The idea of throwing a party can be stressful – boy do I understand! That’s why I want to share with you today five very versatile, very inexpensive, very EASY party snacks.
If entertaining is something that comes naturally to you, then just skip this part – check out the beautiful photos, and maybe do a little shopping. But if you are already feeling the pressure of your son’s 4th birthday party that is 3 months out, read this carefully (then check out the beautiful photos, and maybe do a little shopping)!
Let’s start off with something simple and healthy from our Rock Star Party. Why yes, that is a veggie platter! Go with what you know, what is seasonal, what is colorful. A clean white square plate elevates the presentation making it look elegant and even a little festive. Put a small bowl of ranch dressing (yup, Ranch) and a stack of colorful cocktail napkins nearby. And if you want to buy a container of pre-cut veggies, by all means, do it! Just re-plate them for that home made presentation.
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Next up, from our Skateboard Birthday Party, Jello! As far as price point goes, this item is SO inexpensive. You will need to decide on the serving logistics – one large bowl of it, or individual servings. Because we were at a nearby park, we decided on individual portions made in blue cups that matched the theme. We even put banana slices in there! Topped with just a bit of whip cream, and a cute container of spoons nearby, these jello cups were simple to make and popular with the kids.
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Let’s not forget about our good friend, the Goldfish cracker. From our recent Polka Dot birthday party for a sweet little one year old, we knew lots of little guests would be very happy to have this familiar snack food. We served them in colorful, individual, little paper candy cups and displayed them on cake stands for added pizzaz! This snack item may not seem like enough to eat, but if you plan your party between meal times, it is just right.
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Themed food from our Fire Truck Birthday party was SO popular! For the “Fiery Fruit” platter, we chose several kinds of fruit in shades of orange and red. Cut into bite size pieces and served on skewers (find these at your grocery store) this snack item was such a bargain! For this party of 20 kids (plus 15 adults) we cut up 2 pineapples, one cantaloupe and a giant container of strawberries. We kept a container nearby (out of the sun) with refills, and those guests ate up every skewer full!
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And lastly, what kid doesn’t like a pb&j? At our Space themed birthday party we offered up 2 kinds of sandwiches (peanut butter and turkey/cheese) on white and wheat bread. What was so special about them? They were cut with a star shaped cookie cutter for a look that was out of this world! Sandwiches like this can be made a day ahead of time, sealed in an airtight container, and kept in the fridge.
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You may notice a bit of a trend here with the party snacks at our birthday celebrations? Easy. Simple. Healthy-ish. Inexpensive. Fruit and veggies, crackers and popcorn, little bite size sandwiches and even chips and dip are PLENTY to serve at a kids party – especially if you time the party for between meal times. Did I mention that you may want to plan your party to NOT serve a meal? Don’t get me wrong, I love a good pizza or BBQ meal once in a while, but if you are looking for stress free, easy party snacks are the way to go!