How to Get Through The Tough Times The Old Style Way.

mummyroysof3

gailey wrote: »

Got party boxes like happy meals.
includes mini chedders,animals, mini,milkyway,orange carton,blowout ,toy,sandwich and napkin came in at around 1.10 per box but thourght less waste and mess than doing huge buffet as they all prepared.

Thats a great idea, where did you get the boxes from?

[Deleted User]

elderflower cordial

http://uktv.co.uk/food/recipe/aid/516164

elderflower champagne

http://www.channel4.com/food/recipes/chefs/hugh-fearnley-whittingstall/elderflower-champagne-recipe_p_1.html

I`ll be putting these recipes into my little book from TK maxx. It`s a book I keep for recipes that work, are quick and lovely and it`s pale blue leather with a strap so it is like an os journal and it is lovely to handle

Going back to the most hard times ever for us, 30-40 years ago when I started to keep a notebook on everything coming in and going out. I took what was left out in cash every month and put it into different envelopes every month but we did make sure that we had a treat once a week and that was friday teatime. In the winter we would draw the lounge curtains and I would wheel in a trolley with tea in a lovely pot and pretty little cups and saucers, plates of sandwiches and hm cakes and so on. Candles and a video. Our children remember those evenings to this day. It didn`t cost anything extra just a bit of effort but it brightened up the week

Times have changed so much re children`s parties. In the old days thay were always on a shoestring and were always in our own homes, maybe 8-10 children max. Games like pass the parcel, musical chairs and so on. They went home with a small party bag of a few penny treats, hm birthday cake, balloon, a pencil and so on. We all did the same sort of thing really. They probably cost about £10-£20 total and were very enjoyable for the children but hard work for us mums. I think people should be brave enough to break the cycle of expensive parties and presents and I know our grown up dd`s don`t go down the expensive route on principle

gailey_2

mummyroysof3 wrote: »

Thats a great idea, where did you get the boxes from?

I got them localparty store who were awful but apart from online party shops and ebay which wasent sure if would arrive in time,only place.

Someone said homebargains had some at 25each box but we dont have one.

I paid 40p per box.
Got plain coloured ones.
got 2packs of stickers for pound at local cheapy shop put pirate sticker on front of boys box and butterfly on girls boxes.
The boxes slightly smaller thanthe maccy happymeal boxes.

Was hoping to kept total cost per filled box as quid per head but toys pushed it slightly over as included toy inbox andprobably could have sourced box cheaper givenmore time.

They lookfab and if you shoparound sure you can bring price down.

Just the food came in at 65 per head

as got hovis bread from farmfoods 2for 1.25used 3loaves but brought 4.

ham-2packs quid each-farmfoods.

mildcheese 2quid fromfarmfoods brought 2.
made 32sandwiches crusts cut off into 4triangles.
worked out at 25p per sandwich.

disney cartons 1.50 for9 from farmfoods brought 4packs one carton each box 16peach.

cadbuys animals-currently 1.42bogoff tescofor 8 pack brought 4packs.

mini chedders 18pk half price 1.99 tescobrought 2packs.

funsize milkways-family bargains had 25pack for99p do brought 2packs.

only othe extras were

50pack napkins £1 family bargains.
50pack childrens sandwich bags with stickers £1
blowouts 10apack -family bargains so10peach.

small toy.-but this just means less in partybag which is cake,sticker and bubbles

Hoping by doing it this way mean mess waste as 5year olds dont eat tonnes.
Been to plenty parties before with far too much buffet left and food and mess on floor.
Everything being prepacked at home makesit easy to transport and when im there not spending any time in kitchen just enjoying the party.

As we having bouncy castle and guess lots runnning about got 2crates fruit shoots fromfarmfoods too5quid each so10pound 48bottles.Hopefullynospilt squash everywhere.

doing tea/coffee biscuits for mums and dads.:)

Jolaaled

kittie wrote: »

elderflower cordial

http://uktv.co.uk/food/recipe/aid/516164

elderflower champagne

http://www.channel4.com/food/recipes/chefs/hugh-fearnley-whittingstall/elderflower-champagne-recipe_p_1.html

Thanks Kittie...Just a quick question about the Elderflower cordial...

the recipe states using 'citric acid'. Do you know where I can get this from?

thanks

Puddleglum

You can get citric acid from the chemists. Quite cheap but they will quiz you about what you want to do with it and only sell you a small amount as drug users need it when taking heroin, I think.

apple_mint

You can also get citric acid from homebrew/winemaking shops. Again you need to ask for it as it probably won't be on display.

[Deleted User]

Jolaaled wrote: »

Thanks Kittie...Just a quick question about the Elderflower cordial...

the recipe states using 'citric acid'. Do you know where I can get this from?

thanks

I got 1 kg of citric acid via the internet and I think a beer making site, needless to say it is well looked after in an airtight lock and lock box as I found it impossible to get locally. You can actually find most things via the net, even specific recipes just google eg `elderflower cordial recipe`. I found twinks by googling `twinks mse`

ubamother

mummyroysof3 wrote: »

Thats a great idea, where did you get the boxes from?

An alternative way of doing food 'boxes' or even party bags is to buy small white carriers from a chinese supermarket (online probably as well) you can get nice small ones with a proper bottom and rigid handles. If you use them for party bags, a good activity to calm them down before eating is to decorate the bags, or as an 'entrance' activity as children can often arrive in dribs and drabs so it's hard to get started.

My favourite way of doing party bags (if you're having an activity or game based) is each child gets a little something for each activity to put in their party bags - they then fill their own decorated bag and it saves you a job - also gets round the competitive nature of games if that is not your way.

Bitsy_Beans

those of you with young kids there is a lovely online shop here for those party bag items and I've ordered from them before, lots of lovely stuff that isn't all just the plastic tat sold in the shops

rachbc

lovely site bitsy - shall book mark for dd's next birthday!

I have the amount of waste/ rubbish generated by kids partys - all those 'disposable' things just shoved in landfill, packaging from individual this that and everything else. For dd's most recent party I decided to go OS and have a smaller no of close friends over for tea and playing - dd wanted lasagne as its her fav! The theme was 'magical woodland' so we had toaststool shaped biscuits and ladybird cupcakes . They made pinecone bird feeders and took them home in a cloth bag that also had a lush bathbomb and a couple of felt hairclips in.

She starts school next year so I suspect we'll do a hall, sarnies and running about type thing!