Ideas for Lunch bags - 5yr old party

BAGGY

I am bucking the trend (which seems to be the norm at our school) and not supplying Mac D lunches for our boy's birthday party. Instead I have ordered white take away paper carriers and want to use them as lunch boxes.
So far I thought...
-A cup drink (dont approve but can't do with spilt squash from beakers)
-packet of cheap puffy crisp thingies
-jaffa cake and a tea cake
-poss piece of fruit. This will probably get wasted though?
- sausage/veggie roll
- cocktail sausage
- two sandwich quaters. I thought one cheese and one ham but I am sure we have people that wont eat ham so need to think of another cheep meat version. Any thoughts on marmite as this is veggie ? My two don't like it but not sure if they are wierd as it's lush. Also cheese is expensive and apt to fall out the sandwich easily so I wondered if basics philadelphia was the way to go.
I have potetially invite 60 kid (Mad! But I bit the bullet for the first year) so need this on the cheap.
What do we think of the menu?

Ta

LE3

I would do jam instead of ham, then you don't have to worry about vegetarians etc
instead of a cup drink, could you do a juice box? apple juice is popular with children of that age
skip the fruit & pop in a cherry tomato or two instead
skip the sausage roll, jaffa cake & teacake and add a small yogurt instead with a plastic spoon - more familiar to a lot of children!

oh, and reduce the numbers - 60 is a ridiculous number!

BAGGY

I realise 60 is a ridiculous number but having twins in different classes I just invited both classes. The hall is a set fee and so is the disco/entertainer. Like I said, hopefully, by nest year (year 1) they will have firm friends and we can take a couple of each to pizza or something.
I thought apple juice too - works out 15p a carton from aldi.
I thought the jaffa cake would offer some chocolate crud that is expected at parties. I am not doing a slice of cake to take home. I have bought Baker Boys cup cakes (75p for 6 at sainsbo) which I will add to a small cup of sweets and plastic toot and bag up.
Keep the ideas coming.

Katiehound

If there is a problem with sandwich contents could you have a pick & choose tray? A few alternatives to the ones in the bag such as egg.
Instead of a jaffa cake what about a small wrapped bar? Probably dearer but easier to handle, or 2 or 3 cadburys choc fingers or iced party biscuit. (not as messy as choc or cake icing)
A pack of own brand crisps? eg Sainsburys & Asda 68 pence for 12

my friend suggests:
a few carrot sticks (to go with sandwiches) in clingfilm
A few satsuma segments in clingfilm (2 healthy options!)
small box currants/sultanas

60 sounds a lot but the over heads would be the same for hall hire etc for smaller number.

However, will your children be invited to 60 parties as a result and will they be expected to bring a gift? I understand the going rate for gift giving is about £10 per head. Figures given me for upmarket part of London!!!!!!!!!

BAGGY

I do a fiver per gift with careful shopping or £7.50 if they are both invited. The problem with twins is sometimes you will get two invites on the same day for both boys but I do not speculate to accumilate. I would let them chose which to go to and rope in aunty/neice to take one boy.
Thanks for your replies.

savingmonkey

I have done lunch bags before for my daughter's party. I did:
Slice of crusty bread (I used a tiger loaf I think) with butter on
Piece of cheese
Couple of mini sausages
grapes
small yogurt
box of raisins
Apple juice carton

I put out some crisps in bowls for them to share and they had birthday cake for afterwards so I didn't put anything extra in there for 'pudding'.

My 2 girls like soft cheese sandwiches which I think would be a good choice if you don't want to use cheese. I think marmite is too risky (I have one child hates it, the other loves it!). Jam would also be good. I would just put one sweet treat in there, a wrapped biscuit or cupcake.

moneysavingmumofone

I dont think the fruit would get wasted, at all of my DS' parties the grapes always get eaten very quickly! I always buy cup drinks for parties as one drink is never enough (each party its averaged around 3 drinks per child) as they are running around and getting hot, so cheap this way and no spillages! I usually buy value rolls (35p for 12 ish) and do ham and cheese. (seperately, not together) I dont use the orange plastic stuff, I use the tesco value cheddar slices which are £1.47 for 10 slices. If doing rolls you can easily half the slices.

Chris25

mini sausages & grapes always seem to go down well - as do jaffa cakes boxes of raisins could work to be expensive for that many children - as someone else said, portions of satsumas would be good.

Melon78

Having a party for my daughters 5th birthday in a couple of weeks. It's a joint party with one of her best friends, it's a party in a hall with MAD Academy. Got boxes for their od, putting in 2 cheese sandwiches, 2 jam sandwiches, grapes and a bag of iced gems. Going to also have big bowls f crisps on the table. Drinks wise, paper cups with a choice of orange or black currant squash.

Hope that helps

lil.smartie

How about the tube yogurts? no spoon then agree that grapes will be eaten, my 4yr old loves nutella sandwiches so how about choc spread (no nuts to worry about allergies either!)

Kate

BAGGY

Great ideas guys. Thanks
So far I have cup drinks (and spare squash), cheap breakaway biscuits (thanks to a link here about morrisons doing 100% free), basics jaffa cakes, cheesy sausage style rolls. Packet of puffy crisps (20 for £1 - bargain)
On satuday I am going to Lidls to get 1/2 price cheese which I will grate with mayo so that it sticks in the sandwich/roll.
Dont really want to do another sweet sandwich as I have biscuits and their party bags has sweets too. Perhaps egg would be an idea?
Also need to get fruit. The take away bags have come so I think I may be sorted. Packed up 40 paper cups with gifts and sweets and a cup cake as a goody bag.
I am sure I am forgetting something really important...........