pita chips or pita bread, you can also serve it with regular tortilla chips.

Remember to be careful of anything that has mayo in it when you are serving outside in the heat.

Good luck & have fun!

Answer 4

Bagel bites
Miniature bagels-sliced in half
Prepared pizza sauce
Pepperoni slices, cut in halves
Mozzarella cheese

Put one whole slice of pepperoni over hole in bagel. Spread sauce on, put some pepperoni on, top with mozzarella--bake on 350 until cheese is melted. Serve immediately.

Answer 5

How about a cheese and cracker tray or some more types of candy in a tray?

Answer 6

Do fried chicken, coleslaw, broasted potatos from a place like chicken shack, etc. Most chicken places will have a catering menu where you can pick up trays of it!

Answer 7

fried chicken drum sticks the small ones from the wing.

frozen meatballs cooked in grape jelly and guldens brown mustard, you probably think I'm nuts but this is really good not weird at all after its done everybody likes them.

Answer 8

Try buying the frozen ones and prepare them on a platter. No one will know or care and you will have plenty of time!