Birthday Party Food Ideas

 

 

 

Simple and fun food for kids birthday party ideas for your next Children's Birthday Party.  What to serve for food at a birthday party is always one of the first questions party planners ask after deciding on the party theme.  Here is a list of the best party food ideas and snacks for birthday party groups and crowds of kids, tweens and teenagers that will also please the adults at the party.  There are alternatives to the classic birthday cake too!  Choose food for birthday party's that are easy to make ahead and that kids will love to eat.

Instead of birthday cake serve: 

Delight the kids at the birthday party with a twist on the traditional birthday cake!  These birthday cake alternatives are perfect for large or small groups of kids, tweens and teenagers.  Many of them let the party guests participate in the fun by making their own non traditional birthday dessert.

Birthday Cookies
Bake or buy big sugar cookies and give each party guest.  Set out different flavors and colors of frosting that they can use to ice their own sugar cookie.  Also have bowls of different fun toppings that they can decorate their cookie with such as sprinkles, chocolate chips, coconut and anything fun that relates to the birthday party theme. 

 

 

 

 

Birthday Party Sundaes
Let guests make their own birthday party sundae.  Give each guest a bowl of ice cream and then let them add their own toppings from a topping bar.  Set out coconut, chocolate, gummy worms, fruit and anything else that would be yummy on a sundae. 

Individual Birthday Party Cakes
Bake small individual birthday party cakes that each guest can decorate.  Set out different flavors of cake frosting and let them ice their own cake.  Then let them embellish their masterpiece with sprinkles, candies and chocolates.  For the finish let them each have a candle that they can blow out during the party.

Tip: A simple, easy and inexpensive piping bag can be made for each child by filling a small ziploc baggie with frosting, sealing it and then cutting off a small tip of one of the bottom corners.  The larger the hole you cut the more icing will come out of the baggie.  Set out different colors of icing in baggies with small tips to use for writing and drawing on the cakes.


Serve apple and cherry pie with ice cream and whipped topping

Individual brownie cupcakes served with different toppings and icings

Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes ... fill the cake type ice cream cones with cake batter
and bake, then let the party guests ice and decorate them. 

Kids Birthday Party Food Ideas

Mystery Food Dinner
Fun and crazy birthday party idea for all ages - adults too!  The guests are served dinner - but don't know what they have ordered until the food arrives.  Crazy fun and everyone loves it - once they figure it out!   Directions and sample menu for the mystery dinner party. 

Carnival Foods
Make the birthday party into a Carnival by serving fun finger foods like corny dogs, sliders, popcorn, cracker jack, hot dogs and nachos. 

Tacos 
Set up a taco bar with taco shells, tortillas, cheeses, salsa, meat, refried beans,
lettuce and tomatoes and let the birthday party guests make their own!  Serve chips so they can make nachos too!

Candy buffet - Everyone love a candy buffet!  They look amazing and are a parties focal point too.  Everything you need to know to set up a candy buffet. 


Breakfast Supper
Have breakfast for dinner!  Serve hotcakes, sausage, bacon, eggs (or let the birthday party guests create their own omelets), different syrups, cinnamon apples, fruit and juices. 


Sub Sandwiches 
Lay out large sub rolls with ham, turkey, salami, pepperoni, cheeses, lettuce, tomato, onion, black olives and mayo, mustard, vinaigrette etc.   and have the kids put them together the way they want.


Spaghetti
Make different kinds of noodles or stick with straight pasta.  Let the birthday party guests  choose from different sauces - tomato and alfredo - add fresh shredded parmesan cheese and bread sticks.  Include a salad tossed with Italian vinaigrette and croutons and its perfect!


Pigs in a Blanket
In a crescent roll wrap up a hot dog with cheese and/or cooked bacon then bake in oven.


Pizza
Have children make their own pizza's.  Use dough from scratch, refrigerated or precooked like Boboli.  Set up bowls full of sauce, cheese, pepperoni, mushrooms, sausage, ham, pineapple - anything that kids love!  Some kids like alfredo sauce instead of tomato sauce.  Give out aprons or chefs hats to add to the fun.

Hamburgers 
Serve hamburgers and let the birthday party guests add their favorite toppings.  Set out plates of cheese, lettuce, tomatoes. onions, dill and sweet pickles.  .  Have catsup, mayo and mustard set out.  Serve with french-fries or an assortment of chips. Tip: Cut slices of cheese with a cookie cutter that matches your party theme.

Fondue
Fondue is fun and festive for a birthday party!  You can choose to serve bits of chicken, meat, potatoes and vegetables with a sauce for dinner, or melt chocolate and let the kids dip in strawberries, marshmallows and cookies for a fun dessert.   

 

 

 

 

Salads
Let kids create their own birthday party salads with fun toppings.  Start with 2 - 3 different types of lettuce.  Set out bowls of croutons, shredded carrots, black olives, sunflower seeds, goldfish crackers, raisins, bacon bits, chopped ham, cheese and dressings.  Serve in big bowls with toasted bread on the side.

Hot Dogs
Almost too easy - and kids enjoy fixing up their own dog!  Set out relish, mustard, onions, catsup, and melted cheese.  Serve with popcorn or chips

Chocolate Fountain
Ahhh the chocolate fountain ... has there ever been such a great food invention?!  This is a fun food and activity idea.  Tween's and Teen's love this!  Set out long toothpicks and bowls of strawberries, marshmallows,  fruit, graham crackers, Twinkies (our favorite!), rice krispie treats or anything that can be dipped in chocolate (which is pretty much everything!)  This is fun and festive and a real birthday party treat!

English Muffin Pizzas
Let the kids top and make their own pizzas using English muffins as the crust. Fun birthday party food snack or whole meal.  

Bagel Pizzas
Use regular or mini bagels for a special treat.  Set up different toppings so kids can make their own. 

Pepperoni and Sausage Breads
Bake pepperoni and/or sausage breads then slice and serve on a platter.

Festival Foods 
Serve foods found at festivals or fairs ... nachos, fried dough, funnel cakes, soft pretzels, corndogs and cotton candy.

Night at the Movies
Set up a mini concession stand.  Serve popcorn, nachos, big boxes of candy, hotdogs, big pickles and sodas. 

Party Food Tips
Make food that goes a long way and is cheap and easy.  A pan or ziti or goulash served with bread is a perfect party dish.  Homemade macaroni and cheese with baked ham is perfect for a party and you can use the leftovers during the week.  

Cold Cuts - with a twist! 
Let guests make their own sandwiches with cold cuts and cheese that you have cut into shapes with a cookie cutter.   You can also cut the bread into fun shapes.  Choose a cookie cutter that matches the theme of your party. Great food for kids birthday party!

For fun with food see our food for birthday party games for your next birthday party!



Treasure Hunts

Party Favor Ideas

Icebreakers