Ideas for Playdate Lunch

I make these really yummy french bread pizzas my hubby just goes wild for. You just get a loaf of french bread at walmart for about a dollar; some pizza sauce, I use the Great Value sauce from Walmart, one package of pepperoni, and a large bag of shredded mozzarella. The ingredients are only around $7 or so. You cut the bread into thirds and then cut each piece in half. I usually remove a little of the bread from the center of the thicker pieces, but you don't have to. Spread some butter on each piece of bread and sprinkle a little garlic salt and some italian seasoning if you have it. Pop the bread under the broiler for a few minutes. Next spread on the pizza sauce, sprinkle on cheese and finally pepperoni. You might want to skip the pepperoni on the kids pizzas. Pop the pizzas back under the broiler until the cheese is bubbly. It is really yummy and people I make it for always go wild for it. If you want to keep it super easy, you can just get a bag of pre-made salad and a bottle of dressing to go along side you pizza. Hope that is helpful! It will be an idea to use anytime you want a quick meal anyway:)

Simple cold finger foods.
Fruit salad cut into very small pieces, turkey and cheese roll-ups, sandwiches of any kind cut into fun shapes with cookie cutters are always a big hit. I offer milk and water mostly because that is all that we drink.
Find out if anyone has allergies and make what you would normally fix for your own child. Most children are on the same diet and if they have a special diet, the parent of the child with the special diet should be used to providing their own meals when out of the house so there is no need to call for special orders. That will drive you nuts and make you dread having other children over.
Best advice I can give is to relax.

The playdates I've been to/hosted where lunch/snacks were served, it was very simple. Like veges & dip, muffins, finger sandwiches (like plain ham & cheese, but no mayo or mustard on them), bean dip & tortilla chips, fruit slices/salad, etc. Hope this gives you some ideas =) I would ask the other mom beforehand if her or her kid have any food allergies you need to know about as well.

I have a quick & easy recipe for lunch that can be made before your guests arrive and put in the oven 15 minutes before time to eat...I got this from one of our own playdates:

1 can Grands original biscuits (8 large)
1 pkg (3 pkg/box) Boboli original pizza sauce
Shredded mozzeralla cheese (as much as you like)
assorted veggies, sliced (if desired)
Wilson's pepperoni slices (for the meat eaters)

Roll out the biscuits to 1/4" thick; spread with pizza sauce; top with sliced veggies, then cheese; top with meat. Bake as directed on the biscuit can(I preheat my baking stone while I'm assembling the pizza's). You can do ANYTHING with this recipe. Each person can have his "own pizza". Have fun with them.

*You can assemble the pizza's before your playdate arrives and leave them on the counter until lunch time, when you pop them in the oven. They are really yummy. You can serve string cheese and veggies w/ ranch if you want more but for us the pizza's are enough.

They also freeze well. After baking, cool them and place flat in a freezer bag in single layers (4 in a gallon size bag) After they are frozen flat, you can put a bunch of them in a bag and toss them in the freezer. For a quick lunch, take one out, heat in microwave for 30-45 seconds and then into the toaster oven to "crisp" it back up. YUMMY and FAST!

Frozen lasagna is also a good idea if you're entertaining a bigger group. I did lasagna, salad and bread for the mom's and pigs in a blanket for the kids.

Whatever you do...don't stress out! It's about the kids getting together for a playdate...

Remind me about that last sentence in a few months when it's at my house again. I seemed to have forgotten that part last month! LOL

First make sure they don't have any allergies and make it simple like sandwiches and the fixings or have a pizza delivered once you agree on something everyone will eat. I'm part of a mommy gourp in Waco and the host used to provide lucnch if she wanted but we realized just doing a potluck was better for a large group or if we want we just post the playdate and say bring a lunch and stay a while. Goodluck meeting new moms, it can be a little bit intimidating but totally worth it from my experience.

You could have any type of salad with some nice bread... you could have taco salad, chicken salad, etc. the key to doing prep work ahead and making sure that everyone enjoys the meal is having all of the ingredients separate. Everything can be cut before they come over or the night before - even the chicken cooked or the taco meat cooked and then just heat it up while the rest is being set out...

Use lettuce or tortilias or corn chips as the base and then let mom and child add the toppings that they want... the joy of this salad is that because everything is not all mixed up together, less chance of things getting soggy or going bad and then you can use the left overs for dinner.

Hope that you have a good time.
blessings,
stacy

I would find out what the other child is used to eating. It may be something you don't normally buy but you don't want the kid (or the mom) to go into shock the first time he's over with something completely out of his ordinary. A discussion with the other mother can't hurt.

My son eats alot of fruits and veggies. I never buy frozen nuggets or microwave meals but he seems to have a lot of little friends who eats them but no fruits and veggies, so I try to accommodate as best I can without compromising my pantry/budget/beliefs in what children are offered. Maybe I'll buy soy or veggie nuggets that are baked and not nuked, or I make everyone eat their fruit first and then serve nuked whole wheat mac and cheese after. But I try to make sure all the kids are happy because happy kids play by themselves longer!

I would also check for possible allergies/aversions beforehand. You can just run what you're planning to serve by the Mom.

For a group playdate (mulitple families) I would serve a cold finger food assortment, but with a one-on-one playdate, I'd be more likely to serve a simple lunch. One possibility involves fruit & veggies (to cut up), bagged salad, and chicken nuggets. You can cut up the fruit & veggies before they get there. After they arrive and the children get settled, you and the other mom can head to the kitchen to assemble lunch (most children don't want to sit and eat right away...new toys are just too alluring to young guests).
First, you can put the nuggets in the oven. After they're done, set some aside and use the rest to assemble the children's lunch of nuggets, fruit & veggies. Then, cut up the extra nuggets and toss them with the bagged salad and some of the cut up veggies for a quick fried chicken salad. Then, serve the salad with a side of the cut up fruit. The entire process (from nuggets in the oven to serving everyone) should take about twenty minutes, which is usually just about the time the children start asking for something to eat.
Good luck...I'm sure they'll have a great time no matter what you serve.

How about salads for the moms and good old macaroni and cheese for the kids? We like Annie's organic mac and cheese plus Kraft makes a good organic product. I wouldn't sweat the food, the company and fun is what counts!

For desert, a little fruit tray for the moms, and a pretty cookie from the bakery for the kids is easy. I always enjoyed playdates for my kids when they were little; it is a great way to make friends all around.

You can have a tea party setting. Serve small cut sandwiches, punch and cookies or crackers. Make it easy and not that much work. Decorate with a few decorations and have fun. Maybe wear hats. Is this a club you started or just within your neighborhood?

Maybe I am from a different time. I do not understand this current concept of "playdates". My kids go over to friends homes and play, their friends come to my home and play. If they are here at meal/snack times they are served the same options my children are offered barring any allergies that I have been warned about. There isn't any of this stress or worry I have been reading about in these questions about "playdates".

Kids getting together to play should not remotely require a parent stressing out about etiquette or food or any of that...it should be about the kids having a good time. If they happen to be there at meal/snack time offer them what you have, if they have picky tastes or allergies you have not been forwarned about, they should have brought something with them or politely excuse themselves to go get themselves something more to their liking.

The only thing I might suggest is that you have something aside to help distract the kids from possible altercations, or a project in mind to help things along...other than that...enjoy yourself and let everything else fall into place on it's own...

Good Luck... ;-)

I've been to both types of playdates. We usually talk before we meet about how long we're going to stay and whether or not we want to include lunch.

The most commonly served lunch has been cold cuts with fruit and we all make our own sandwiches. If there's extra lettuce and veggies, the moms can make a salad too if they want.

We've baked chicken nuggets for everyone before.

I've had tuna or chicken salad (make ahead) for adults when the kids have had chicken nuggets.

Mac and cheese with peas and applesauce we had at another playdate.

Call the mother and ask what her child likes to eat. You certainly wouldn't want to prepare something then find out the child has an allergy to it, or just won't eat it. Also ask about snacks he likes. Also, you need to know when the guest is accustomed to eating. It always helps to have a good time schedule that works for both children. Also, does he drink milk, juice or water with his meals.

I think a nice salad would be appropiate or pasta dish. You can buy a roasted chicken from the store. Cook some thin spagetti. Buy Italian dressing and little cherry tomatos. Debone the chicken, cool off the noodles and put in a big bowl. Add the cherry tomatos and Italian dressing, onions are optional. Put in the frig for a couple of hours. Serve with crusty french bread.

Simple lunchmeat sandwiches cut in half triangularly or chicken salad are just fine. Have a side of fresh fruit and maybe a plate of cookies and you should be good. No one expects anyone to go all out on money, time, or appearence. You do have young kids after all!