Pre-School and Daycare

just cake at a party

timing just doesn't seem to be working to have lunch for DD1's party.  Is it tacky to just have cake? 
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Re: just cake at a party

  • It would really depend on the time of the party. If its near a meal time then I would expect a meal. However, if the party was at 2 or something then we would have had lunch prior to coming. 

    If its just not possible be sure to let people know that only cake will be served. That way they can make sure kids are fed before coming and no one will have to deal with food related meltdowns!! 

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  • Agree with PP - just don't have the party at a meal time.  It would also be great if the invitation said "Cake and Juice will be served" or whatever so people know.

    I got caught off guard with this one time for an 11:30 AM party...what was worse, my kid ended up being full of cake so then didn't want lunch but was starving by 3 PM.  Not cool.

     

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  • Personally, I expect some sort of food to be offered at birthday parties. I hate when hosts just sugar up my kid and ruin mealtime. I once went to a party from 3:30 to 5:30 and they just offered cake, ice cream, and soda...ugh!
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  • No,  I made sure DD's b-day party was from 1-3 so I didnt have to serve 6 kids lunch, that's just a headache. 
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  • We always time our sons party to avoid meal times, usually 3 to 5 pm. We never serve a meal, but always have snacks like a veggie tray and cheese/crackers in addition to cake. If the party was at lunch or dinner time, I'd go with pizza or sandwiches. Keep it simple.
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  • imageSpin313:
    Personally, I expect some sort of food to be offered at birthday parties. I hate when hosts just sugar up my kid and ruin mealtime. I once went to a party from 3:30 to 5:30 and they just offered cake, ice cream, and soda...ugh!

    Really? Huh.  I feel exactly the opposite.  I hate when the party is at a non-meal time and they serve my kid a full meal.  He doesn't need pizza at 10 am or 3 pm--he's already eaten or will eat shortly, and I'd rather choose his meal.  He's going to eat cake regardless of the time--it is, after all a birthday party, so why get annoyed at sugar and cake?--no need for him to also eat random pizza. One piece of cake or a cupcake doesn't ruin dinner if he eats it at 3 pm.

  • imageSpin313:
    Personally, I expect some sort of food to be offered at birthday parties. I hate when hosts just sugar up my kid and ruin mealtime. I once went to a party from 3:30 to 5:30 and they just offered cake, ice cream, and soda...ugh!

    Really? Huh.  I feel exactly the opposite.  I hate when the party is at a non-meal time and they serve my kid a full meal.  He doesn't need pizza at 10 am or 3 pm--he's already eaten or will eat shortly, and I'd rather choose his meal.  He's going to eat cake regardless of the time--it is, after all a birthday party, so why get annoyed at sugar and cake?--no need for him to also eat random pizza. One piece of cake or a cupcake doesn't ruin dinner if he eats it at 3 pm.

     Sorry for the hiccup.  ETA: Both my kids' parties are from 2-4 pm this year.  I'll be serving cake at one, and ice cream sundaes at the other one.  No meal. 

  • imagewellfleet04:

    imageSpin313:
    Personally, I expect some sort of food to be offered at birthday parties. I hate when hosts just sugar up my kid and ruin mealtime. I once went to a party from 3:30 to 5:30 and they just offered cake, ice cream, and soda...ugh!

    Really? Huh.  I feel exactly the opposite.  I hate when the party is at a non-meal time and they serve my kid a full meal.  He doesn't need pizza at 10 am or 3 pm--he's already eaten or will eat shortly, and I'd rather choose his meal.  He's going to eat cake regardless of the time--it is, after all a birthday party, so why get annoyed at sugar and cake?--no need for him to also eat random pizza. One piece of cake or a cupcake doesn't ruin dinner if he eats it at 3 pm.



    I would figure that a 10am party would have brunch...bagels and a fruit plate.

    The only time I would think you could get away without food at a birthday party would be 2 to 4pm, but even that is iffy. Dinner time for us is around 5pm, so if DS had cake and ice cream at 3 or 4pm it would definitely effect mealtime.
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  • imageSpin313:
    imagewellfleet04:

    imageSpin313:
    Personally, I expect some sort of food to be offered at birthday parties. I hate when hosts just sugar up my kid and ruin mealtime. I once went to a party from 3:30 to 5:30 and they just offered cake, ice cream, and soda...ugh!

    Really? Huh.  I feel exactly the opposite.  I hate when the party is at a non-meal time and they serve my kid a full meal.  He doesn't need pizza at 10 am or 3 pm--he's already eaten or will eat shortly, and I'd rather choose his meal.  He's going to eat cake regardless of the time--it is, after all a birthday party, so why get annoyed at sugar and cake?--no need for him to also eat random pizza. One piece of cake or a cupcake doesn't ruin dinner if he eats it at 3 pm.

    I would figure that a 10am party would have brunch...bagels and a fruit plate. The only time I would think you could get away without food at a birthday party would be 2 to 4pm, but even that is iffy. Dinner time for us is around 5pm, so if DS had cake and ice cream at 3 or 4pm it would definitely effect mealtime.

    I can see that, I just feel differently. My thought is that they are going to eat the cake regardless, right?  It's not like if I serve pizza at 3:30 pm the kids are not going to eat cake at 4 pm, so I'd rather my kid eat whatever I'm planning for the meal at our regular meal time, which is almost certainly healthier than pizza or whatever food is at kid birthday parties.  If he eats less dinner, oh well, he can eat more at breakfast.  The cake has nothing to do with it---that was going to be eaten either way so I don't care if it's before or after the meal.  

     But I also don't think a meal is a requirement at a kids party, and I don't think the KIDS care.  Most kids barely eat the pizza or whatever anyway--they'd rather run around than sit down and eat.  I don't generally eat myself at kid parties, either (again, because I'd rather choose something healthier than pizza). 

  • I prefer a meal no matter what time of the party. If not a meal then snacks balanced with fruit and vegis in addition to the cake.
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  • I expect there to be some food even if it's just snacks. Not just for the kids, but for the adults who are standing around looking to do some bored eating. Lets face it, most kid parties are pretty effin boring.
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  • We had DD's Birthday party at 2 pm.  I knew I would wonder what would be served at that time - so I put a note that there would be cake, fruit, juice & water.  I think we also brought goldfish.

    It was a 90 minute party at a dance place, so there really wasn't time for a full meal.  There was a Dunkin' Donuts next door if parents felt they couldn't survive 90 minutes w/o food.

    I don't really care if people serve a meal or not, as long as I know what's going on and can have DD either eat before or after as needed. 

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  • I think cake is fine if party is clearly not at a meal time. Like previous poster I would state on invite. And a few bowls of goldfish or pretzels would be nice.




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  • Even if you are doing a party in between meals I think you should offer something else besides cake and ice cream. You can have gold fish, pretzels, maybe fruit out so people can snack on or even a couple finger foods. Nothing fancy but I think there should be something besides sugar.
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  • I actually love the parties that don't serve a meal. I am having DS' party from 2:30-4:30. There will be snacks and cake. The last party I went to served pizza and the parents were so busy running after the kids that nobody really got to eat. I left the party starving anyway! haha

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  • Not at all.  Growing up parties around me only had cake and most of the parties my kids have been to only have cake/ice cream.  If the party is during or close to a meal time, I would just list that cake will be served so people realize that a meal won't be included.  I have done it both ways and honestly, the kids rarely eat anything regardless of what you serve.  When my kids were little and the parents came, I did lunch a few times but just small deli sandwiches.  I try to do parties not at meal times to be honest.  The only time I include lunch stuff now is if it is part of the package price like it is for my DD's party next month.  If it was not included, I would not be serving a meal.  I honestly think people go way overboard when it comes to party these days.
    Jenni Mom to DD#1 - 6-16-06 DD#2 - 3-13-08 
  • I just have to add that I am amazed at how many people here have commented about having snacks - pretzels, veggie trays - at a kids party.  I have never once in my life been to a kid party that had any of these things out and my kids have been to about 15 parties already this school year.  Very few served anything other than a slice of pizza or a hot dog and most just had cake/ice cream.  Maybe it depends on the area you live in but IRL, people just don't serve food other than cake at a kids party.  Adult party, yes I see more food or snack things but I so don't think the kids care or will eat it.  My kids are in kindy and PreK and we have been to a ton of parties over the years.  Even the parties when the parents were staying didn't have food/snacks out and it is totally fine.  Most invites state that either "cake will be served" or "pizza and cake will be served" so you know what to expect but I honestly don't expect my kids to eat much at a party even if a meal is served.  I always make sure they eat before we go and have a snack for the car ride home and they do great.
    Jenni Mom to DD#1 - 6-16-06 DD#2 - 3-13-08 
  • As long as the party isn't at noon or at 5pm, I would say cake is fine.  No need for anything else.
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