https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sat, 11 Apr 2026 19:27:16 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/birthday-party-snacks-individual-or-big-bowls#post-2827460 Sun, 10 Jun 2018 09:52:20 +0000 PinkElephant 2827460@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MaryM: also, LOL to the "eleventy cookies". DD1 totally did this at around 3.5 at a preschool class party - I didn't really allow many treats at home at this age, and while my back was turned she unloaded about half a pack of Oreos onto her personal plate. Eek!</p> <p>@pinkb: You know, I didn't even think about the farm dirt part. The food will be in a separate party room, and I wasn't planning on really allowing kids to filter in/out during the pony part of the party, but we all know how well those plans sometimes go :) Thanks for pointing that out.</p> <p>@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: @imadreamer: @Mrs. Champagne: @DesertDreams88: Scoops/dixie cups! Duh! :happy: Not sure why I didn't think of this! We have some pink ones on hand from previous parties where they were part of sensory play station. Helps me get over the hygiene aspect a little!</p> <p>After reading everyone's ideas I think I'll probably do a few big bowls (so I have a wider variety of options to choose from), plus a few little individual things like fruit snacks or goldfish. After watching DD1 at a party yesterday, I realized that the little bags are (at least to my kids, since I don't usually buy them) - and special = party = fun! All bases covered! :) :)</p> <p>Thanks, all! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/birthday-party-snacks-individual-or-big-bowls#post-2827457 Sun, 10 Jun 2018 08:33:41 +0000 pinkb 2827457@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would do the prepackaged snack stuff. Especially on a farm where I feel you have a higher chance of dirty hands going in the bigger bowl. I know it's more "waste " as in garbage but I feel it's less wasteful food wise since I think you always end up with barely anything eaten out of the big open bowls of chips/crackers. And on a farm I wouldn't be saving any left overs. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/birthday-party-snacks-individual-or-big-bowls#post-2827451 Sun, 10 Jun 2018 06:06:02 +0000 imadreamer 2827451@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'd also go for the big bowls, not for the cost savings, but for less waste. I'd have the huge scoops on hand as well. :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/birthday-party-snacks-individual-or-big-bowls#post-2827409 Sat, 09 Jun 2018 10:38:37 +0000 Mrs. Champagne 2827409@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Big bowl of snack plus little Dixie cups to scoop out a serving and eat out of it? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/birthday-party-snacks-individual-or-big-bowls#post-2827408 Sat, 09 Jun 2018 10:26:50 +0000 DesertDreams88 2827408@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Big bowls with scoops.</p> <p>However, putting the little baggies into colored big bowls would be another alternative, matching whatever your "theme" / "colors" are. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/birthday-party-snacks-individual-or-big-bowls#post-2827218 Fri, 08 Jun 2018 07:35:40 +0000 lindseykaye 2827218@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I've usually done big bowls with scoops and bowls/plates at my LO's parties. Single-serve drinks (mini water, and juice boxes or capri sun) but multi-serve snacks. There's going to be waste either way, but I like that parents/kids have more control over the portion size with the scoop. Plus we tend to have things like cut up fruit for which we'll need a plate anyway so that's still something we'll be buying and using.</p> <p>For your setting though- either works! Our parties have all been at home so that might play into it a lot compared to a farm. I doubt people will think you were lazy by having snack bags set out by any means. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/birthday-party-snacks-individual-or-big-bowls#post-2827216 Fri, 08 Jun 2018 07:24:44 +0000 looch 2827216@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think either works. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/birthday-party-snacks-individual-or-big-bowls#post-2827212 Fri, 08 Jun 2018 07:13:49 +0000 Ajsmommy 2827212@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'd do big bowls and a scoop or tongs. I feel like it's more inviting for people to snack. Meaning if I was hanging around I'd be more inclined to grab some chips if it was in a big bowl but I probably wouldn't grab a small bag of them.. but maybe that's just me.</p> <p>I also think it's be a money saver to buy 3-4 big bags of chips, pretzels, cheese balls and just put them out.... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/birthday-party-snacks-individual-or-big-bowls#post-2827161 Thu, 07 Jun 2018 19:03:54 +0000 lamariniere 2827161@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would do big bowls to try to cut down on waste from individual servings wrappers. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/birthday-party-snacks-individual-or-big-bowls#post-2827135 Thu, 07 Jun 2018 15:47:38 +0000 JennyPenny 2827135@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I honestly haven't paid much attention to how the cost of things stack up, but I think you'd need fewer plates and things with individual baggies because you wouldn't need to somewhere to put your snack once you got it from the bowl. And like the water bottles my kid can't keep track of, the same goes for plates. With savings there it might even out a bit with the extra cost of the individually packaged snacks. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/birthday-party-snacks-individual-or-big-bowls#post-2827128 Thu, 07 Jun 2018 15:27:58 +0000 JennyLayneAZ 2827128@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'd do the same as @Mrs. Lemon-Lime: I don't have the time or patience to do a bunch of individual baggies of snacks LOL :silly: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/birthday-party-snacks-individual-or-big-bowls#post-2827118 Thu, 07 Jun 2018 15:03:22 +0000 MaryM 2827118@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I feel like the single serving sizes also make it easier for parents to trust kids to help themselves (and not end up with a plate of eleventy cookies that don't get eaten) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/birthday-party-snacks-individual-or-big-bowls#post-2827117 Thu, 07 Jun 2018 15:02:10 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 2827117@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I’d go for large bowls and plastic scoops <a href="http://m.orientaltrading.com/candy-scoops-a2-13697583.fltr?sku=13697583&#038;BP=PS544&#038;ms=search&#038;source=google&#038;cm_mmc=GooglePLA-_-1398795105-_-58038645987-_-13697583&#038;cm_mmca1=OTC%2BPLAs&#038;cm_mmca2=GooglePLAs&#038;cm_mmca3=PS544&#038;cm_mmca4=FS39&#038;cm_mmca5=Shopping&#038;cm_mmca6=PLAs&#038;cm_mmc10=Shopping&#038;cm_mmca11=13697583&#038;cm_mmca12=Candy-Scoops&#038;gclid=EAIaIQobChMI-Y2566vC2wIVFo7ICh0ILQhLEAQYBiABEgI9QfD_BwE" rel="nofollow">http://m.orientaltrading.com/candy-scoops-a2-13697583.fltr?sku=13697583&#038;BP=PS544&#038;ms=search&#038;source=google&#038;cm_mmc=GooglePLA-_-1398795105-_-58038645987-_-13697583&#038;cm_mmca1=OTC%2BPLAs&#038;cm_mmca2=GooglePLAs&#038;cm_mmca3=PS544&#038;cm_mmca4=FS39&#038;cm_mmca5=Shopping&#038;cm_mmca6=PLAs&#038;cm_mmc10=Shopping&#038;cm_mmca11=13697583&#038;cm_mmca12=Candy-Scoops&#038;gclid=EAIaIQobChMI-Y2566vC2wIVFo7ICh0ILQhLEAQYBiABEgI9QfD_BwE</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/birthday-party-snacks-individual-or-big-bowls#post-2827115 Thu, 07 Jun 2018 15:01:22 +0000 JCCovi 2827115@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I like individual bags! Easier to manipulate than a plate full of chips and less waste after! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/birthday-party-snacks-individual-or-big-bowls#post-2827114 Thu, 07 Jun 2018 15:00:13 +0000 PinkElephant 2827114@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MaryM: Right! I like that I could take home and use unopened individual bags of snacks, whereas I'd (obviously) toss anything from a communal bowl at the end of the party. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/birthday-party-snacks-individual-or-big-bowls#post-2827112 Thu, 07 Jun 2018 14:56:50 +0000 MaryM 2827112@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We do little bags and little bottled waters for parties. We think there's less waste that way. </p> <p>Kids will open a water or soda, take two sips, then put it down and walk away and forget it's theirs. They see a lot more likely to finish single serving sizes. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/birthday-party-snacks-individual-or-big-bowls#post-2827111 Thu, 07 Jun 2018 14:54:02 +0000 PinkElephant 2827111@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My daughter's 6th birthday party is in the afternoon, between mealtimes. After seeing so much pizza get purchased and wasted at kids' parties recently, I put "snacks and cake will be served" on the invitation, and am planning to really just keep it at that - canned beverages for any adults who stay around, juice boxes/mini waters for the kids, and a mix of crunchy salty &amp; sweet snacks - just things like pretzels, chips, popcorn, teddy grahams, etc. - nothing that needs to be hot or cold, since we'll be on a farm.</p> <p>The question is - do you think it's better to put out big bowls of these types of snacks (like from a large "family size" bag), or to do individual bags of snacks (like the "lunchbox" bags)? I kind of like the individual bags for hygiene reasons, but that definitely limits my options for types of snacks, increases the cost...and I kind of worry that it looks like I didn't even really try to set up snacks, just emptied the CostCo section of our pantry into bowls, haha :) I know the kids don't care about their dirty hands :silly: and I don't expect too many adults will be staying (and therefore eating) anyway.</p> <p>Thoughts? </p>