This is a guest post by Chef Meg Walker, Founder & Executive Chef MBM Hospitality.
If you’re anything like us, you know that food is the heart and soul of any great celebration, even when it comes to a kids’ birthday party! But sometimes we take the easy way out and grab a pizza and a sheet cake and call it a day, which can be less than stellar, can we agree?
We want to help you take it up a whole lot of notches, so we asked Chef Meg Walker of Made by Meg Catering to give us some of her tips for creating an amazing party that both the kids and adults will enjoy, based on her years of catering experience – and her experience as a Mom!
So get ready to turn your next party into a culinary adventure they’ll never forget!
Related: The Best Los Angeles Birthday Party Guide
Chef Meg Walker’s Top 10 Tips for An Unforgettable Birthday Party
Separate Beverage Stations and Separate Coolers:
Always separate the kids coolers and adult’s coolers with clear labeling. Put fun stickers and a “For The Kids!” sign on the cooler containing non-alcoholic options, and a straightforward “Adults Only!” sign on the beer can cooler.
For the drinks table, if you’re going to serve pre-batched beverages, we recommend the beverage in the serving container be alcohol-free, with a bottle of your desired spirit placed next to it, just in case a child is confused on if they can have the pink drink in the glass dispenser.
For the adult bar, it’s helpful to have clearly laid out the offerings so that guests know they can make it themselves.
Plan the Menu with Kids + Dietary Restrictions in Mind:
Some snacks that we always have received positive feedback with catering for Made by Meg Catering at children’s birthday parties include grilled cheese, crudité cups in stick form, and French toast sticks (not just for breakfast!) with vanilla bean brioche.
For appetizers, having a fun dip with fresh crudité ready for immediate snacking when your guests arrive adds a healthy component to your menu and takes one less at-event action item off your plate. 90% of the children’s parties have pizza, which means if the parent or child are gluten free or lactose intolerant, they’re not able to eat.
Make sure to accommodate both adults and their kids who may have dietary restrictions with alternatives. This is a great opportunity to work with a caterer who keeps these types of event planning logistics in mind when putting together the perfect party menu.
Avoid Choking Hazards, Even With Fruit & Take Away Gifts:
Do not give children a goodie bag with choking implements in it. Once they see the goodie bag, they’re never giving it back. Very young children don’t have enough teeth for Starburst but they’re going to want them if they see them on a candy display or in a goodie bag.
Instead, include dissolvable treats, like Yummy Puffs and other softer natural snacks, rather than hard candy. It’s difficult to serve certain types of fruit at children’s birthdays because they can be choking hazards; if you’re looking to serve fruit, some tips are to cut washed grapes in half and remove the tops of strawberries before similarly cutting them in half.
Refrigerated apple sauce packs make for an easy non-dairy treat. Never serve nuts – in addition to being a choking hazard and common allergy, many pediatricians recommend not giving children nuts until they’re 5 years old.
Add an Interactive Element Wherever You Can:
Think of hosting a child’s birthday like a magician with many scarves up their sleeve; the tricks keep coming and they can all be very simple. Have a fun surprise at every turn that doesn’t take a ton of work so that you’re not away from your guests for long and you can also enjoy your event.
When it comes to fun kids mocktails, sometimes an interactive station is the way to go. For instance, a “build your own soda” station with fun garnishes and a variety of syrups to mix-in.
If you’re having a bartending service at your event, see if they have a bubble gun to use on top of the drinks (both for the kids and adults) and change the smoke flavor to match the mocktail flavor as another fun way to create an interactive, memory-making event.
Making the kids feel special and making them a part of their own creation adds to the fun of any event!
Mocktail Service:
Take the stress off and hire a designated bar service to cater both kid-approved mocktails (as well as adult beverages for the parents).
Perfect for children’s birthdays and Mitzvahs, some of our newest and most fun mocktail offerings with Tipsy Pear are the Tilt-A-Whirl with cotton candy & a licorice straw, Blue Lagoon with a blue sugar rim & gummy sharks, Shimmering Shirley with edible glitter and a cherry on top, and Singin’ Gummy Bear garnished with gummy bears.
We’ve seen a surge in Candyland-themed birthdays after Adam Sandler’s Netflix film, You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah, launched in Summer 2023.
Convenience is Key:
All kids and adult food needs to be easy and fast to eat – think easily accessible packaged snacks for kids in multiple locations throughout the party venue. You never know where you’re going to be when your kid gets cranky and desperately needs a snack.
Individual packaging and smaller bowls help also keep any hidden germs from getting other guests attending the party sick.
Think About Stains in Advance:
Avoid super messy or saucy foods, no sloppy joe’s or spaghetti with red sauce, even though they’re delicious. Don’t order food with tons of food coloring or dyes, especially cupcakes, because it goes straight through your body and can also stain any clothing or furniture of the hosts.
Make it Easy to Stay Tidy:
It’s not the most fun to talk about, but it’s even less fun to see abandoned trash around on your decorated tables. Place multiple trash cans in different areas around the party for easy and quick cleanup.
Make sure all your setup and prep stations are ready in advance of your event. If you’re hosting at home, before the party starts make sure to unload the dishwasher, take the trash out from all rooms in the house, and put a few empty trash bags at the bottom of your accessible trash can just in case someone else needs to take out a full trash bag mid-event.
If you’re having an outdoor daytime event, you can have a bottle of children-friendly sunscreen on the counter next to the hand soap for anyone who may have forgotten.
Think Small Portion Sizes:
When planning children’s portion sizes for food, drinks, and desserts, think small. That is, high in quantities, small in size. Pick up super small drink and snack packages because kids will open them and leave them scattered around the party.
Along with small appetites, they have short attention spans. You’ll win with individual miniature desserts & mini cupcakes because they’re going to want to try more than one flavor.
Have Fun With Your Theme (and Prioritize Kids Having Fun!):
Think about what activities the birthday child would find the most fun, unique, and memorable. If they love My Little Pony, look into colorful decorations and braid bars.
If they love dogs, one fun idea is a Puppy Party, where you serve puppy chow (little Pirate’s Booty or cheese puffs that are easy for young kids to eat) in mini disposable dog bowls.
Little kids love eating hands-free like puppies and it’s sure to be a fun time. Instead of a goodie bag, can adopt a toy pound puppy.
We hope these tips help you create the best party both you and your kids will love!
More about Chef Meg Walker
Chef Meg Walker’s professional life began in a completely different field than she currently finds herself in. While working as a Financial Advisor with Merrill Lynch and Smith Barney for 5 years, Walker’s passion for cooking became undeniable and led her to attend culinary school at Le Cordon Bleu in Pasadena, CA. During her final semester of culinary school, Walker secured an externship at Michelin starred restaurant, Ortolan in Los Angeles, working with famed Chef Owner, Christophe Émé. While working in Chef Émé’s inspiring, fine-dining kitchen, she made the daring decision to quit her financial advising job and pursue her passion for cooking full-time.
While Walker was working at Ortolan, she graciously accepted an offer from a friend asking her to cater a small dinner, and after that fateful night in 2007, the private catering event requests never stopped. She quickly decided to turn these requests into a business and the same year she received her first catering request, she started her company, Made by Meg Catering. Specializing in seasonal cuisine and an unprecedented caliber of service, Made by Meg has become the premiere chef-driven catering company in Southern California, catering over 600 events each year and employing over 250 people. In 2023, Made by Meg was ranked No. 2,759 on the 2023 Inc. 5000, its annual list of the fastest-growing private companies in America.
In addition to Made by Meg, Walker is also the exclusive caterer and operator of La Venta Inn in Palos Verdes, CA. In this role, Walker has completely refreshed the interior of the historic venue, while still preserving the iconic look and legacy of the 100-year-old property. Following the success of her ventures in 2023, Walker formed MBM Hospitality, a curated collection of food & beverage hospitality businesses and services. This umbrella includes Made by Meg Catering and La Venta Inn, as well as two new catering services Walker launched in 2023: Tipsy Pear, an elevated bar-catering service that combines the team’s food and beverage expertise to bring each client’s dream bar to life for all types of special events; and Walker’s, an affordable pick-up and delivery option that offers the ability to enjoy exceptional catering without the cost or staff associated with a full-service catering company.
As MBM Hospitality’s offers continue to expand and evolve, the company’s dedication to executing memorable events remains at the forefront. Walker is a Manhattan Beach native and currently resides in the South Bay with her husband and two young daughters. Through community outreach, she is an integral and active member of the South Bay community.
This is a guest post.
