Please feed me if party is at meal time

[SnuggleBuggles]

There are just certain times that should include food, imo. If you aren't going to have a meal, that's ok, but if the party is at meal time people will expect and plan for it unless you tell us not to. But 11-1= food to me. There were at least healthy snacks (fruit, cheese, pretzels). We got stuck at one party during that time slot and all they had out was a bowl of goldfish crackers.

Beth

[wellyes]

Agreed! Or if it that has to be the time slot but food isn't in the budget, at least put something like "please join us for snacks and cake!" in the invitation so we don't show up hungry.

[Laurel]

What is up with people lately?! I have been to two noon time parties this month that only served cake! There are ways to save $$ on parties, but food for guests is not the area to cut!

[salsah]

that is strange. maybe those people eat their meals later.
i once invited people over in the afternoon from 2-4 (dh and i agreed it would be simpler w/o a meal and 2-4 is clearly neither lunch or dinner time), and someone made a remark to me that they were expecting lunch. fortunately i had lots of hearty snacks (more like appetizers) so no one went hungry. i'm not much of a party planner, but i always believe in having lots of food and drink around for guests. that's why dh likes having guests. otherwise our fridge is empty.

[smcdonald2]

This has happened to me too many times! I'm pregnant and Pregnant Hungry is not to be reasoned with, so I've started eating before events whether they're at mealtime or not, and whether food is promised or not. I'm thinking nicer things about the hosts that way, if there's nothing but cake. And if there's real food, I find that I can usually nosh a little something anyway.

[lizzywednesday]

This has happened to me too many times! I'm pregnant and Pregnant Hungry is not to be reasoned with, so I've started eating before events whether they're at mealtime or not, and whether food is promised or not. I'm thinking nicer things about the hosts that way, if there's nothing but cake. And if there's real food, I find that I can usually nosh a little something anyway.

If this had happened to me while I was pregnant, I would have gone Postal. Heck, I would likely go Postal on anybody NOW if they invited me to a mealtime party and didn't serve anything but cake. Or Goldfish. I think I would have ordered pizza. Very loudly.

(Totally aside from the fact that I had to cut out a lot of convenience foods because they made me very ill, so eating at someone else's house became a scary thing!)

[KrisM]

that is strange. maybe those people eat their meals later.
i once invited people over in the afternoon from 2-4 (dh and i agreed it would be simpler w/o a meal and 2-4 is clearly neither lunch or dinner time), and someone made a remark to me that they were expecting lunch. fortunately i had lots of hearty snacks (more like appetizers) so no one went hungry. i'm not much of a party planner, but i always believe in having lots of food and drink around for guests. that's why dh likes having guests. otherwise our fridge is empty.

DS's party was 2-4 and I included on the invite that cake and ice cream would be served so no one wondered. To me, it's neither lunch nor dinner, but I was afraid of what happened to you!

[DebbieJ]

We were once invited to a party on a Sunday that started at 1 p.m. I figured that they were avoiding having to serve lunch, so we went out to eat after church. Imagine our surprise when we showed up to a full lunch spread! I felt so bad that we didn't eat there, but we were already full.

So I guess the lesson is to be clear on your invites.

[kijip]

Word up.

Seriously. If people host a party, they need to HOST the party. That means meals at meal times. Clear invites are a nice bonus. No food at an 11-1 party is just awful.

[smcdonald2]

DS's party was 2-4 and I included on the invite that cake and ice cream would be served so no one wondered. To me, it's neither lunch nor dinner, but I was afraid of what happened to you!

LOL. I should qualify that cake and ice cream from 2-4 is TOTALLY reasonable and exactly what I would expect, even if you hadn't been polite enough to put it on your invite.

LizzyWednesday, I am trying so so hard not to go postal on anyone. Not sure I'm succeeding! But I was a grazer - ate every 2-3 hours - BEFORE pregnancy. So the lesson learned here is, keep a cheeseburger in your purse at all times.

[DrSally]

Totally agreed, at least healthy snacks should be provided.

[DrSally]

So I guess the lesson is to be clear on your invites.

Good point!

[SnuggleBuggles]

So I guess the lesson is to be clear on your invites.

I don't know why this hasn't caught on. I mean, really, I'm sure the hosts of these parties have been in our shoes as guests and should just want to be clear. I hate rushing to feed everyone before the party only to find tons of food at the party almost as much as when they don't feed me. Ugh. It doesn't have to be so hard.

Pg moms- I swear, if the party is at someone's house you should just start rummaging through the fridge there. :)

Beth

[lizzywednesday]

...
LizzyWednesday, I am trying so so hard not to go postal on anyone. Not sure I'm succeeding! But I was a grazer - ate every 2-3 hours - BEFORE pregnancy. So the lesson learned here is, keep a cheeseburger in your purse at all times.

I think, when you are pregnant, a lot of people excuse poor behavior because you can blame your hormones, so milk it.

(FWIW, I kept snacks stashed in my car in case I had an attack of the hungries while sitting in traffic or any otherwise uncomfortable/impossible positions. The cheeseburger would only have helped if it didn't use processed cheese - that was a MAJOR nausea trigger during my pregnancy!!!)

[DebbieJ]

I think, when you are pregnant, a lot of people excuse poor behavior because you can blame your hormones, so milk it.

(FWIW, I kept snacks stashed in my car in case I had an attack of the hungries while sitting in traffic or any otherwise uncomfortable/impossible positions. The cheeseburger would only have helped if it didn't use processed cheese - that was a MAJOR nausea trigger during my pregnancy!!!)

As a nursing mom, I still get attacks of the hungries. I keep little bags of trail mix in the diaper bag and those seem to get me through. :)

[♥ms.pacman♥]

As a nursing mom, I still get attacks of the hungries. I keep little bags of trail mix in the diaper bag and those seem to get me through. :)

yeah, i'm nursing too and i get the "hunger attacks"..actually it's more like a need to eat like a sumo wrestler just to keep up (my DS is growing at an insane rate). it's a lot harder when you're nursing IMO because it's not as obvious to many people that you need to eat a lot, plus you are a A LOT hungrier (at least in my experience!). when i was preggo most ppl were always quick to offer me food but not so much anymore.

i always keep snacks (300-calorie protein bar, and a bag of nuts) and water in my purse whenever i go to parties etc, just in case. because even if there is food provided there's no guarantee it will be enough (especially if right when the food is brought out, my son decides he's hungry and wants to nurse for 20 minutes, and after that the food is gone..yes happened to me before!). if i ever went to a party that was 11-1 and it wasn't apparent that they were going to any sort of real food , i would seriously have to just leave. if i go without real food for any amt of time i get really bad headaches, not worth it.

i think it is really really weird to have a party from 11-1 and not serve "real" food. if the host didn't want to pay for food, why not have party at a different time?

[g-mama]

I think I would have ordered pizza. Very loudly.



Can you imagine? "Can you please tell me your street address/phone number so I can call and have a pizza delivered?" loudly, in front of all the guests? :ROTFLMAO: That would be awesome. I dare somebody who is invited to a party at a mealtime and is not offered food to do this!! Please!!

[AshleyAnn]

Can you imagine? "Can you please tell me your street address/phone number so I can call and have a pizza delivered?" loudly, in front of all the guests? :ROTFLMAO: That would be awesome. I dare somebody who is invited to a party at a mealtime and is not offered food to do this!! Please!!

I can see asking around "Does anyone else what to go in on a pizza?"

[deborah_r]

I'm having a 10am-noon party on a Saturday in a few weeks. What would you expect at that time?

(FTR, I think pizza will be served by the party place as part of the package, and we willl have cake, and I will provide some other appetizer type foods - does that all count as lunch? Should I say lunch will be served?)

[DrSally]

I'm having a 10am-noon party on a Saturday in a few weeks. What would you expect at that time?

(FTR, I think pizza will be served by the party place as part of the package, and we willl have cake, and I will provide some other appetizer type foods - does that all count as lunch? Should I say lunch will be served?)

That counts as lunch. I would say "lunch will be served" on the invite. I think adding appetizer foods will be very nice.

[SnuggleBuggles]

Pizza counts as lunch to me. I would just say lunch will be provided (for just the kids? parents too?).

Beth

[smcdonald2]

Oh yes, the pizza makes it lunch. If it were just appetizer foods and cake, then I would specify you were serving snacks only.

[deborah_r]

Pizza counts as lunch to me. I would just say lunch will be provided (for just the kids? parents too?).

Beth

Good point. I need to find out how much pizza they serve. I know when I attend I don't usually grab a slice for myself unless it looks like there is plenty left after the kids are served or if the host specifically encourages me to have some pizza.

So is the consensus that you would normally expect to eat lunch at a 10-12 party?

[smcdonald2]

Good point. I need to find out how much pizza they serve. I know when I attend I don't usually grab a slice for myself unless it looks like there is plenty left after the kids are served or if the host specifically encourages me to have some pizza.

So is the consensus that you would normally expect to eat lunch at a 10-12 party?

I would. And I would be so, so sad if there was enough lunch for the kids and not for me. (Unless I could buy it myself at the place, and then I would just do that.)

Seriously, I melt down when there's no food.

[SnuggleBuggles]

Good point. I need to find out how much pizza they serve. I know when I attend I don't usually grab a slice for myself unless it looks like there is plenty left after the kids are served or if the host specifically encourages me to have some pizza.

So is the consensus that you would normally expect to eat lunch at a 10-12 party?

I wouldn't expect lunch. But, I would like to know because it is an ambiguous time. Most people won't come hungry but they might make lunch plans for after unless they know to expect food at the party.

Beth

[DrSally]

I woudn't necessarily expect lunch from 10-noon, but I wouldn't be at all surprised if it was offered. It would just be nice to know, as Beth said. If the kids are going to eat, that would be great if there's enough for the adults too. If they only serve pizza for the kids, then maybe you can just add on a few more pizzas for the adults.

[Wondermom]

If you DO serve a meal to the kids, you SHOULD ALSO SERVE THE ADULTS! (Yes, I'm being emphatic.)

As a recently-pregnant, now nursing mom, I don't understand going to parties where the kids are served a meal, but the parents are expected to stand around and only eat if there's anything left over. Actually, I'd say this even if there were NO pregnant/nursing moms at the party. Weekends are busy for families. What's a parent supposed to do for a meal once the kid is fed, but the parent is still hungry--scarf something fast on their way home? I realize that this tends to happen at party-packaged places like Pump-it-up, but I think it's not too much to ask to order extra pizza for the parents. I'd also say that if there are cupcakes/snacks served, there should be enough for the adults. I generally think it's rude of any group of people (even if it's our own kids) to eat in front of others who get nothing.

BTW, I agree it's wrong not to serve a meal to anyone when a party is from 11-2.

[deborah_r]

If you DO serve a meal to the kids, you SHOULD ALSO SERVE THE ADULTS! (Yes, I'm being emphatic.)


I agree. And we have at all of our parties we've had. But I've never explicitly said it on the invitation, and some parties I've been to I feel like I'm not supposed to be eating, like its for the kids.

For a party from 10-12 I kind of feel like if I don't feed people lunch, they are almost going to have to stop and eat somewhere for lunch, otherwise they'd have to go home and prepare lunch and it would take too long. I know I am not organized to have a lunch waiting for us at home after we attend a party.

[smcdonald2]

If you DO serve a meal to the kids, you SHOULD ALSO SERVE THE ADULTS! (Yes, I'm being emphatic.)

As a recently-pregnant, now nursing mom, I don't understand going to parties where the kids are served a meal, but the parents are expected to stand around and only eat if there's anything left over. Actually, I'd say this even if there were NO pregnant/nursing moms at the party. Weekends are busy for families. What's a parent supposed to do for a meal once the kid is fed, but the parent is still hungry--scarf something fast on their way home? I realize that this tends to happen at party-packaged places like Pump-it-up, but I think it's not too much to ask to order extra pizza for the parents. I'd also say that if there are cupcakes/snacks served, there should be enough for the adults. I generally think it's rude of any group of people (even if it's our own kids) to eat in front of others who get nothing.

BTW, I agree it's wrong not to serve a meal to anyone when a party is from 11-2.

This is my thought. If there's no food provided for me, I'm not expected to stay. I'm expected to happily browse a bookstore or get a pedicure, and eat a delicious lunch elsewhere, and pick my kid up when the party is over. Right?

[SnuggleBuggles]

This is my thought. If there's no food provided for me, I'm not expected to stay. I'm expected to happily browse a bookstore or get a pedicure, and eat a delicious lunch elsewhere, and pick my kid up when the party is over. Right?

Not before the kid is 4-5yo unless you work out for someone else (another parent) to be in charge of your little one while you do that.

I have been very hungry at parties where food is provided for the kids and not me but I have come to accept it. I am always happy when there is enough for the grown ups. But, I do get the idea that if it is a party for little kids and parents are expected to stay then it'd be nice if there were food for them or at least a food stand where they could buy some.

Oh, and if there is a food stand to buy food, please let me know before I place my order that you, the party host, have ordered enough food for the parents. That happened last year. Wasted $7 on mediocre food only to then be faced with free food a few minutes later.

Beth

[smcdonald2]

Not before the kid is 4-5yo unless you work out for someone else (another parent) to be in charge of your little one while you do that.

Is that true at someone's house, or just at party places like Puzzles, Chuck E. Cheese, etc?

[KrisM]

Good point. I need to find out how much pizza they serve. I know when I attend I don't usually grab a slice for myself unless it looks like there is plenty left after the kids are served or if the host specifically encourages me to have some pizza.

So is the consensus that you would normally expect to eat lunch at a 10-12 party?

I would expect to eat at a 10-12 party. I'd for sure expect my kids to get lunch, but could skip on myself.


ETA: Our normal lunch time at home is around 11am, so it's definitely lunch for us. But, reading others replies, I wonder if others eat later? I would have a handful of cranky kids without food at that time.

[KrisM]

Is that true at someone's house, or just at party places like Puzzles, Chuck E. Cheese, etc?

At age 4 or 5 I would not leave even my 6 year old without me at Chuck E Cheese for a party. Too many others around.

We only host at-home parties and at age 4 and up, they've been drop-offs (no parents) for DS and last year at age 3, it was a drop-off for DD, but we knew both families really well, so that worked.

I find hosting kids only is much, much easier since I only need kid food!

[SnuggleBuggles]

Is that true at someone's house, or just at party places like Puzzles, Chuck E. Cheese, etc?

Anywhere. And like Kris, I stayed well past 4-5yo. Nowadays I stay because I like to have a chance and meet/ talk to the other parents.

Beth

[KrisM]

Anywhere. And like Kris, I stayed well past 4-5yo. Nowadays I stay because I like to have a chance and meet/ talk to the other parents.

Beth

I've stayed once at a home party for DS this year and I just want to add that in that case, I did not expect food for me, since I wasn't the one invited :). But, when we went to a party for DD's friend and all the parents and siblings were there, I did expect, and receive, lunch for us all.

Most of the 6 year old parties DS was invited to, I knew the family well enough to not worry about dropping him off and I just ran an errand or 2 by myself until it was time to get him.