The Matrix - Re-Evolution!!

Marru

Help please. I have booked a party for DD at local leasure centre for her birthday (max 20 kids). I could either opt for using the cafe for 4.50 per head or pay 20.- for additional room rent and bring my own food.

Problem is that the party is on Sunday (no, not this Sunday), I am coming back from Swizerland on Friday evening, Saturday DD is seeing her dad when I normally go and get my acupuncture treatment (which alone makes me really tired). I would have only Sunday morning to scrape the party food together.

If I was to cater it myself what could/should I do and how much would it cost?

ETA: Ooooohhh, aaaaarrrrggghhh, just realised that I need to get the party bags as well - why did I agree to this?

Dorastar

Tis very busy on here (where can I find the scotch pancake recipe please) Made cereal bars last night which I am enjoying and have persuaded dd that salted homemade popcorn will be a good alternative to crisps to go with her lunch of pasta salad and chicken sandwich (chicken saved from going in slowcooker curry for tea) She also loved the raspberry jelly with raspberries in as part of today's packed lunch. Am feeling quite domesticated!

Tried to think positive thoughts today as Lady P was due into work today and she is still a nemesis - the Universe must have been listening cos she didn't turn up And have found a great Phineas and Ferb song to sing every time she is hassling "My neme, neme, ooh my neme, neme-sis" etc is able to put a smile on my face every time I see her:cool:

greenbee

Can't advise Marru as I don't have kids, but you need to be realistic about what you can do. How far away is it, what will they want to eat and how much of it can you buy (crisps, juice, bread etc) in advance and what do you need to make (sandwiches, fairy cakes, birthday cake) and how much can you do in advance (cake can be frozen... Some of it can even be frozen iced). Work out what you would need to buy and do an online shopping basket to see how the price compares...

I've been really struggling with my writing recently, and realised yesterday that i've stopped mind-mapping and it has affected quality. So I'm pleased to say I've done some mind-maps today and things are starting to make more sense. But can someone tell me why they don't work when you try to do them with biro? They only seem to work with ink or felt tip!

Gemmzie

Marru - try Poundland for party bags, we did it last summer for a friends birthday and did 20 for about £7. How old is DD?

Marru

Thanks Gemmzie - She is going to be 7

MrsMoo2U

Marru, can you rope in some of the other mothers, have a mothers afternoon the day before where you all get together for a "girly" day and bake etc. I know you will be tired from the acupuncture but perhaps a social afternoon will be good.

MG you certainly have come a long way. This time last year Lara was heading off, OO was getting us all het up about football kits, you was doing the rounds of the tv studios to drum up interest. Claire was just starting out on her business (where is she by the way?). What a year of ups and downs it has been but always a postive person around to boot us up the arris when needed.
By the way FW you are the nicest book I have ever come across.

maryb

Marru,

It may seem counter intuitive but having done the leisure centre party thing in the past, I would say it is MORE work than catering yourself. You have to get them to order in advance and keep a careful note of who ordered burgers and who ordered chicken nuggets etc and trying to sort it all out when the food arrives and they are all totally hyper is a complete nightmare

They really don't eat very much at that age and it needs to be small - not least because they will only take one bite and then drop it. Cocktail sausages can be done well in advance also pinwheel sandwiches with ham and Philly cheese (flatten a slice of bread with a rolling pin, spread with cheese and ham, roll up like a Swiss roll, and slice into bite size slices). That plus mini sausage rolls from M&S can be frozen. Get some mini muffin cases and make chocolate mini fairy cakes, put a dab of buttercream icing on top and top with a Smartie. Again, that can all be frozen. Add lots of crisps and hula hoops.

Serve on silver foil serving platters from the pound shop. You can put the stuff on in advance and cover with cling wrap to transport.

Buy a birthday cake!!!! Don't even think of making one.

Party bags - go to Sainsbugs and buy multi packs of Maltesers and Mars bars and split them up, one each per bag. Add a balloon and a small toy from the pound shop. A bottle of bubble blowing mix is good. If all the guests are little girls you also need something sparkly from Claire's Accessories or Primark - glittery pencils always went down well. Add a slice of birthday cake wrapped in a bright colour paper napkin just before they go home. Then cut down the blown up balloons that you used to decorate the room and give everyone a blown up balloon to take home

That is plenty - they never eat or play with what is in the party bag once they get home anyway so you just want enough to make the bag feel nice and full

Alisonpennypincher

Marru - When i "catered" for DS 6th birhtday party last year, i kept it really simple, we did a couple of french sticks cut into small portions spread with butter, some carrott sticks, sausage rolls, some crisps, fairy cakes. I know that sounds quite unhealthy, but we figured it was a party so it would not matter too much on one occasion. We also kept it as simple as possible (hence the bread and butter) as i knew some children (mine included) could be quite fussy. Total cost was about £20.00 and we fed 30 children comfortably.

As for party bags, we went to poundland and home bargains, think that we included a small car (or hair clips for girls), pencil sharpener and eraser, colouring pencils, party popper and balloon, i can't remember the total cost of these but again it was minimal.

HTH
X

Dustykitten

Marru what time of day will any food be served? What is the activity. If it isn't a meal time then the kids will have had lunch and will be home for tea so I'd just go for crisps, biscuits and cakes, maybe a few sausages too.

Party bags - huge buy bear of mine. With my eldest being 17 and having 3 kids I've seen a fair few in my time. TBH the kids are rarely interested in anything other than sweets and now I find DS3's bags are simple sweets and he loves that. A clever mum made them cones of sweets, by cutting out cellophane and rolling it with the sweets in with ribbon to tie it - they looked great.

Busy few days here but all good. Hope to be around a bit more in the next few days.

Firewalker

Maru, we do roast chicken drumsticks and sandwiches (jam and butter, chocolate spread etc.). Last time I did home made pizza as well. It is cheaper but best of all it is so much nicer. All this does not take long - one hour max.

FW