We do grilled steak, ugali, kachumbari, chapati, collards, fresh fruit. Maybe also some other grilled meats or veggies. For cake I always make a berry whipped cream cake.

But we invite plenty of adults (family, friends) as well as kids so it’s not really a “kids only” party the way a lot Americans do birthday parties.

I was born in 1970 in the U.S. and growing up people did not serve pizza at birthday parties (not saying it didn't happen anywhere, but it wasn't common where I grew up in NY). People tended to cook more in my youth vs all of the take out/quick casual food nowadays.

For my sibs and me (and friends' parties I attended), either birthday parties included extended family, in which case parents grilled burgers, had sandwiches or baked italian foods - or if the parties were just kids, usually there was just cake and maybe some fruit or snacks. I don't ever remember goody bags.

I point this out because many people on this thread are comparing to kids' parties of their own youths.

Growing up in Middle East, the kid birthday party food was mezza type middle eastern stuff.

Usually tabbouleh (sometimes fattoush), vegetarian stuffed grape leaves (dolmas), sometimes baked pastries (with meat, pizza (yes, even there we had pizza but not as main dish and made as tiny pastries, cheese, vegetables…), kibbeh, mini sandwiches with hummus, cheese, chicken (Msakhkhan), meat … this type of stuff.

In the Philippines kids parties blow our kids parties here in the US out of the water. And yes they serve kids food at the parties. Catered though.

Brazilian here. Brazilian salgadinhos (like tapas for instance cheesy bread), brigadeiro, cake.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is not kids' food in former Yugoslavia. It's just food.

I think I know you

Yes, bc only one person for the former Yug posts here. Just one. Not two.

Anonymous wrote:There is not kids' food in former Yugoslavia. It's just food.

I think I know you

Anonymous wrote:From what one experienced attending my friends' parties for their kids, they just serve adult/ regular food. There's (more than) enough for everyone, even adults

+2

I’m Italian and Puerto Rican where there is no category of “kids food”

In the Middle East, food at kids’ parties consisted of chicken strips, pizza, fries, and (in some cases) a shawarma stand (though this was more for the adults). Depending on how many Brits were there, we might have cucumber sandwiches.

Anonymous wrote:I am Jamaican and we serve Jamaican food at kids parties, adult parties, all parties! There is always lots of delicious food for anyone who comes through the door.

Yep, same for Korea. Except we often also have an expensive cake from a French Korean bakery.

There is not kids' food in former Yugoslavia. It's just food.

In England when I was growing up it was either sandwiches (cheese, egg, maybe tuna or jam.. not peanut butter!) with cake and maybe ice cream or jelly. If you were doing more of a meal, it would probably have been fish fingers (fish sticks) and chips (oven fries).
When my kids were little in England we did sandwiches or pasta - I made a huge pot of pasta and served with tomato sauce and/or cheese.

Anonymous wrote:Which other countries have the tradition of a “kids party” in the way it’s talked about here, where parents invite a group of kids, without their siblings, and then parents are in attendance more as servants than guests, and don’t eat and aren’t even expecting age appropriate food.

As opposed to a party where one invites and feeds parents and their children.

+1. I think it's unfair to compare US birthday parties to cultures where parties are more adult and family focused. I love a huge party where all of the extended family and neighbors are invited, but that's just not what we're talking about when we talk about a "kid's party." Nothing wrong with either, but of course you would serve adult food at a party where you're actually host hosting the adults as well as kids.

And there are picky kids everywhere. The difference is that in other cultures there's a lot more shame and less acceptance of picky eating, so families are on their own and not catered to.

England: sandwiches without the crusts, chips, fruit, jelly ( jello) and ice cream for dessert. We did do birthday cake but everyone took a piece home with a balloon. No goody bags..

In India it's a huge spread of Indian food but not "kid food" specifically - not even sure that notion exists.

But agree with hr immediate PP that this type of party is less common. Usually whe families are invited to the parties, so the food etc is less kid-focused.