PARTY FOOD IDEAS
Whatever you decide to feed your party guests, you really don't have to spend a fortune on food, especially when it comes to children.
Traditional party food comes in small amounts, with lots of variety, so the guest can help themselves to a plateful of fun, as opposed to a big meal.
You may find a cold buffet more convenient as you can prepare it beforehand, and it can reliably feed people of all ages, but if your party venue has cooking facilities you might prefer to engage the help of a willing adult or two and provide a simple hot meal. Whatever you decide, you will find plenty of ideas below.
Cold buffet:
Sandwiches - cooked meat (ham, turkey, chicken, luncheon meat, corned beef); cheese; cheese spread; egg mayonnaise; pate; marmite; jam. You can present the sandwiches cut into small triangles, or why not cut them into shapes either with a knife or pastry cutter to make them more appealing?
French stick with butter and a choice of cheese, cooked meat and pate.
Dips - humous, taramasalata, or a few assorted shop-bought dips. Serve these with pitta bread, breadsticks, dipping chips and/or crudites (carrot and celery sticks, strips of pepper, raw cauliflower, for example).
Savoury snacks such as sausage rolls, cocktail sausages, party eggs, vol au vents, quiche, pizza
Samosas,onion bhajis, vegetable and/or meat pakoras
Spring rolls
Cooked chicken pieces such as buffalo wings or drumsticks, or even chicken nuggets
Savoury nibbles such as crisps, twiglets, corn chips, tortilla chips, cheese biscuits, corn based snacks.
Slices of cucumber, cherry tomatoes, celery
Grapes, apple and orange slices, strawberries
Sweet party food such as chocolate biscuits, cookies, mini doughnuts, fairy cakes, swiss rolls, chocolate rolls, muffins.
If you have the budget, why not invest in a chocolate fountain and let the guests dip fruit, marshmallows and mini doughnuts in it?
If you don't have enough room for a big spread, or feel faint at the thought of clearing the mess and the wastage of food, we recommend individual party boxes, either plain or themed.
These food boxes can be filled with enough food for each child - and can even be personalised. They are especially useful for children with special dietary requirements, and they mean less mess!
Hot buffet:-
Hot dogs and rolls with fried onions and ketchup.
Chips, potato wedges, croquettes or other frozen potato product served with any of the following:
Chicken nuggets or dippers
Sausages (meat and/or vegetarian)
Fish fingers
Mini pizzas
Burgers (meat and/or vegetarian
Finally, here are a few delicious, child friendly party food recipes from
Pinwheel Sandwiches
Gives a new twist to plain sandwiches and perfect for the kids to help with too!
Equipment: rolling pin - measuring equipment - knife - chopping board - clingfilm - mixing bowl -wooden spoon
Ingredients:
4 medium/thick slices of wholemeal/white bread
85d/3oz/1/3 cup cream cheese
2 thin slices ham
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley (optional)
1 tbsp finely chopped red pepper (optional)
Instructions:
Cut the crusts off the bread and flatten each slice with a rolling pin.
Chop the ham into small pieces and mix it into the cream cheese with a wooden spoon. (Add the parsley and red pepper if you are using it.)
Spread the cream cheese mixture over the slices.
Start at one side and roll up the bread like a swiss roll.
Wrap in cling film and put in the fridge for 1 hour. Remove from the fridge and cut into slices
Traffic Light Jelly
Watch their faces 'light up' with this funky jelly!
Equipment: Measuring equipment - Boiling water (6 to 8 glasses) - mixing bowl - whisk or electric mixer -Spoon
Ingredients
150g/5oz packet strawberry jelly
150g/5oz packet orange jelly
150g/5oz packet lime jelly
Instructions
Break the lime jelly into cubes and put them into a measuring jug.
Use boiling water and pour into the jug till there is 300ml/10fl oz of water in there. Stir until all of the jelly has dissolved. Then add cold water to make 600ml/2fl oz.
Pour the jelly into glasses and put in the fridge until set.
Repeat using the orange jelly but this time wait until the orange jelly is cool before pouring on top of the lime jelly.
Put back into the fridge until set.
Finally, do the same with the strawberry jelly.
Fruity Kebabs
You can use almost any fruit for fruity kebabs!. They are quick and easy to make and a great way of getting kids to eat fruit!
Equipment
Cocktail sticks (approx 20) or kebab skewers. Kebab skewers will make larger kebabs. If you are using kebab skewers then make sure you soak them in water for about 20 minutes. This will prevent splintering.
Chopping board
Knife (or for smaller children - provide the fruit already cut up). Children can cut up soft fruit such as melon with a plastic serrated knife.
Fruit ideas: Apple - Pear - Satsumas - White grapes - Red grapes - Melon - Kiwi - Banana - Mango - Strawberries - Raspberries - Blackberries (If you are using apple or pear then sprinkle them with some orange juice. This will stop them from turning brown.)
Instructions
Simply put the fruit onto the stick! Simple!
Yummy extras
Serve the kebabs with a fromage frais or yoghurt dip!
For more fantastic recipe ideas for kids, along with funky utensils, ingredients and cooking equipment, visit www.pinkfairycake.com. |
