Tacos are good, we also like to do kabob's on the bbq. Set out your ingredients and let the kids pick out what they want on theirs, and maybe even let them help assemble them.

Do you have an out door stone pizza oven. Foodies love those and kids love pizza!! As suggested above set out ingredients let everyone build their own.

I agree, and fruit kebabs are always fun and most kids that age I know love pickup food. Watermelon, cantaloupe, grapes, strawberries. Easy stuff and pretty. You can put some cheese cubes in too but if you decide on pizzas that might be enough cheese.

Thanks, everyone.

The kabob idea is a good one! But, I always find that i really need to cook each ingredient on its own skewer for proper doneness. Not as pretty or as fun. : (

As for tzatziki, we just got back yesterday from 2 weeks in Greece and my family probably had it twice a day. We love it and I often make it but we prob would rather not see it for a while just now!

Arcy, I do not have an outdoor pizza oven. But I really like that idea; who doesn't love pizza? I am going to experiment today with a stone on the grill.

Has anyone tried this method? (on a gas grill?)https://www.bonappetit.com/test-kitchen/how-to/article/how-to-make-grilled-pizza

Right now my preliminary menu is a big tossed green salad, and a pizza bar (some of the toppings there could also be added to one's salad). For dessert, my one DD is dying for key lime tartlets so she will make those. And I will do a choc fondue as well, w fresh fruit.

I hope my pizza works!

Grilled pizza is fabulous, and you don't need a stone, either. (I always thought that the dough would fall through without a stone, but no, it stiffens up as soon as it hits the grill.) Smitten Kitchen has great ideas about grilled pizza.

Hi VC, I read that, too. But it seems that, if you do not use a stone, you need to precook the pizza before you add toppings, and then flip it. That might taste even better taste-wise but it will add complexity, since I want the kids to be able to "play" with rolling out their own dough. So I'm going to try just it w my stone.

You can always use a cast-iron griddle as well as your stone, to be able to cook more than one pizza. They work great as pizza stones.

You could make (or the kids assemble) individual nachos in a muffin tin. Layer the nachos, cheese, olives, tomatoes etc. Or use taco shells and stuff them, again in a muffin tin.

Pizza sounds great.

In case you need other ideas, a side dish of cheesy pasting is always welcome. Make pastina as if it were rice, using chicken broth instead of water. Add a handful of mozzarella and a knob of butter at the end. My kids adored this.

Cut up tomatoes with olive oil, balsamic dressing, basil and bite sized mozzarella .

If they truly are foodies, individual foil packets from the grill of small shrimp, garlic, basil and olive oil. My kids loved these at a very young age.

For dessert maybe have a tray of kid sushi. Rice crispy treats cut into small rectangles with a Swedish fish on top, tied with fruit by the foot. Lots of cute ideas on the web. I made it with my daughter years ago, but the photo was on photo bucket and thus probably lost forever.

ETA--found the photo!

Did you make those, Jojoco? So darn cute. They look like fun to make too. I know someone who would love them.

For this event, I don't know the parents well enough to know how they feel about candy and RK treats; i know plenty of parents who try very hard to keep their kids away from those things, esp under 5. Without getting into the pros and cons of that, I try to avoid serving those things to kids just in case. : )

Jo, the cherry tomatoes and any other small veggies are a great idea too. Our grand kids could inhale a raw veggie platter as a snack.

Yes, the thing I like about having a simple green salad and a pizza bar is so many veggies can go either way! I will be sure to slice them very thin and/or partially precook.

I have never heard of pasting, but it sounds yummy!

Pizza sound perfect for an older toddler, but not a 1yo to almost 2yo. Do you know if anyone is a picky eater? Our grandson ate anything and everything as a young toddler (steamed veggies, zoodles, sushi, avocado) where our granddaughter only wanted the same thing over and over.

They are 4, not 1 and 2. I inquired and was told they eat everything but pork.

Kids are funny, they do seem to be born with some pretty strong preferences. One of our kids would not eat bread (!?) as a toddler. We had a restaurant we used to frequent and when we came in they would always serve us a bread basket and a "kids plate," named after us, of sliced fresh mango and cucumbers!

When DD had sleepovers with her little friends, when we made DIY pizzas, I used to finish them off with each child’s initials or hearts etc made from strips of bell pepper on top to identify which was whose. The girls got a kick out of this.

I was going to suggest make whatever you'd like for dinner but have a sundae dessert bar for the kids afterward, because kids seem to remember dessert so much more. But... you're right in refraining from sweets without knowing the parents' preferences for their kids. I have nieces in the age range of your young guests, and their parents would much prefer fruit kabobs or something healthier for dessert. Many parents seem to be much more aware of sugar consumption, which is a good thing.

I like the DIY pizza idea. Engaging, fun, interactive, and you can make the kids' pizzas first and get them started, if the dynamics are working that way.

Mtn, my daughter made those in the picture when she was 10 with very little help from me. Pastina (finally, no auto-correct) looks like teensy stars. It was a staple for my toddlers.

I've done tacos with kids, and it works really well. Marinate some beef for grilling and slice it for serving. Offer bowls and bowls full of chopped onion, shredded cheese, avocado, lime wedges, salsa fresca, cilantro, etc.. Of course, when I've done that, I always served the same thing to the adults.

Are you planning on cooking outdoors?

I wonder how the parents feel about marshmallows? Just 2 make a fine dessert, even without the Hershey bar and graham cracker.

So glad other's could advise on the HOW with the pizza. I only hear what my more hip co-workers do!! LOL.

A build your own pizza bar is a great idea....but so is "stuff on a stick"....can be meats and vegetables to be grilled, but also just "stuff" to maybe dipped or brushed or drizzled. Bits of tomato and cucumber and perhaps cauliflower alternated with cheese cubes and maybe some salami slices, and drizzled with...ranch or a dijon vinaigrette or thousand island dressing....and perhaps followed with a stick and some fruits and marshmallows and cubes of pound cake or angelfood cake with a frosting spread or dip.
I have found kids love anything on a stick...a friend used to make many fancy toddler meals with things like hot dogs and meatballs intersperced with cooked carrots and potatoes....snipped the point off the skewer and it was a dinner popsicle...but not frozen!

You're serving the adults and kids the same thing, right? Are the kids eating at the same table with the adults/your kids? I know your kids are older, too old for a kids' table unless one of them is "babysitting".

"...because kids seem to remember dessert so much more."

Very true...and so do lots of adults.

mtnrdredux, we have a 4-yr-old grandson who would love the pizza bar. Something I've found to be a popular dessert, especially for outdoor gatherings, are homemade ice cream sandwiches. That goes for adults and kids.

Do you have a nearby pizza place that hand tosses pizza? You could hire one of their pizzaiolo to throw some dough, the kids would be thrilled but also want to toss their own :D

Your settled menu sounds great. Fun, laid back and family friendly.

As to your original question, however, if the parents are foodies do they actually limit what they feed the children? The kids I know, even the picky ones, will eat pretty much anything good (except for their particular prejudices). With kids you don't know, I'd say stay away from anything overly bitter, hot spicy, stinky or otherwise challenging even to many adults, and also from fin fish or bivalves because there are so many pitfalls there. Other than that, go for it. Just like anyone, kids like to know what they're getting into, so "what is that?" can be answered with simple descriptions that refer to common foods they know, and adjectives such as "sweeter" or "lots of flavor" (never say "spice", say flavor unless it's hot).

You could have a few spare, small balls of dough for the children to play with while the pizza cooks. They do this locally, and at Mexican restaurants tortilla dough. Our grands always enjoy.

Four year old kids eat anything as long as it's mac and cheese and chicken nuggets, and maybe apple slices,

Though they love to graze - a "buffet" with finger foods that they can choose for themselves - cheese, meats, fruits, dips, chips, pretzels, etc - little kid appetizers.

Same goes for desserts for the little guys - mini cupcakes or cookies, or mini ice cream cones.

fruit pizza for dessert?

My grandsons love mini burgers served in a wooden platter with dips for the chips / fries to you! Lol

They also love mini brochettes of chicken that I cook then marinade in soy sauce, maple syrup and garlic.

They love fruit brochettes, preferably with some chocolate sauce, and they love ice cream in a cornet.

I don't think 4 year old is a foodie, they are just more or less picky. Ours almost spicy because they've always been offered it. I'd stick with old favourites.

Grilled pizzas sound divine for both kids and adults! I cannot fathom not offering some sort of dessert, however. Any parent who is so uptight as to deny their 4 year old (which is *very* different from a toddler-a 4 year old is almost in school & not at all like a one or two year old) something delicious like homemade ice cream at a party is in for a world of hurt as they grow and become their own people. It’s not like you would serve bowls of red dye topped with sour patch kids, lol! You probably could even make ice cream with organic honey as the sweetener I would imagine. If the parents aren’t on board with that, they are going to have REAL problems when the cuties start getting invited to birthday parties. “Yes, Sinclair, you may go to Susie’s party, but no cake & ice cream for you. I’ll pack your organic wheat crackers to eat after they sing ‘Happy Birthday!’” Yeah, good luck with that, lol. Moderation is key in all things, especially child-rearing. I bet they are more laid back than you think, at least I hope so! Otherwise, they don’t sound like a fun group to party with. :)

Menu sounds great in preliminary state. Pizza bar, salad, key lime tartlets, fresh fruit fondue. Mise en place, all prep ahead stuff. Just the dough can be fussy to work with so that is the only chore but fun to do with all your guests.

I respect my friends desires to not serve/offer junk food to their children.

Maybe one non-carb loaded protein beyond the pizza. I had an extensive menu July 5th but one easy prep-ahead was a scallop wrapped in shrimp. Nice addition to the salad bar. (I also had a salmon strip pinwheeled around the scallop before the shrimp but not necessary). Anything easy that can share the grill realestate at the same time as the pizza.

This was cast iron seared a few weeks ago but works well on the grill and the cook time is spot on unlike some kabobs.

I can’t imagine anyone here would be on-board with serving junk food to any guest, child or adult, lol. I would imagine homemade ice cream could be just as healthy in terms of sugar, fat, carbs as key lime tartlets and fruit fondue, and might be more fun for children in the summertime. Just saying! :)

I was referring to the OP and being hesitant to offer too much sugar that falls in the junky arena.

I cannot fathom not offering some sort of dessert, however. Any parent who is so uptight as to deny their 4 year old ...

Two sweets are being offered. You did not bother to read the copy. No parent is uptight if they avoid unnecessary sugars when under 5yrs old. No doubt they will have plenty of time later on for Oreos and cake. Setting an example at home can often avoid sugar addiction later on. Seems to be working in my fun crowd.

Well, I don't consider 4 years old a toddler. As far as food, my oldest son's three kids were eating anything and everything their Dad ate by at least age three. At two you had to help cut, but by 4, they cut their own meat. It did not matter what cuisine. The only limit is dairy, nut, and fish free for the oldest. (Stage 5, out of 5, allergic. EPI Pen/ trip to ER allergic.) My youngest son's two kids eat McDonald's, Domino's pepperoni pizza, any and all junk food, and the dreaded frozen chicken nuggets. I have to have plain canned green beans and plain canned corn for them at Thanksgiving and they only pick at those.

All are extremely healthy, so you go figure.

ETA: And no, the junk food junkies are in no way fat.

Given the current state of U.S. public health, I applaud any parent who coaches their children on health and good nutrition. As a host, I wouldn't want to make their jobs any more difficult. The OP's thoughtfulness in her offerings, as well as her consideration of the potential desires of the parents, is right on target, IMO.

My point was, just serve what the kids normally eat. Do not over think the good-for-you debate. My first set of grandchildren would eat the most gourmet whatever. The second set would not. It is the parents choice and I follow what they want to do. (As our parents did with our kids.)

The first set would of been insulted to not be served EXACTLY what the adults were eating and the second set would have been insulted to not be served what they considered food.

It is only the parents job to define what the two sets are.

Just a little note on the sugar thing: A couple in my circle were very strict about exactly what their children ate at holiday parties. They don't have illnesses or allergies. As best I know, they didn't have dental issues and they're genetically slender. It was just super-interventional monitoring of stray sweets, food choices, etc. Those kids, who were always very well behaved in other ways, became sneaky and greedy. They'd grab some kind of candy or cookies which were out for the company to pick at--not a heap, just sort of the larger side of a normal portion--and scoot off and hide with their treasure to eat it, away from parental eyes. Teaching good habits for kids is a good idea. Controlling leads to backlash.

I think what the OP chose for sweets is smart. A four year old might like a key lime tartlet, and the parents might approve. Or the four year old might like to lick the filling off a small section of tartlet and leave the crust, or scrape the filling (perhaps with mom aid) onto the plate and just eat the crust. Some do and some don't like fruit, and some do or don't like chocolate, but most like dipping stuff, so the fondue is a great choice as well. Both sound easy for the parents to monitor. I'm not sure why this is a huge issue. Little kids are often wound up at parties and if they sit still long enough to eat enough so they don't wake up hungry in the middle of the night, you're doing well. Most can't wait around for dessert and wander off to play when they're done eating unless they're forbidden to leave the table.

Love the title of this thread ...

I think of the gingerbread house and Hansel and Gretel... tasty little morsels

Follow-up.

Food is a funny thing. There are very strong cultural,regional, ethnic and class components that influence what people eat. I'm not really interested in debating them, but I have certainly observed them. Most parents I know really try to limit added sugar, especially at the youngest ages, and would never serve soda or fast food to children (or really anyone; these foods are reviled). Some are more doctrinaire than others, which is not my business.

When I have guests of any age, I try to make things they would enjoy (hence the post) but that are also relatively healthy. Most anyone appreciates eating healthy ... so long as it tastes good.

Also, I never said the 4yr olds were foodies, I said the parents are. And it is a dinner party, not a "party" so it was a fairly calm affair and we all ate together and all ate the same thing.

So, anyway. I tried out the grilled pizza recipe and it was, in DH's words an "unmitigated disaster." I could not get the dough as thin as i wanted, and when I got the grill to 500 as per the recipe, the bottom burned well before the top and inside were cooked. I tried several iterations and lowered the heat a few times but never got a crust I liked.Good thing I tested it!

Instead, i used flour tortillas (btw the brand below is very good if you have not tried it). I brushed each side w olive oil and put them on the grill until they were just golden and started to puff up. Then everyone grabbed one and put what they wanted on it. I had a large assortment of cheeses, meats and veggies, and a large green salad. The finished "pizza" went back on the grill long enough to make the cheese bubbly.

I had to laugh at one of the 4yr olds who I helped "decorate" her pizza. I had fresh mozzarella, fresh ricotta, shredded mozzarella, shaved parmesan, and a TJ 4-cheese blend. I asked her what kind of cheese she liked. Her reply? "Manchego." LOL maybe there are 4yo foodies!

Only grown ups ate the key lime tartlets, as expected. The fondue was delish and very very popular w the kids. I had strawb, kiwi, banana, ladyfingers and graham crackers. All in all the menu was a hit. I will have to try pizza dough on the grill another time!

PS In the past I made my own flour tortillas, or got them from a local restaurant; the supermarket ones were too pasty to me. But these are really quite good.

Pizza Crust: I LOVE Gyros. In small town MN the only way to get one was at the county fair once a year or the fall Art Fair--food trucks. Then I stumbled on kits in the frozen foods section. The Pita bread in them has much to be desired as they don't bend well. When I looked at the calorie count I was SHOCKED. I then found a low carb tortilla and now we sub it out. Cuts the calories in half!!! THEN (here's the pizza connection) I keep the pita and use it for build your own pizzas. They are perfect for that application!! I suspect these are MUCH healthier choice than back in the day when having a party bday party for grade school kids I used refrigerator biscuits that I rolled out to individual sized crusts and pre-baked them.

Arcy, I was thinking about pitas, too, when i was flailing about for a solution to my dough fiasco. Good to know!

PS what is the gyro meat like in the kits. I love gyros too. Oddly, I did not see *any* in Greece. Left me wanting them even more.

The sauce and meat--tastes just like the Fair typ they have the spices down. Not sure if it is beef or lamb but sure seems like lamb. The meat are slices and always very generous! We fry up peppers and find other add ons. Aldi's has the best priced kits..but WalMart and Cash Wise have them too and we found them all to be of equal quality.

Gyros, in my experience, are usually beef and lamb together, though can be made of anything. It's a form of shwarma, though there are approximations that can be made meatloaf style at home. I think it's fascinating that they sell kits for what is basically street food. :)

CORRECT pillog and isn't it FABULOUS!!! I can get a box of 3-5 for what ONE at the fair costs!! ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT! I have a couple in the freezer for those days when I have nothing to serve for lunch or I have a house FULL and am overwhelmed about all the meals.

Will have to look for the kit..

Thanks for such a good update, mtnrdredux! I'm glad the tortillas worked out okay. Loved the Manchego comment from the 4-yr-old.

LOVE good gyros but have yet to see a kit. I've seen these packages at TJ's but never tried any.

Thanks for the update mtn! Sounds like a really fun dinner for all. LOL at the manchego comment - they are foodies!

I try to feed my tot about 95% healthy but allow treats every once in awhile per Ellyn Satter (basically no forbidden foods but learning to eat all foods in moderation and healthy amounts). https://www.ellynsatterinstitute.org/

Since I started reading ESI my inlaws have remarked a few times that I'm loosening up a bit with food and Emmett, haha, so it has changed my approach.

Example - feeding your toddler:

https://www.ellynsatterinstitute.org/how-to-feed/child-feeding-ages-and-stages/

"After eating enthusiastically as an almost-toddler, your toddler’s eating will suddenly become cautious, erratic, picky, and fickle. Many times, she will only eat a few tastes, swallows, finger-fulls, or bites. Other times, she will eat more than you can imagine. Do not try in any way to get her to eat. Instead, give her both clear leadership and a sense of control."