...at a 3:30 (Sunday afternoon) birthday party?
ETA: party is 1.5-2 hours (goes no later than 5:30).
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I would probably expect like cookout type food. Hamburgers and hotdogs. Maybe a pasta, salad, chips. 3:30 is right between lunch and dinner but would prolly expect more dinner type food compared to lunch.
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Just cake and nibbles. With it being in between meals, I don't think anything bigger is expected.
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Just snacks. Chips/dip, vegie plate etc
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I wouldn't be surprised by hamburgers/hotdogs, but I wouldn't really expect it either. I'd go in planning to have dinner after, but probably not a big dinner since I'd fill up on snack foods there.
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If it's a party that's going to last 3,4,5 hours like a family get together then I would expect a full meal.
If it's a party that's truly from 3:30 to 5 or 5:30 then I'd expect cake, of course, snack stuff. Snack stuff would be veggie tray, cheese & crackers, meatballs or something else that is filling.
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Snacks or dessert. Not typical meal time so I wouldn't expect full meal.
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Cake and maybe a few snacks like fruit plate, veggie/dip plate and chips/salsa.
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For like a kid 's bday? Just cakes, chips, dips etc. for adult party probably some little sandwiches, dips, veg crudités, biscuits etc.
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Cakes and snack stuff. Veggies, cracker and cheese, a fruit plate, etc. As a guest, I always assume a young child's birthday party will last no more than 2 hours, so I'd plan on coming by for the party, and getting dinner after.
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Probably just appetizers/snacky food and cake.
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I agree with everyone that said appetizer/snacks and cake/cupcakes.
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Snacks and cake.
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Snacks and cake - it's not meal time so I wouldn't expect a meal unless it was explicitly stayed otherwise (ie join us for a cookout to celebrate someone's birthday!)
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Probably some heavier appetizers with some protein (like meatballs, smokie links, or meat/cheese/cracker tray), plus other easy to grab snacks like chips or snack mix, fruit, and of course, cake/cupcakes if it's a birthday party!
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I would keep is light and simple. I just hosted an Easter egg hunt and party and it was at 3 pm on a Sunday--and although I stuck to appetizer type foods, I had WAY too much. People didn't eat much at that hour and I was stuck with more leftovers than my husband and I can eat on our own.
We had hummus and pita chips, a veggie platter, a fruit platter, cupcakes, cookies, 1 platter of small sandwiches...and then a couple people brought something, too. It was way too much.
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Los bday was at 2, so sort of similar, and we had a bunch of trays (veggie, fruit, cheese, and middle eastern w hummus, grape leaves and olives), and bagels with cream cheese and smoked fish. Plus cake. It went over well!
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Snacks and cake
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Apps and cake.
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I would expect snacks and light finger food only. Def nothing meal worthy!
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I would have sandwiches! Not sure I would expect, but I would hope!
That's probably what I would serve. And fruit and veggies.
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Snacks/apps/finger foods and cake
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Heavier snacks / apps because party end time is so close to dinner time that my toddler will be cranky and hungry otherwise.
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Id say some hot and cold appetizers. Pigs in a blanket with a yummy dipping sauce, veggies and dip, a hot dip like buffalo chicken dip or something, and maybe another hot app like a meatball or something. Agree with some PP that you don't need a full meal, but it's close enough to the end of the day that you need something substantial enough to stave off hunger before dinner.
And cake, of course
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Heavy apps, sandwiches, snacks, cake.
My family is weird and serves obscene amounts of food. I don't know how to cook for fewer than eight. -
@oliviaoblivia: hahah we're the same. If I was throwing a 3:30 party we would be serving a full meal with snacks/apps and dessert! That's what we did for dd1 first birthday. But it was also at home so longer than at a venue.
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I'm with @oliviaoblivia @regberadaisy: no matter what time the party is, I want there to be more than just nibbles. A party isn't a party without a spread, imo.
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@mediagirl: @regberadaisy: I think if I'm leaving a party at 5:30 with my toddler, driving home, cooking, then serving dinner I'll have a hangry kid on my hands. Especially after a fun party. Actually I'd probably stop for takeout or fast food on the way home to avoid the meltdown. She's an easy kid, but dinner is at six and she likes her dinner.
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@oliviaoblivia: yeah that is a good point. If they leave at 5:30, they're leaving after/during/right before dinnertime. Feed the people!
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Small apps stuff to pick on
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@oliviaoblivia: that's exactly what I was thinking. We eat dinner at 6. Leaving a party at 5:30 would force us to buy dinner on the way home irregardless. It would be much harder with a starving child!
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I would have heavy apps or sandwiches or something.
If that was my party I would have the "party" from 3:30-4:30 and then have everyone eat at 4:30 or 5pm - then they can go home!
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My son would chow down on a few slices of pizza if it were offered, for sure.
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Just some snacks--pitta/breadsticks with dips, fruit and some cake. That's what we did for LO's first birthday at that time.
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@oliviaoblivia: Yeah, that's what I am saying! Food is always good! I would be sad secretly if a party was light on it, and then get cranky after
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I wouldn't expect a full meal, and wouldn't be totally surprised if there was only cake....but if it were me I'd have a spread of apps/snackies out as well.
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I would say either heavy appetizers (salads, dips, meatballs, etc.) or pizza later on in the party.
I read this and thought of a party I went to Sunday from 3-5. The host didn't state there would be food, and we ate a big lunch beforehand, and then felt rude we didn't touch any of the food. Make sure you tell people what is going to be served!
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Thanks everyone.
The party is at an indoor playplace/children's museum and their rule is that you can bring in cake and appetizers (chips, veggies and dip, cheese and meat trays), but if you want heavy entrees, you have to buy it through them. so I wanted to avoid their overpriced food costs!
Thank you! I think I will do fruit kabobs, veggie tray, pretzels with hummus, a meat and cheese platter, and meatballs. Apple sauce pouches and cheese sticks for the tiny toddlers who will be there.
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37 comments