What will set the tone and give you that extra boost? How can you create an atmosphere that is fun, exciting, and welcoming?
The answer may lie in the food you serve at your event. When choosing a catering company to cater your next event or doing it yourself, there are several factors that you should consider.
If you want to ensure that you get exactly what you need when it comes to catering, then you should consider using one of the best caterers in town.
There are many creative and smart ways to go about this, but here are some great catering food ideas for birthday parties to ensure everything goes well.
Indoor Children’s Play and Party Venue
If you’re planning a birthday party for a child, it’s hard to go past an indoor play centre. Indoor play centres for kids often contain beautifully styled party rooms that offer the perfect environment to host your very important person’s birthday party.
Bookings will generally be for a 2-hour period, and the party will see the birthday child having a wonderful time playing in the venue’s adventure land with their closest friends.
These children’s party venues are generally fully air-conditioned, with jumping castles, slides, ball-pits and separate toddler play areas, to keep the kids entertained.
The fun continues when their venue host serves the children scrumptious birthday treats in a themed party room – for example, one venue we know (Little Feet Cafe – Engadine, Sydney) promotes that the children can choose between dining on a space adventure, in the secret garden, at a carnival, under the sea, with pirates or even fairies… or for those who like to keep it simple, how about in our beautiful Happy Birthday room?
Be sure to ask, as some venues will allow you self-cater your party group.
Most centres will also cater for adults, at reserved tables in the venue cafe, where you (and the parents of your guests), can enjoy time away from the curated bedlam of the birthday party with excellent coffee and ‘grown-up’ food.
Food Trucks
Food trucks have become a popular way of serving delicious and affordable eats in the city.
Most food truck owners will cater for your party with their menu items. They can also provide you with a full-service setup, including tableware and decorations.
If you want to host an outdoor party, then consider renting or purchasing tables and chairs from a restaurant supply store like Costco.
You can choose to rent or buy, depending on whether you can see these types of events being a regular occurrence. If you like to entertain or have a large family (and live in a temperate and forgiving climate) then buying will generally work out cheaper in the long run.
Who didn’t chase after an ice cream truck when he was a kid, or at least wished they were one of the kids in those movies enjoying their fresh ice cream on a hot summer day?
We all know that everyone loves ice cream, so an ice cream truck is another great option for a fun party that will satisfy all palates.
This type of catering food idea is also very inexpensive, making it the no.1 option to go for if you are on a budget.
If you are looking for cheap catering food ideas for birthday parties, this may be the best choice as picnic foods are always homemade and store-bought, which means that you can ask for simple plates with fruit and fun things like fairy bread.
Make sure you bring some wine or Prosecco (for the adults) to celebrate the sunny weather… and your birthday.
Candy bars are always a hit at any party. Make sure that you keep plenty of candy on hand and perhaps consider including some fun games.
An animal-shaped piñata filled with candy that you can try and break as part of the celebration will make candy-eating a much more fun experience that everyone will remember.
Cookies and brownies are a classic combination and an obvious inclusion in out rundown of catering food ideas for birthday parties. They go well with almost anything, especially coffee or tea.
So if your guests are a bit older or you are, for example, throwing a birthday party for your mum and grandmother, this is a great idea to please all the guests.
Watermelon coolers are a great way to get children involved in planning the party as children can choose what goes into the cooler and even design the labels.
So, if you are throwing a party for your kid or getting families together for your birthday, this is a great way to keep them busy while you spend some time with your friends.
You can’t really run through catering food ideas for birthday parties and not include a selection of snacks. Snacks are a smart and cheap way to feed hungry guests who aren’t eating a lot during the party.
Some finger food and crisps are all you need to set the tables ready, but don’t hesitate to bring some tapas into the game. They are perfect for light eaters and so easy to make.
As for the crisps, just get one of each flavour and you’re the best party host ever!
They are also a nice alternative to chips and crackers, so if you don’t want something that simple, ask for a nice cheese selection to accompany the snacks.
Make your cheese board as appetising as possible with this SMIRLY Bamboo Cheese Board & Knife Set. It has space for cheeses, crackers, nuts, fruit and comes with a selection of handy knives.
If you are from France, Spain, Italy or literally any other country that has distinct local cheese, you can have your own thematic “Flavours of my Country” party with your country’s cheese selection.
Vegetables are another way to fill up plates quickly.
There are many different types of vegetables that you can use and, while not all of them are great for a party – you don’t want that broccoli stuck between your teeth – the ones like carrots will go great with some hummus and onion and chive dips.
Another healthy solution is to get some big salad bowls for your party. Salads are very filling and the delicious thing is that they do not have to be boring.
Finally, if this is a grown-up party or that of your son who’s just turned 18, punch bowls are a great way to entertain large groups of people.
They are easy to clean and look beautiful when filled with punch. You can always make them alcohol-free, but this is not the time to do that!
Summary
Catering food ideas for birthday parties are not hard to come by.
You can find many articles online and in magazines that offer great catering tips, but the best way to get inspired is to look at what other people have done and see what works best for you and your guests.
The party food ideas in this article are made to please a crowd and your caterer will second that. So keep them in mind and make your next party memorable.
When it comes to great places to eat in Australia, the list really is endless. There are so many different restaurants, cafés, and chains to try that you really are spoiled for choice. From Italian food, to Japanese food, to a good ‘ole rump steak, the food options are endless.
This is why I decided to set up my blog, Eatability, to share the best food and drink spots in Australia with as many people as possible. Hi, my name is Dylan Cole, and I moved to Australia five years ago from England, UK.
Through this blog, I will be sharing and recommending some of my favorite places you need to visit, such as where to find the best pizza in Adelaide, and the best bakery in Brisbane. Whatever food you are fancying, I have got you covered!
