Can I just serve cake at a B'day party or do I have to serve a meal?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Order pizza and cake. Pizza and cake is not a meal. It is party food. Add some soft drinks too.

Geez!

Did you read? OP doesn't like the venue's options and they don't allow outside food.

OP let people know it's cake and punch. If their kids need more than that, parents need to take care of it.

The OP does not have to like the food the venue serves? What options are those? Quinoa cakes with Kale? No, it is probably cheese pizza! And I am betting that most of the patrons of that venue (aka kids) actually like that food.

OP can serve pizza and cake or she can serve cake only and tell the guests that it is a "no gifts" party.

Even if you didn't feed my kid, the party kid deserves a present. Pizza, subs, some kind of pasta. I hate pizza but I'd get it for the kids who probably like it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The year I could barely afford the party we did bowling for 11 of her friends and I just did cake and apple juice. The party was mid-afternoon though, so not at a meal time.

Why have a party you could barely afford? Why not do something more affordable, like at home or even a playground for free and take her and one kid bowling.

[Anonymous]

Good grief! Everybody seems so greedy. The only given food for a birthday party is cake. Ice cream, pizza, chips, etc., are nice extras. If she was doing a birthday party starting at a meal time it would be reasonable to expect a meal.

She's having the party at a laser tag/bounce house venue. I don't know why she's being accused of being cheap. These places are not cheap to throw a party. I don't know the specific location she's considering, but I've been to similar places and the food is truly awful. I suspect the kids would rather have time to play than eat.

This is not a dinner party. It is not obligatory to feed a hungry child coming from another activity or going to another activity. Feed your child lunch at lunch time and dinner at dinner time. If your child is that hungry, swing through a drive-thru.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Good grief! Everybody seems so greedy. The only given food for a birthday party is cake. Ice cream, pizza, chips, etc., are nice extras. If she was doing a birthday party starting at a meal time it would be reasonable to expect a meal.

She's having the party at a laser tag/bounce house venue. I don't know why she's being accused of being cheap. These places are not cheap to throw a party. I don't know the specific location she's considering, but I've been to similar places and the food is truly awful. I suspect the kids would rather have time to play than eat.

This is not a dinner party. It is not obligatory to feed a hungry child coming from another activity or going to another activity. Feed your child lunch at lunch time and dinner at dinner time. If your child is that hungry, swing through a drive-thru.

Dinner time for some kids is 5 PM. My kids usually have a full meal after school around 4PM. If it becomes a hassle and there is no food, we either skip it or just leave early. Common decency is to have food.

[Anonymous]

If you're hosting a party, especially one where people are bringing gifts, at the very least you should be springing for appetizers. If you don't like the menu you don't have to eat it or you can change the venue. If the party is anywhere around meal time there should be something more substantial to eat.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Good grief! Everybody seems so greedy. The only given food for a birthday party is cake. Ice cream, pizza, chips, etc., are nice extras. If she was doing a birthday party starting at a meal time it would be reasonable to expect a meal.

She's having the party at a laser tag/bounce house venue. I don't know why she's being accused of being cheap. These places are not cheap to throw a party. I don't know the specific location she's considering, but I've been to similar places and the food is truly awful. I suspect the kids would rather have time to play than eat.

This is not a dinner party. It is not obligatory to feed a hungry child coming from another activity or going to another activity. Feed your child lunch at lunch time and dinner at dinner time. If your child is that hungry, swing through a drive-thru.

Dinner time for some kids is 5 PM. My kids usually have a full meal after school around 4PM. If it becomes a hassle and there is no food, we either skip it or just leave early. Common decency is to have food.

It's fine that your kids typically eat a meal at 4pm but you have to realize most people do not consider 4pm dinner time (or lunch time) & shouldn't expect others to feed them a meal at that time. If they have play dates at another children's homes after school, do you expect the hosts to serve them a full meal at 4?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Good grief! Everybody seems so greedy. The only given food for a birthday party is cake. Ice cream, pizza, chips, etc., are nice extras. If she was doing a birthday party starting at a meal time it would be reasonable to expect a meal.

She's having the party at a laser tag/bounce house venue. I don't know why she's being accused of being cheap. These places are not cheap to throw a party. I don't know the specific location she's considering, but I've been to similar places and the food is truly awful. I suspect the kids would rather have time to play than eat.

This is not a dinner party. It is not obligatory to feed a hungry child coming from another activity or going to another activity. Feed your child lunch at lunch time and dinner at dinner time. If your child is that hungry, swing through a drive-thru.

Dinner time for some kids is 5 PM. My kids usually have a full meal after school around 4PM. If it becomes a hassle and there is no food, we either skip it or just leave early. Common decency is to have food.

It's fine that your kids typically eat a meal at 4pm but you have to realize most people do not consider 4pm dinner time (or lunch time) & shouldn't expect others to feed them a meal at that time. If they have play dates at another children's homes after school, do you expect the hosts to serve them a full meal at 4?

I've gotten it on both sides for this. My kids typically eat a huge meal after school. The snacking was so bad that I just started serving dinner and now there is a late evening snack around 7:30. When we have after school playdates, I tell parents this. Some parents love the idea and are thrilled that they don't have to worry about rushing home and feeding Larla dinner. Other parents are highly offended that I would consider feeding their child dinner and they explain to me that dinner is family time. On those days, I feed everyone huge snacks.

I can see both sides. When it's just one or two playdate kids that you have to accommodate, it's not a big deal. When you're trying to accommodate an entire party, it's another thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The year I could barely afford the party we did bowling for 11 of her friends and I just did cake and apple juice. The party was mid-afternoon though, so not at a meal time.

Why have a party you could barely afford? Why not do something more affordable, like at home or even a playground for free and take her and one kid bowling.

Well, because our home is a tiny studio apartment. We can't HAVE a party at home. She is 13 and magically, it rains every SINGLE year on the day of her party (I've tried both the weekend before and after - it doesn't rain on both, just on the one when we have her party). Taking her and one kid bowling would have felt so depressing to her as a substitute for a birthday party that she wouldn't have wanted it. I am satisfied with the choice I made. She is still friends with all but ONE of the kids from that party, so it seems they have not shunned her due to a lack of pizza.

[Anonymous]

Omg all of these precious snowflakes will live! It's one afternoon! Pack a sandwich or make a drive-thru run before the party if your post-activities kid is famished! Plan ahead!

OP, we've attended many parties like this. It's not rocket science to either feed your kid before or after. Why must some parents make this so difficult! Don't listen to them!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you're hosting a party, especially one where people are bringing gifts, at the very least you should be springing for appetizers. If you don't like the menu you don't have to eat it or you can change the venue. If the party is anywhere around meal time there should be something more substantial to eat.

She's providing a wonderful afternoon where the guests can play with friends and do something exciting. (I'm guessing this would be around $20/child). She's also offering cake. I suspect there will be some type of goody bag as well. How much does she have to spend to earn your present? What type of present are you buying a child that is so valuable?

Although people eat meals at different times, it seems like she's scheduled her party about as far from STANDARD meal times as possible. If you have different customs, that's great, but you should not expect the rest of the world to accommodate you.

Finally, whatever happened to it's the thought that counts? I think this poster is throwing a generous party. But if a parent felt that for whatever reason she needed/wanted to throw a backyard party with cake and pin the tale on the donkey would you refuse to come or just tell her that she hadn't spent enough for you to bring a gift?

[Anonymous]

If your party begins and ends between the hours of 1-5 I don't expect you to feed my kid anything other than cake and a drink.

We are doing a venue party this year at a bakery - so the only food is baked goods from there, mainly cake. No outside food allowed, obviously. It's from 3-4:30. The kids are 6-8, I think it will be fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Omg all of these precious snowflakes will live! It's one afternoon! Pack a sandwich or make a drive-thru run before the party if your post-activities kid is famished! Plan ahead!

OP, we've attended many parties like this. It's not rocket science to either feed your kid before or after. Why must some parents make this so difficult! Don't listen to them!

This!
I have been to several birthday parties where no meal was served, OP. I don't think anyone expects to eat a meal at 3:30 in the afternoon. You can put "cake and punch" on the invitation so that parents can plan ahead and not bring hungry children to the party.

[Anonymous]

Get a Jesus cake OP!!

[Anonymous]

Absolutely fine to only have cake! Kids do not need a pizza meal between lunch and dinner! Put it on the invite and don't give it a second thought.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Order pizza and cake. Pizza and cake is not a meal. It is party food. Add some soft drinks too.

Geez!

I disagree totally. Pizza is a meal. Why are we convincing our kids you eat a meal midday because it is a party. It is fine if you want to have it, but to say you have to have it is ridiculous.

No pizza is fine as long as the party is not at lunch or dinner time. It is actually better because then the kids get to play more. just make it clear on the invite as it is usually parents driving the "it's a party so there will be pizza" train.