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

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thanks. I'm thinking 3:30.

The problem with that is it pushes some kids into dinner time. So, you're done at 5:30. I would not want my kid eating cake at 5 PM. You need pizza. My child often eats at 4:30 or 5 weekdays (weekends are more flexible but he's starving by then) to get to later activities. I have pulled my kid early from parties as he was hungry and there was no food. Once, we left and came back as it was a longer party. You may not like the food, I may not like the food, but be decent and get a few pizza's. Juice (which we don't drink so please have water too) and cake at 5:30 is not the greatest plan. At least warn people so we'd plan our evening to stop immediately after the party to eat.

The parties at these places are literally 1.5 hours long, 2 max. If your kid cannot go that long without food, you are doing something very, very wrong. My kid hates pizza and goes to parties at lunch time that only have pizza, and he somehow manages to survive.

[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?

We're in activities after school every day and on Saturday. Kid wants to do Sunday but we need a day off. But, if a child was at my house and hungry, I would feed them a meal. If I was feeding my kid, I would automatically feed both kids. Its one thing if a parent cannot afford it, but if you can and don't feed my kid, my kid is never going with you again. For us, it made no sense to heavily snack, then dinner. It worked better to do dinner, activity, then snack, bed. Kids get hungry outside of meal times, especially if they are active. I'd never let a child go without. I, at a minimum, expect a healthy snack with water or milk.

[Anonymous]

Just do cake and drinks OP. But move your party to 1:30.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thanks. I'm thinking 3:30.

The problem with that is it pushes some kids into dinner time. So, you're done at 5:30. I would not want my kid eating cake at 5 PM. You need pizza. My child often eats at 4:30 or 5 weekdays (weekends are more flexible but he's starving by then) to get to later activities. I have pulled my kid early from parties as he was hungry and there was no food. Once, we left and came back as it was a longer party. You may not like the food, I may not like the food, but be decent and get a few pizza's. Juice (which we don't drink so please have water too) and cake at 5:30 is not the greatest plan. At least warn people so we'd plan our evening to stop immediately after the party to eat.

The parties at these places are literally 1.5 hours long, 2 max. If your kid cannot go that long without food, you are doing something very, very wrong. My kid hates pizza and goes to parties at lunch time that only have pizza, and he somehow manages to survive.

Then you feed them before you go. We're on the go a lot and I'm not dealing with a starving kid who only had, at best cake (most of the time he will not eat if its too sweet). I have no issue stopping and feeding my kid, but that means we may miss half the party.

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't do it but I wouldn't look down on someone who does.

[Anonymous]

My child is 6 and I have only been to ONE party where there was no "real food", just snacks and cake. It was at 1.30 and luckily my kid has eaten, but still! It was also a joint party for siblings.
Please mention on the invite explicitly that you won't be serving food. I would have saved on gifts if I knew and brought some cute inexpensive stuff. I brought nice gifts for both birthday kids. Felt I was lured into some gift grab thing (it was also at a playground, not a venue).

[Anonymous]

It's totally fine! Just put on the invite "snacks and cake will be served" so the parents can plan ahead. Good golly, this is a birthday party, not a wedding. Relax, people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My child is 6 and I have only been to ONE party where there was no "real food", just snacks and cake. It was at 1.30 and luckily my kid has eaten, but still! It was also a joint party for siblings.
Please mention on the invite explicitly that you won't be serving food. I would have saved on gifts if I knew and brought some cute inexpensive stuff. I brought nice gifts for both birthday kids. Felt I was lured into some gift grab thing (it was also at a playground, not a venue).

What is wrong with cake and snacks at 1:30? And you really spend more or less on kids' gifts based on how expensive the party is? This way of thinking is bizarre and off-putting.

[Anonymous]

Geez you people are so weird. No wonder so many of you (and your kids) are fat. OP, a cake and something to drink is perfectly fine for an afternoon birthday party. Who are these parents and kids who need a trough in front of them every hour?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's totally fine! Just put on the invite "snacks and cake will be served" so the parents can plan ahead. Good golly, this is a birthday party, not a wedding. Relax, people.

But, there are no snacks.

[Anonymous]

I hate it when my kids attend mid afternoon parties and they serve pizza. Why do people think its a good idea for kids to fill up on cardboard pizza right and spoil any chance for a healthy dinner?

[Anonymous]

I'm so jealous of all of these parents with such exceptional eaters! I can't get my kid to eat more than a bite of chicken nugget when we are out and about with friends, or at family dinner with cousins, let alone at a fun party. None of the children in my life eat at these times either!

What's the secret?

[Anonymous]

The rigidity of some of these pp's is beyond comprehension. Your kid is invited to a party because their friend would like to have them there. Stop acting like a change from your eating schedule is going to majorly cramp your style. Be flexible. Go with the flow. Good God, with three kids, our schedules change from day to day based on soccer games, birthday parties, appointments, carpool duty, etc., etc. I cannot imagine being so tightly wound.

[Anonymous]

I think you need at least some snacks. Pretzels, goldfish, Apple slices. What about the food at the venue is so bad? I definitely don't think you need a full meal, but something other than just cake would be nice. My son is almost 5, and if he and his buddies are running around playing in the back yard or on a bounce castle, they come in starving no matter what time it is. If it were a painting party or crafts or something more sedate I wouldn't worry about food, but bounce houses and laser tag are more active.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Get a Jesus cake OP!!