Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have pizza regardless of when. It's a party. Party means pizza.

It does not. Stop teaching your kids this. Party means fun, laughing, and seeing your friends.

I agree with this.

I do parties at 1:30-3:30 and specify we are serving cake and (lots of) snacks only. But this is for 6-8YOs

1pm is tricky if there is no lunch. It means rushing and stressing. If the parents have older kids, they might have activities in the morning and no time for food. While I think it is perfectly okay to have parties without food/pizza, at 1pm I’d appreciate if the party included food.

Always serve a meal. It is just rude not to. Pizza, sandwiches, whatever - never expect people to brings gifts without offering at least a light meal for adults and kids.

Anonymous wrote:We have pizza regardless of when. It's a party. Party means pizza.

It does not. Stop teaching your kids this. Party means fun, laughing, and seeing your friends.

Anonymous wrote:Just do cake. No need for snacks. I promise folks will follow saying you should have pizza and all the snacks you suggested, but it’s so unnecessary. Kids will eat before coming. The time for a snack will come just as you’re serving cake which should be around 2:30pm.

+1

I would have already fed my son lunch and would not expect dinner at the end.

Anonymous wrote:Popcorn, fruit, and cupcakes are fine. Most kids that young will have already eaten.

1-3 isn’t a great time for a party for 3/4 yos. Probably half of them are still napping.

+1. Really bad time for a party for kids that young.

Anonymous wrote:My kids get really confused when they’ve already eaten lunch & there’s another whole lunch, but if the activity is lots of running, jumping, swimming, they’d be happy with snacks in addition to cake.

Well, it's an excellent learning possibility for your kids.

We have pizza regardless of when. It's a party. Party means pizza.

I'm going to say it, I hate 1 PM start times when lunch isn't served. Having to arrive for a 1 PM party means I'm rushing the kid through lunch in order to get there on time. Or I'm fighting with the kid to get them to eat some food because they're too excited to go to the party. Then I only manage to get a few bites of real food in them before we get to the party where they get cake and ice cream.

I'd push the character to at least 1:30. You're going to have the latecomers and the parents who want to arrive and mingle. Character visit & games from 1:30-2:30, cake & presents from 2:30-3.

Anonymous wrote:I do not expect a meal to be served at a party that starts at 1. Most kids will already have had lunch.

No, not true. We eat lunch at 1-1:30 pm, and I’d be surprised if you started a party at 1:00 pm and didn’t serve lunch, because most people would be on the road at 12:30 pm,

What if you did a few flatbreads on your spread?

If parents were too busy to feed their kids, they can give them some flatbread and fruit when they arrive. To a 3 year old, that’s a meal, but it’s also “snacky” enough that PP’s kids won’t be confused and wonder why there is a second lunch.

I think Trader Joe’s sells some good frozen flatbreads.

I also like the cheese and crackers idea.

As long as you are clear with parents, it will be fine. Can you do 2-4pm instead?

1pm is close enough to lunch that you should serve lunch. People will be driving to the party at 12:30 (lunchtime).

FWIW, next time start the party at 2pm. Nobody expects a full meal at 2pm.

No. Tell parents there will be cake/cupcakes.