1st Birthday Party...Food ??? warning...long and rambling post :)

Ok, So we hare having 31 adults and 8 kiddies (family and close friends only). Party will be on our deck at our house and we decided to cater it. Party is from 2:30-6:30PM.

However, at our house that parties last well into the night, so after a few folks leave some will still be here well past 6:30 (my guess is about 10-15 adults and 4 kids will stay late). If it is a nice day, everyone will be swimming in our lake, going on the kayaks and the sailboat. I am sure everyone will work up a big appetite. Although it is going to be a full house for the day and night, I love having everyone over and want folks to stay as long as they want. Heck, we might even get a poker game going at 9 or 10 o'clock at night and some family might even sleep over that night. That is just how it is at our place, and I LOVE it!
I want to have everyone feel comfortable, have enough to eat & drink and feel like there is enough food for lunch (the party) and dinner (later on).

The ages of the kids range from 1 (my DD) to 7 years old, five boys and three girls.

We are having a hero, hot dishes, and cake for the party.

What should I get for the kids to eat? Chicken fingers? The problem is ALL of the men will eat ALL of the chicken fingers . Maybe I should just get a big tray of them? Is that too much?

How much hot food would you order?

Here are my choices: (6) half trays of hot food or (4) full trays of hot food? Six would have more variety, but four would give us more food. Keep in mind we are having a hero, salads and cake.

Plus, I want enough so that we can put food out for later, too. Should I just get burgers and hot dogs for later?

The men in my family (DH included) are a bunch of "garvones" (Italian for pig ) and can really EAT & DRINK, A LOT. DH wants tons of food, but I do not want a weeks worth of leftovers in my house, ya know?
Also, how much beer, wine & Soda? What should I get for the kids to drink? Milk? Juice? I know they will want soda but as a mom I know I would not want my kid all sugared up before I brought them home from a party.

I guess I am over thinking this, but I could use your advice ladies. I feel like I am planning two parties, party one and party two.
TIA

Message edited 5/7/2007 11:30:30 AM.

Re: 1st Birthday Party...Food ???

DD's first birthday is in 2 weeks, we ordered 12 full hot trays, one mac salad, 2 cheesecakes, chips, cookies, snacks, birthday cake, and I'm thinking about getting a few sacks of White Castle burgers.

I'm getting Juicy Juice for the kids, no alcohol for adults, just you know, the regular drinks and stuff, maybe some hot tea will be served also...

It's always better to have too much food than too little.

We are having about 70 guests.

Since you are having it at your deck, how about BBQing? That way, for the later guests, they can just throw whatever they want to eat on the grill.

Re: 1st Birthday Party...Food ???

Re: 1st Birthday Party...Food ???

Re: 1st Birthday Party...Food ??? warning...long and rambling post :)

Bumping...

I am meeting with the caterer at 3PM today.

Re: 1st Birthday Party...Food ??? warning...long and rambling post :)

We just had Alyssas birthday this past saturday and we had about 40 adults and about 14 kids, and we had the heros and the hot foods, but for the kids we got the huge 5lb bag of Dino Chicken nuggets from BJs and mac and cheese. I made 110 nuggets and thought it was too much, but everyone of them were gone.

Heres a list of the food we had to give you an idea of how much food we went through so maybe you could get an idea of what you would need.
Maybe you could get 1/2 trays but get full trays on the most popular foods.

We had

FULL TRAYS

Baked ziti - Finished
120 meatballs - Finished
Penne Ala-vodka - 1/4 tray left
Tortellini Alfredo - 1/2 tray left
Chicken Marsala - 1/2 tray left
Sausage and Peppers - finished
120 BBQ Chicken Wings - 20 left
110 Chicken nuggets - Finished
mac & cheese - 1/2 finished (my aunt made it but arrived 2 hours late) so it might have all finished
Mixed Vegetables - Hardly Touched lol

Cold foods

4 Foot Italian Hero - Finished
4 Foot Amer Hero- 1/2 Finished- (but everyone grabbed a piece or 2 to take home, So none left for me to take home lol

Full trays
Ceasar salad - 1/2 tray left
Tri-color pasta salad - 1\2 tray left
Tossed salad - hardly touched

2 round trays of each
Potato Salad - 1 tray left
Mac Salad - 1 tray left

About 2 dozen cupcakes - finished
1/2 Sheet cake - 2 pieces left


Juice boxes for the kids, because the place we had it at, only served soda and alcohol. ( Thank god my girlfriend gave me that idea, other wise the kids would only have had soda to drink.)

Hope this helps


ETA: Coffee and tea

Maybe
Instead of getting chicken fingers, get another tray of hot food and make the chicken nuggets yourseld, They have huge bags at BJs and the kids love them.

Message edited 5/7/2007 1:06:30 PM.

Re: 1st Birthday Party...Food ??? warning...long and rambling post :)

Re: 1st Birthday Party...Food ??? warning...long and rambling post :)

Re: 1st Birthday Party...Food ??? warning...long and rambling post :)

Re: 1st Birthday Party...Food ??? warning...long and rambling post :)

Posted by dandr10199

Posted by aidamarie

We just had Alyssas birthday this past saturday and we had about 40 adults and about 14 kids, and we had the heros and the hot foods, but for the kids we got the huge 5lb bag of Dino Chicken nuggets from BJs and mac and cheese. I made 110 nuggets and thought it was too much, but everyone of them were gone.

Heres a list of the food we had to give you an idea of how much food we went through so maybe you could get an idea of what you would need.
Maybe you could get 1/2 trays but get full trays on the most popular foods.

We had

FULL TRAYS

Baked ziti - Finished
120 meatballs - Finished
Penne Ala-vodka - 1/4 tray left
Tortellini Alfredo - 1/2 tray left
Chicken Marsala - 1/2 tray left
Sausage and Peppers - finished
120 BBQ Chicken Wings - 20 left
110 Chicken nuggets - Finished
mac & cheese - 1/2 finished (my aunt made it but arrived 2 hours late) so it might have all finished
Mixed Vegetables - Hardly Touched lol

Cold foods

4 Foot Italian Hero - Finished
4 Foot Amer Hero- 1/2 Finished- (but everyone grabbed a piece or 2 to take home, So none left for me to take home lol

Full trays
Ceasar salad - 1/2 tray left
Tri-color pasta salad - 1\2 tray left
Tossed salad - hardly touched

2 round trays of each
Potato Salad - 1 tray left
Mac Salad - 1 tray left

About 2 dozen cupcakes - finished
1/2 Sheet cake - 2 pieces left


Juice boxes for the kids, because the place we had it at, only served soda and alcohol. ( Thank god my girlfriend gave me that idea, other wise the kids would only have had soda to drink.)

Hope this helps

ETA: Coffee and tea

Maybe
Instead of getting chicken fingers, get another tray of hot food and make the chicken nuggets yourseld, They have huge bags at BJs and the kids love them.

TOTALLY HELPED! EXCELLENT POST! Thank you so much! Your family sounds like they can eat like mine. LOL

Re: 1st Birthday Party...Food ??? warning...long and rambling post :)

Where did you order the food from?