Late afternoon birthday party: snacks for adults?

[Hikergirl]

Its one hour until the kids come in for cake. I would serve exactly what you are serving for parents and kids. The ONLY thing I would add would be some coffee and tea (here the tea would be sweet and iced but whatever kind ya'll serve) for the parents. If you are just set on adding something else, let it be for both kids and parents and do watermelon or a fruit tray.

I wouldn't be serving a meal either. I know the folks around here. About half would be planning to take the family out for supper after the party and wouldn't like that one kid just filled up on pizza. Ending at 5 is one of those "iffy" type times but I would say its after lunchtime starting at 3 and before supper which is normally 6.

Ok, but couldn't they just decline the party if their plan was to go out and they wouldn't be happy about their kid eating?
Or they could just not care and let their kid sit at the restaurant eating bread sticks.

I think most parents expect a meal is going to be served at a party, or the invite says it isn't and they can plan for feeding their kid after.
I'm more of a make my kid happy at their party type of person, so I'm not going to worry too much about parents who might not be happy about if/when/what meal is being served.
Lighten up everyone it's a kid's birthday party, one day of eating at an off time isn't going to hurt anyone.

 

[serenitynow]

How about a big bag of chips and a couple of kinds of salsa?

 

[DisneyHardin]

I think anything would be appreciated because the parents aren't going to be expecting anything. Bottled water and a veggie or cheese tray would be easy.

As for people saying that a meal should be served - I'm in the camp that I wouldn't be expecting a full dinner for my kid at a 3-5 pm party that is at a venue.

 

[luvsJack]

It really depends, I’m in my 50’s and the birthday parties I attended as a child always had a meal. Why would the guests be planning on going out to dinner after the party?

Like I said, HERE it would be the norm because a lot of families do go out on one weekend night. So, in the group that I would have invited at least half and probably more would have that plan.

I am in my 50's too and meals at birthday parties were not the norm here until my sons (in their 30's) were older unless the time included a meal time.

I don't really care if she serves a meal, its not that big of a deal, but if she wasn't planning to, it really is ok.

 

[luvsJack]

Ok, but couldn't they just decline the party if their plan was to go out and they wouldn't be happy about their kid eating?
Or they could just not care and let their kid sit at the restaurant eating bread sticks.

I think most parents expect a meal is going to be served at a party, or the invite says it isn't and they can plan for feeding their kid after.
I'm more of a make my kid happy at their party type of person, so I'm not going to worry too much about parents who might not be happy about if/when/what meal is being served.
Lighten up everyone it's a kid's birthday party, one day of eating at an off time isn't going to hurt anyone.

The could also decline if they want more than cake and popcorn at that time of day.

HERE that isn't the expectation. Meals are morning, noon, and 6. If the party does not include one of those times, a meal isn't included unless its specified on the invitation.

Like I said, most kids just would enjoy the activity at the party and cake and kool aid. Its parents that have made it more of a thing. And as time goes, it gets bigger and more expensive to let little Johnny celebrate being 6. Its a little silly.

And yes, we have done cake and kool aid parties (well it was punch) and the kids had a ball. And we have done parties that included a full cook out and parties that had pizza. Kids had the same amount of fun.

Again, I don't care if she serves a meal or not, not that big of a deal. But if she isn't planning to, she shouldn't feel she has to. Go with the norm in your circle.

You could also, say, "Lighten up everyone, its a kid's birthday party. Don't expect adults to be entertained or fed. Let the kids have fun and have cake".

 

[kimblebee]

How old are the kids? Why are the parents sticking around? This is definitely a regional thing. I’ve never heard of or seen a parent sticking around for the kids party. Why do they have to be there?

 

[Minnesota!]

1) parents don't stick around for parties around here - so, I would see if there is anyone that you would even need to worry about getting snacks for, first,
2) if you choose snacks, go light. Right before dinner time, so most won't want something big. Popcorn, veg/dip, cheese/crackers, chips/salsa/guac

 

[NYCgrrl]

We are having a birthday party for my daughter from 3-5pm at a gymnastics studio. The kids will be in a class and us grown ups will basically just be hanging out for an hour before cake time.

I typically do her parties in the late morning/early afternoon and serve coffee for the grown ups. Does serving coffee at 3pm seem too late in the day?
What light/easy snacks would you serve for the grown ups?

We were planning on cake, ice cream, popcorn, and water bottles for the kids.

Thanks!

Given the time frame of the party as well as location I wouldn't expect to serve either the adults or children a meal that substitutes for either lunch or dinner; too early or late for either meal.
At best, I'd offer a vegetable tray for the waiting adults and extra water bottles so they can partake.

 

[ImDMous]

If I were going to a kid's party from 3-5, I would stop at Starbuck's on the way there and be perfectly fine. Adults can survive for 2 hours without eating. I wouldn't be expecting anything to be served for me and would provide my own beverage if I needed it. I wouldn't be expecting my kid to get anything other than cake and punch at that time. If my kid was over 7, I would probably just drop them off.

 

[mjkacmom]

The OP asked a question that really can’t be answered without knowing the ages of the children and what the norm is in her area. Around here, parents stop staying for parties around kindergarten, except if the venue isn’t local, or it’s a venue that allows the general public in (like a bowling alley or skating rink). Most don’t want their first graders going by the bar alone to use the bathroom, or deal with getting their skates on.

I don’t think I’ve ever had more that water or coffee for parents, but always provide enough pizza for them (when the kids are little the slices are usually cut in half, but not 5he adult pizza).

 

[BLAZEY]

Tea and petit fours. We have served afternoon tea with a sample of baked goodies.

 

[Hikergirl]

The could also decline if they want more than cake and popcorn at that time of day.

HERE that isn't the expectation. Meals are morning, noon, and 6. If the party does not include one of those times, a meal isn't included unless its specified on the invitation.

Like I said, most kids just would enjoy the activity at the party and cake and kool aid. Its parents that have made it more of a thing. And as time goes, it gets bigger and more expensive to let little Johnny celebrate being 6. Its a little silly.

And yes, we have done cake and kool aid parties (well it was punch) and the kids had a ball. And we have done parties that included a full cook out and parties that had pizza. Kids had the same amount of fun.

Again, I don't care if she serves a meal or not, not that big of a deal. But if she isn't planning to, she shouldn't feel she has to. Go with the norm in your circle.

You could also, say, "Lighten up everyone, its a kid's birthday party. Don't expect adults to be entertained or fed. Let the kids have fun and have cake".

Definitely! I don't know why kid's parties have become so stressful. We parents try to make everyone happy, or out do everyone else. The guest's parents judging and taking notes about what to do or not do for their own party. Its just crazy, and the kids attending the party don't care. They have fun regardless, they don't care what or when they eat dinner. They just want to play, eat some cake and be a little wild for a couple hours

 

[pezgirlroy]

Guess that varies widely too- since my kid always had lunch in school by 11 we would have dinner at 4- and that has always been the time and even now that she is older I still eat lunch at 11 and dinner at 4. They eat so early in school that they are hungry after school and rather than filling up on snacks it was better to do dinner early. 5 is definitely dinner time and I would not be happy with giving my kid snacks and cake at dinner time and not food.

I think in many two income working homes 5 is still very early for dinner. Given that it is a birthday party and not a regular thing I would be fine with snack and cake at that time.

 

[NYCgrrl]

I think in many two income working homes 5 is still very early for dinner. Given that it is a birthday party and not a regular thing I would be fine with snack and cake at that time.

Agreed. My kiddos and DGD's birthday fall on months when school is in session so we tended to do parties on the weekend squeezed in between all the extracurricular classes and activities they and their friends had.
4 PM dinner meant we must be visiting the man's parents in FL and having a sunbird special, LOL.

 

[pezgirlroy]

Agreed. My kiddos and DGD's birthday fall on months when school is in session so we tended to do parties on the weekend squeezed in between all the extracurricular classes and activities they and their friends had.
4 PM dinner meant we must be visiting the man's parents in FL and having a sunbird special, LOL.

I cannot imagine a 4pm dinner. I can barely get dinner on the table at 6.

 

[Moliphino]

I cannot imagine a 4pm dinner. I can barely get dinner on the table at 6.

I don't even get home from work until almost 5:30. Even when I was in school with an early lunch (10:30 some years), I'd just have a snack when I got home (2:30ish) and dinner was still around 6.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

My thought was just that w one child at a party, I still have another child and husband that have to eat, too. In that situation I would have some veggies or cake and a drink but I would still expect to go home afterward to eat with my family, which would be around 6. I would expect that the party child wouldn’t be eating food at home, probably, but not a big deal either way.

 

[PollyannaMom]

Coffee would be fine by me! I love a perk-up around 3:00. Just buy a few extra water bottles for those who don't want coffee.

As for snacks, cheese and crackers or chips and dip would be easy and great!

 

[bigbabyblues]

For that time of day, I would do pizza, chips and a veggie tray or fruit tray, and bottles of water and juice pouches or something, and have enough for the parents to eat to.

I work in a school, we have lunch at 11:30, and I'm also starving by the time I get home. We usually have dinner between 4 and 4:30.

 

[Hikergirl]

I cannot imagine a 4pm dinner. I can barely get dinner on the table at 6.

I consider 6 early for dinner, we eat between 7-7:30 but that is because we always waited for dh to get home so we could eat together.
I can't imagine dinner at 4, my kids would want another dinner at 8.