Throwing my son's 1st birthday party next week and need to find out what you serve at birthday parties when you don't cater? I host a ton of parties but stuck in a rut in the sense that I always fall back on serving Mostacolli and Italian Beef because it is tasty, goes a long way and is not super expensive. There will be about 35 people at the party which includes kids of all ages. Any ideas on what to serve that won't cost a fortune but is good for parties?
Party is at meal time and the "usual" suspects know I serve food. Keep the suggestions coming. Since I work full time and have to manage 3 kiddos your recommendations are very mucy appreciated.
Thanks Mamas!
Ham is on super sale right now. Why not cook up a large one? You can serve it hot or cold. Cook it a day or two before the party and slice it all up. The day of the party just heat it up.
Mini meatballs w/tangy BBQ sauce?
Sandwich ring?
Hit dogs & hamburgers?
Mini dogs in Crescent wraps?
Pulled BBQ pork or beef?
Bake a ham & buy buns, lettuce & tomato?
You could always stick with your signature dish (or both!) but make some cute additional finger foods, snacks, etc.
I would do pizza, a cold pasta salad, cut up veggies with dip or a lettuce salad, and cut up fruit. You can make everything but the pizza ahead of time, and order at least 6 large pizzas, half should be plain cheese.
For birthdays we have done hotdogs, chips and dip and cake/ice cream.
We have also done a potluck style and asked close friends/family to bring food.
What about subs? You can get them pretty cheap at Walmart.
I always do several chips/dips, fruit and veggie trays with dip and then some other mixed chips/pretzels, etc. Even when I do a full meal, I do this because my family/friends like to snack!
Meatballs are also a good idea and you could get buns and people could make subs. Hotdog buns work well so you could do this and hotdogs, mac and cheese in a crocpot, chips, dips, fruit and veggie tray.
We have done the usual meatballs, lil smokies, and cheese dip with great success. We've also done quesadillas, where you put out all the ingredients (chicken, cheese, olives, onions, poblanos, mushrooms, tomatoes, guacamole, sour cream, salsa, tortillas) and everyone builds their own and cooks it on the grill. There's also always hamburgers and hotdogs--you could grill the burgers and roast the dogs over a fire. You could also barbecue some chicken. Or if you wanted to go more traditional sit-down dinner, spaghetti is cheap, easy to make and most kids (and adults) like it.
we have done about three pounds of Taco meat, put it in a crock pot and put all the fixings on the table buffett style, also a couple bowls of different chips and salsa.
Also meatball sliders, mini meatballs in a crock pot, slider buns and mozzarella,
anything in a crock pot is easy and you can do it the night before put it in the fridge and turn it on the next morning.
good luck
So your party is at a meal time?
If you wanna cut back on cost, then have the party at a non-meal time... then you only have to serve cake/ice-cream/snacks, etc.
Also for a 1st b-day party, it is usually only about 2 hours long....and per the child's nap time. A 1 year old, can get real tired/over stimulated.... at a long party and everyone coming up to them... ooing and ahing at them.
Pizza
finger foods
Sometimes though, home cooked foods can end up costing more per cost/labor, than take-out foods/pre-made foods.
AND you'd need to serve beverages too... plus the b-day cake etc.
I always fall back on the grill (aka hot dogs and hamburgers) with some gormet potato chips (Lays).
