This part three of a five part series on throwing a cheap child’s birthday party. Today, I want to look at the food options. Personally, this is my favorite part of the party. I like to cook and I especially enjoy creative cooking. Food is also where I am most likely to go over budget if I’m not careful. If you are throwing your party at a pizza place, the only ways to save on food is to use coupons and handle the cake on your own. But parties at home and at parks allow you to up the wow factor without spending a ton.
Cake and Ice cream
One way to save on food is to throw an early afternoon party—the guests have already had lunch and they’ll go home before dinner. All you have to serve is cake and ice cream. The only sure-fire way I know to save on ice cream is to buy it on sale and keep it hidden in the freezer until party day.
With cake, on the other hand, it is simple to make your own. Frosting is the tricky part, but here is a tip that many home cooks are unaware of. You actually have to frost the cake twice. Place the cake in the fridge for a couple of hours once it has cooled. Then coat the entire thing in frosting. It will like have crumbs in it and will look like a rough job, that’s perfectly okay. After frosting it, return it to the fridge for another hour or so. Then, frost it a second time. This second coat of frost will go on smoothly, all the crumbs are already caught in the first coat. If you aren’t that artistic, use some dollar store toys or sprinkles to decorate it. Kids aren’t too picky as long as the cake matches the theme of the party in some way.
Pizza
If you do plan on serving a meal, pizza is the standard in kid party food. Make up a few home-made pizzas the day before the party and stick them in the fridge. Just toss them in the oven to cook on the day of the party. Another option is to make small pizza crust and pre-cook them the day before. Let the kids top them then heat and serve. Yet another way to make personal pizzas is with English muffins. Purchase them on sale or at a day-old bread store. Top with sauce, cheese and the desired topping then pop them in the oven just long enough to melt the cheese. Either make these yourself or let the kids top them.
Sandwiches
Most kids love sandwiches, and they are quick and easy to make. Make a selection of PB&J, turkey and cheese, or whatever else you fancy. Cut them into triangles and arrange them attractively on a trays. A twist on this is the roll-up. Coat a tortilla with mayo then top with meat and cheese (you can also use peanut butter and jelly). Roll it up then slice the roll into 1 inch pieces. You can hold the rolls together with a toothpick if you want, but I find they stick together pretty well on their own. Arrange prettily then serve.
Hot dogs
There are few meat products cheaper than the hot dog. Kids love them and they are quick and easy to make. Serve hot dogs on a bun, if you desire, or dress them up a little bit by making pigs in a blanket. Make a batch of biscuit dough and cut into rounds. Roll out each round slightly, top with cheese, then wrap it around the hot dog, pinching the edges of the dough together to secure it. Bake at 350 F for about 10 minutes.
Hopefully these give you some great ideas for your own party. Tomorrow we’ll be looking at ways to entertain your guest for free or nearly free.
What are some of your favorite inexpensive party foods? Let me know in the comments!
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