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So, should I revamp the entire menu?
I posted below about suggestions for our daughter's first birthday party menu. The theme is Very Hungry Caterpillar and we were going with the foods the the caterpillare ate through in the book. I thought it was a well-known book and people would get the theme - perhaps I was wrong. Here's what we were planning on having for 15 people:
Deli tray (make your own sandwiches) with bread/buns and condiments
Homemade Mac and Cheese
Veggie Tray
Fruit Tray
Garden salad with homemade balsamic and ranch dressings
Cake/ice cream
I'm wondering if I should go with more "group friendly" foods. Be honest - what would you take out? What would you leave? Should I just start from scratch?I want to get the entire menu planned by Thursday so I can do my shopping that night!
Re: So, should I revamp the entire menu?
I think it's fair to say that most people are familiar with the VHC, but it's not fair to think that most people know off the top of their heads what the caterpillar ate his way through. If I were in your kitchen, I certainly wouldn't know unless you specifically told me that the peculiar spread of food in front of me directly referenced the book.
I agree with the last respondent to your original post who said to pick up the theme in your decor and invitations, but to just serve a regular meal. Make construction paper caterpillars, serve cupcakes with gummy worms, whatever little subtle things you can think of. Your regular meal menu now sounds just fine.
I was thinking maybe to salvage your VHC idea you could make little individual plates for the kids with one bite of each thing the caterpillar ate... But this is for your DD's 1st bday, right? Well, she sure doesn't have any idea what the caterpillar ate... How about the rest of the kids? I don't know what a 5 year old does and doesn't know. Nah, I think maybe abandon the themed food idea altogether and just serve a regular meal.
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Whoops - I forgot to add that I scanned pictures from the book and made them into cardstock cards. I'm planning on putting the pictures around the food table (mostly for decorations) that shows the food that the caterpillar ate through by the actual food served. For example, a picture of the fruit by the fruit tray. The picture of the salami next to the deli tray. Etc....
The menu that I posted is still basically the "theme" menu, with homemade mac and cheese added.
I guess I'm really just second guessing myself with the menu. I never throw theme parties and am normally against having theme but decided to go for it this time since it's DD's favorite book. We had just a "normal" party for DS's first birthday and I feel like things really didn't flow well.
Cute! That makes it so much more cohesive.
Me too.
I wouldn't stress about your DS's bday. I think parents these days have insane expectations about what a party's supposed to be. A 1yo is supposed to have a pic taken in his high chair with cake all over his face. Grandparents are supposed to coo. The end. It need not look or feel like a Martha Stewart magazine shoot.
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While I have heard of the book, I do not know it at all.
This would certainly help! Plus, it is a fun idea. I was going to suggest buying a second copy of the book and tearing out the pages for this purpose! Stick with your menu - it is fun, people will have a good meal.
I think the menu sounds good now. The original just needed some other side. Some people get really hung up on making foods fit the theme they forget about people actually wanting to eat.
I love the idea of making the pictures. I also just pulled out the book to see what else was in there. What about some pickle spears? That would be an easy,cheap addition that would go great with the menu. For favors you could do lollipops (not that I think favors are necessary, I just thought that would be another easy and cheap add on).
Great idea for favors for people on the way out! I got copies of the book for the little kids there (under $2 on Amazon) and bug catchers/magnifiers for the 2 older kids that will be there.
Thanks again for your help, everyone!
Great idea! i will probably steal it for a birthday party in my baby's future - or at least the idea to base it on a book.
i really like that you are going to post some pictures of the foods. That will definitely tie it all together.
My sis did an underwater theme for one party and served submarine sandwiches, shell pasta salad, goldfish, and a few other things. I am pretty sure no one "got" it. Another friend did something similar but labeled everythign with a cute made-up name and everyone understood how it tied into the theme....