Cut up fruit with a marshmallow dip (see allrecipes.com) is always fun, especially if the fruit is on toothpicks and the dip is colored pink or something. Then it might be fun to and let the girls make their own tea party style sandwiches. Put out slices of bread, sliced ham, pb&j, cheese, etc. And then put a variety of cookie cutters on the table.

Cut up fruit with a marshmallow dip (see allrecipes.com) is always fun, especially if the fruit is on toothpicks and the dip is colored pink or something. Then it might be fun to and let the girls make their own tea party style sandwiches. Put out slices of bread, sliced ham, pb&j, cheese, etc. And then put a variety of cookie cutters on the table.

Love, love, love the idea of having them make their own tea sandwiches! They will have so much fun doing that. The fruit and pink dip is neat also. Serve punch in fancy tea cups for a real "tea party" feel.

We had a Mad Hatter's Tea Party last year at our house, but I really like the idea of the kids making their own sandwiches. I was planning on making fruit ka-bobs as well. The party is Friday from 5-7 pm, will sandwiches be ok for that time of day?
I think I'll serve pickles and olives with the sandwiches. My daughter asked me to send her a pickle in her lunch box this week, and then she told me all the kids at her table had them too by the end of the week. Kids LOVE pickles.
What do you think?

I had a tea party for my DD's birthday, may have actually been her 7th, and I just made the sandwiches ahead of time (with crust removed and cut up into quarters, of course!). I think I had pb&j, bologna (which was the most popular choice!), and one other, maybe ham & cheese.

Fruit kabobs sound cute, too.

polly -I think the only problem with fruit kabobs is that you'll probably have a 'double-dipping' problem... If you add the pickels, I think that will be plenty of food, yes, even for a Friday night.

BFF's daughter had a "Fancy Nancy" tea party themed birthday party, where they served both pre-cut tea sandwiches and fruit kabobs. Pink punch and petit-fours, too. Huge hit with all the girls. Double dipping isn't a problem if you have an adult posted by the food table helping scoop some of the dip out onto the girl's plates.

I know you asked for healthy stuff, but in case anyone else needs an idea: I had some friends over and made nice gourmet pizzas for the grownups, and mac-n-cheese and hot dog pizzas for the kids. No kidding, it sounds HORRIBLE, but it's actually really tasty. Just spread Kraft on the crust, slice up hot dogs on top, and bake. (You can also use corn dogs, that was the original kind that I tasted, sort of as a joke, but wow, it was good! So I made my own when we had little boys for company.)

As charming as it sounds, I would not want 12 7-year-old kids trying to make sandwiches. Mixed levels of motor skills and licking fingers just donâÂÂt grab me.

I would think about things pre-made, all appetizer size, and then let the kids do a buffet. Bagel Bites, cheese quesadillas cut into triangles, mild salsa ina a bowl to scoop, mini hot dogs, mac and cheese dished into small plastic beverage cups, fresh veggies on a tray with some dip, fresh fruit with little cups of fruit dipping sauce for them to take.

Also remember that 7 year olds are pretty excitable at parties, and may not eat all that much. I never sent my kids when they were that young expecting them to eat a real meal. Too much going on!

As for parents complaining about their kids not getting healthy meals at a birthday party, I honestly just shake my head. It is ONE time, here and there. Wait until they find out that their kids are throwing away their sandwiches and just eating the fruit and graham cracker they sent, or are trading their healthy sandwich for some kidâÂÂs Fluffernutter. LOL

Les- brilliant! I'm going to costco for bagel bites, cocktail weiners, tater tots, and other "kid friendly" hors deourves.

Thanks everyone!!!!!

Oooh I like Les's menu! (I'd eat that myself LOL). However, I do like the idea of the cookie cutters and the sandwiches and think it's be fun for the kids. You could do the sandwiches ahead of time (make them) and then just let each child cut shapes out of her sandwich.

Good luck!

tina

It's your house...serve what you want. The other parents can serve lettuce, sea weed and tofu at their childs party.

Ds goes to a preschool and one of the kids actually had the above in his lunch. He was actually stealing ds's lunch regularly. The other parents sent me a list of the things they like their son to have so I could include it in ds's box for him to enjoy verses the things he normally gets so that their poor little guy wouldn't feel the need to steal my sons lunch. Ya...he has an eating disorder.....seaweed will really help that!

My solution...I send extra goodies with ds so he does not lose it all to the poor kid (who really is a lovely kid).