Any pizza alternative ideas for kid bday party?

[AngB]

We have rented an indoor playground with lobby and tables at a church for Ds1's bday next month. We will do food with it (11:30-1:30). We just did ds2's party there in Oct. and did pizza with it but I would love to do something else this time that is easy enough (order/catered/ Costco/etc.), preschooler age, no allergies..any ideas? (10-15 kids mostly ages 2-4).
I was thinking maybe the Costco roll up/deli sandwiches for parents, my kids like them but I am guessing they probably aren't a hit with all preschoolers plus could get messy....would you just stick with pizza?
Thanks!

[khm]

We have rented an indoor playground with lobby and tables at a church for Ds1's bday next month. We will do food with it (11:30-1:30). We just did ds2's party there in Oct. and did pizza with it but I would love to do something else this time that is easy enough (order/catered/ Costco/etc.), preschooler age, no allergies..any ideas? (10-15 kids mostly ages 2-4).
I was thinking maybe the Costco roll up/deli sandwiches for parents, my kids like them but I am guessing they probably aren't a hit with all preschoolers plus could get messy....would you just stick with pizza?
Thanks!

I'd stick with pizza. Everytime someone does something different in my neck of the woods, it really seems a lot less gets eaten (and I'm even talking older ages).

I think pizza is popular for a reason, it gets eaten! :) I think preschoolers are likely to be picky about toppings (lots of lettuce, no lettuce, yum mustard, HATE mustard, etc), it's just hard to execute for a big group of them. Pizza is boring, it's expected, but there you go.

[emily_gracesmama]

Although I think it's more expensive than pizza what are a chik fil a tray of nuggets for the kids?

[stefani]

Although I think it's more expensive than pizza what are a chik fil a tray of nuggets for the kids?

I have done that in the past and it was popular. Often times the place requires that you order through them so that can only be done when you can bring your own food.

[TwinFoxes]

Wegmans makes kids sandwiches with crusts cut off and filled with PB&J, ham and cheese, and turkey. They were a big hit. I am so sick of pizza a birthday parties, even just smelling it icks me out. But realistically it's often the best/only optiion.

[AngB]

Although I think it's more expensive than pizza what are a chik fil a tray of nuggets for the kids?
Ohh good idea. There is a chik fil a really close to the bday place too so this could be perfect. I am OK with spending more than pizza as long as its not too crazy, will have to check into their pricing, thanks!

[barkley1]

My suggestion was also going to be CFA. I was surprised how expensive it was, though. But, the kids are running around so crazy at the party they don't eat as many as you think they will!

[Pear]

Dd doesn't like pizza. One time we got platters from a sub shop. They made tons of tiny sandwiches and had platters for fixings and condiments.

[catsnkid]

We did Chinese food. I also have attended parties where the moms have brought an ethnic dish to share, primarily with the adults, from their country of origin. That was awesome!

[MMMommy]

I'd stick with pizza. Everytime someone does something different in my neck of the woods, it really seems a lot less gets eaten (and I'm even talking older ages).

I think pizza is popular for a reason, it gets eaten! :) I think preschoolers are likely to be picky about toppings (lots of lettuce, no lettuce, yum mustard, HATE mustard, etc), it's just hard to execute for a big group of them. Pizza is boring, it's expected, but there you go.

:yeahthat: I bought the roll up sandwiches from Costco for DD1's birthday party, and suffice it to say, they were not a hit. Pizza, while predictable and boring, gets eaten and seems to be universally enjoyed by kids and adults. I will say yes to a slice of pizza anytime!

[Corie]

I have done Chick-Fil-A nugget trays and Subway sandwich trays. I love the Subway sandwich trays because the sandwiches
are smaller. I think maybe 4 inches instead of the normal 6 inches.

[Liziz]

We just did Chick-fil-A nuggets for DD's 3rd birthday party (she hates pizza so I didn't want to do it). It was a huge, easy hit and everyone loved it. I also ordered a fruit tray from them -- I was impressed with the quality of the fruit tray as well -- and it was all in perfect preschooler size bites. I do agree that it's quite pricey -- but for me it was worth the convenience.

I think it's far from necessary, but I also did crock-pot macaroni and cheese (made at home, then brought to the party venue) since that is DD's favorite food. It was very easy for an additional thing to have -- all the kids ate well, which I consider a success since kids that age can be really picky!

[twowhat?]

I would stick with CFA or pizza for the reasons noted above, and add something more "fun" if the "boring" bothers you, like individual bags of freeze-dried fruit from Costco, or any of their other snack type items that are packaged separately. I saw Nutella with pretzel stick packs the other day!!!

We ordered Jimmy Johns (for adults) and pizza (for kids) for one bday party thinking the adults would be thrilled and even stated on the invite that lunch would be provided for all. LESSON LEARNED. NEVER AGAIN. The adults either didn't eat or got a slice of pizza because, well, it's just hard to argue with the ease of pizza.

[elbert]

We did platters of hamburger, cheeseburger, turkey burger sliders, and chicken fingers from Ruby Tuesday one year. I can't remember the cost, but it wasn't terrible and it was an overall hit! It's been mostly pizza since then...definitely easiest option and hard to argue that it's that important not to be boring when most kids enjoy it.

[JenChem]

I went to a kids party once that was catered by Qdoba (build your own burrito place). We loved it.

[IansMom]

I have often thought of doing the CFA trays. How do you keep the nuggets warm?

[Liziz]

I have often thought of doing the CFA trays. How do you keep the nuggets warm?

We didn't worry about it. We picked them up about an hour to an hour and a half before they were eaten, and it still worked just fine. They were still a bit warm but not hot when we ate....but kids don't usually care about that anyways, or would prefer cooler, anyways! We offered to parents as well and the parents ate them just as happily as the kids at that temp too though -- so it worked fine. (Some CFA deliver, so that would be another option, but ours didn't -- and I don't know I would have wanted to pay for it, anyways).

[mommy111]

Chicken nuggets/tenders
Sushi is a surprising hit here for Bdays
Veggie platters again surprising hit
Fruit kabobs
Mini burgers less of a hit
Chips and dip
We baked chicken tenders at home one time and they finished and this was for the age grp you are catering to. The parents lovedd them too
Mini sandwich assortment

[alexsmommy]

Ok, gonna be honest, CFA freaks me out in spite of the history of peanut allergies being non-reactive. So maybe the deli sandwiches in addition for peanut allergy moms like me who'd steer her kid away from the CFA?

My girlfriend's daughter hates pizza so she faces this for each bday. The things I remember she has done: chicken strips and mac-n-cheese, quesadillas (which cracks her up that her daughter likes because they are "Mexican pizza") and make your own sandwiches with mini-rolls, turkey, ham, cheese and condiments. Fruit salad for all of those.

[Giantbear]

I went to a morning party where they had bagels, cream cheese, lox, hummas. More breakfast type food

[Momit]

We did fruit kebabs, string cheese or cheese and crackers when DS was in preschool. It seemed like the littler kids didn't eat much, and when we provided a veggie tray, chips and hummus for the parents they barely ate. Now that DS is school-age it seems that the kids eat more. The last party we went to, they had a sub sandwich tray and hot dogs - the hot dogs were very popular! I'm also really sick of pizza but the kids do like it.

[ett]

Ok, gonna be honest, CFA freaks me out in spite of the history of peanut allergies being non-reactive. So maybe the deli sandwiches in addition for peanut allergy moms like me who'd steer her kid away from the CFA?



In general I would also steer clear of CFA because I have a peanut allergic child, but OP did say that there were no food allergies.

[AngB]

Thanks for all the thoughts! We don't have any peanut allergies among our friends but leaning against CFA because my kids don't really eat their nuggets as well as pizza.

I like the wegmans sandwiches idea but we don't have a wegmans unfortunately.

I will probably just stick with pizza and maybe add a Costco fruit bowl to add something different. (Plus I am weary of eating cold deli meat while pregnant BC of listeria risks so not really a great option there right now either.)

Thanks again for the thoughts!

[TwinFoxes]

Oh duh. I totally didn't notice you are pregnant. :bag Sandwiches are not a good idea. But congratulations if I haven't said it before. :)

[Seitvonzu]

our first party in this new area they had hotdogs along with their pizza...my daughter thought it was GREAT and insisted on adding hotdogs to her party menu. lots of kids did pick hotdogs (it wasn't the kids fault that i bought too much food :)

[arivecchi]

We did lunchables one for a mid-afternoon party at a gym and it was a huge hit.

[magnoliaparadise]

I find that a lot of the morning parties around here have bagels/cream cheese/hummus/dip as others have said.

I went to a party with mini hot dogs (pigs in a blanket), which were a hit.

I don't know if you have a really nice pizza place (or it's worth the extra money), but I once went to a party where the family served very (very) expensive pizza from this sit down restaurant - when I saw the pizzas, I jumped for joy :) - yes, same old same old, but this particular restaurant is fabulous and never served at birthday parties.

The adults loved it and the pizza was gobbled up quickly by everyone - buying such nice pizza, even though still 'pizza' was a very nice 'extra' addition from the hosts - that being said, I don't think the kids noticed anything different. My kid LOVES her school cafeteria pizza, so I don't trust her pizza judgement :)

[Pinky]

We did lunchables one for a mid-afternoon party at a gym and it was a huge hit.

I love this idea! These are often on sale for a dollar and easy peasy to transport!

[wellyes]

We did lunchables one for a mid-afternoon party at a gym and it was a huge hit.

You are smart.

[elbenn]

Along with lunchables, uncrustables would be another option to include alongside that.

[vtmom]

Just reading up on this topic because I am in the process of planning for DD1s Bday party next weekend. I don't want to do pizza either and so I am leaning towards cheese, crackers, fruit, veggies and PB&J sandwhiches (NO peanut allergies) followed by the obligatory cupcakes.

[div_0305]

I don't know if you have a really nice pizza place (or it's worth the extra money), but I once went to a party where the family served very (very) expensive pizza from this sit down restaurant - when I saw the pizzas, I jumped for joy :) - yes, same old same old, but this particular restaurant is fabulous and never served at birthday parties.

The adults loved it and the pizza was gobbled up quickly by everyone - buying such nice pizza, even though still 'pizza' was a very nice 'extra' addition from the hosts - that being said, I don't think the kids noticed anything different. My kid LOVES her school cafeteria pizza, so I don't trust her pizza judgement :)

:yeahthat: This is what we've started at our parties, and some other hosts have also done the same. So great when we order and don't worry about nasty cheap pizza being leftover. I order more than enough, and enjoy the leftover pizza after. We have 2 really great pizzerias locally that we order from, and I don't think their price is crazy $$.