Birthday Party Food Order

I would do the most. You can always use the extra food or bring it to the office...but you don't want hungry people.

We threw lots of parties as daughter was growing up.

I always erred on having too much food. I'd rather have too much food rather than run out and have guests left with no food.

I prepared extra dishes and if it wasn't used at the party, people took some food home, I took extra to the school for teachers, etc.

Wow! 43 kids invited OMG!

I have always kept the parties smaller like 10 or 15 kids. The very first birthday party I had for my daughter was about 8 kids invited and only two showed up (3 rsvp'ed). I got enough pizza for one slice per kid and some extra for the parents. I ended up with so much left over since I wasn't sure if the other kids were coming or not.

After that I only got or made food for who rsvp'ed and it has worked well since. If I have a party at a specific location I will call people to make sure if they are coming or not, but we don't usually invite anyone we don't know personally. Since we home-school we don't have to consider an entire classroom of children.

To be honest, I couldn't fathom inviting that many kids. I also couldn't fathom inviting families where I wouldn't see and speak too the moms and get an actual answer. But we live different lives.

I'm kind of a meanie. I'd probably turn away people who failed to RSVP. I'd leave the guest list at the desk and literally have people check in. I'd then plan for 20.

I don't like this new world order where people are horrible guests.

You lost me at 43 kids being invited for a 5 year old. It sounds completely unmanageable.

If you can afford to invite that many kids, you must have prepared for the possible consequences. I don't know what your invitations said about feeding parents or having the stay vs. drop the kids and then come back for pick-up, so I can't answer you at all about feeding them. However, it sounds like you will need all those adults to stay for help in supervising, since you say most of the kids are under 5.

I feel strongly about RSVPs. I would order for those who accepted, and then look kind of surprised at each and every parent of each kid who shows up without having RSVP'd. I would say something like, "What a surprise to see you. I had no idea that Billy was coming since I never heard back from you. He's welcome to stay and I'll have to see what The Party Place can do about supplying food. I have no idea if they can handle that without notice." There's no way I would order food for 35 if I had 14 replies. No way.

That's assuming that you used some reliable form of invitations - mailed invites, or e-vites. Parents who invite by expecting preschool or other teachers to stuff backpacks with invitations which then get left at the bottom underneath spilled juice and old Goldfish crackers can't expect that the invitations were ever found to begin with.

Good luck.

We always have enough food for everyone who was invited. Even though you have 8 declines you never know about siblings, parents or kids who eat a lot.

Pizza is cheap and makes good leftovers. Figure out how many slices per pie and multiply. A trick with little kids is to cut each slice in two. They are usually huge and that will cut down on waste.

When you're going big in the party way running out of food is awful!

Well, we did a 5 year birthday party for my son September 12th. We invited 40 children and on the 10th I had 15 RSVPs for yes. The party was a pool party at my house! So I went to Party City and bought my "goodie bag" stuff - using the number 20. We had 27 kids! I had a few of the rsvps for yes end up bringing siblings and had 6 people rsvp on the 11th. The party was 11-1 and I had someone call at 8:30am saying "our plans have changed, can my daughter still attend" - and then the infamous just show ups!

Good luck! C.

Before you make a decision on food I would start calling, texting, emailing the people you haven't heard from. Make people give you an answer. Even after that you may have a few who still don't show or a few extras, but I'd get your "maybe" list down from 21.

I would assume 1 slice per kid. Count the all the kids you invited minus the declined.
And, for the record, I'd probably decline a party like that for a 5 year old. That's way out of control. My kids would be lost in the chaos and never even have contact with the birthday child, and I would wonder if the birthday kid even knew my kid was there. :/

We did pizza for 6 year olds once, and the kids roughly at one piece of pizza (triangular) each - we also had some garlic fingers so some kids had a few of those also. There were kid who did not like pizza (the tomato sauce) so this turned out to be a good back up plan.

I am guessing you'll have more people come than the 14. I would probably go for the 35 and any extra the parents can have. Or take home (or hand out).

Good luck :)

i.....
i can't even........
43 kids?
to a 5 year old's party?
i mean, obviously you plan for 35 and expect leftovers.
but........
::::::::head whirling::::::::::
khairete
S.

I'm more in favor of ordering more than not enough. Last year my son went to a birthday party that we did RSVP for which they ended up having enough food. However, they only had a few goodie bags for the guest. Some parents who also brought their sibilings to the party took a goodie bag and my son didn't get one. I was so happy with him, he first asked where they were, and I saw they were already gone, so I said they ran out. He was like, that's okay. I asked him if he had fun and he did. That's really what it is about not getting a gift.
I will add something I thought was a good idea I've been copying at my parties now. At one party I went too, the mother had goodie bags and inside was a hand written "Thank You" note for coming by her son.
Hope your party is a success, I wish parents would RSVP and not wait until the last minute.

I have only ever ordered food for the invited guests who have RSVP'd that they are coming. The odd time I had a last minute RSVP, the venue has easily been able to accommodate one more guest. I have never invited that many kids to a party though. I keep party invites to my kids friends, that is only the kids they see outside of school, so I haven't really had any big issues with people not RSVPing. I also have kids dropped off, so I don't worry about accommodating parents and siblings. I would probably start calling the outstanding invitees and asking them if they will be coming so you can order the food.

I would have put a "please RSVP by whatever date". Then I would use that number to determine how much food to order. If it's pizza, you can freeze the extra so no biggie. I would order for 20. Good luck.

Do you have an extra helper (your sister or mom)? Ask the pizza place to cut the slices on half. Most 5 year olds do not eat much.

I would follow up with the guests. Also are you counting the siblings who may show up (so 20 families), or did you invite 43 kids from 43 different families?

Updated

Do you have an extra helper (your sister or mom)? Ask the pizza place to cut the slices on half. Most 5 year olds do not eat much.

I would follow up with the guests. Also are you counting the siblings who may show up (so 20 families), or did you invite 43 kids from 43 different families?