First Birthday Party - Apex, NC

I ordered food from Subway for my daughters b-day last yr. They supplied everything from napkins to mustard....It was nice to not have to do anything at all! It really didn't cost that much either.

On my oldest 2nd b-day party I had a big bowl of pasta. I did this because it is the only thing Jack will eat and it was his party. Also because its will be family only you could ask everyone to bring something. Hot dogs are great too. Good luck. I have to plan my youngest 1st b-day party in July.

If you want a meal, chili, hot dogs, baked bean, and potato salad would be easy and less expensive. You can crock pot the chili, baked beans, and weiners, and put the potato salad in a cass. dish on ice for cooling. Everyting is easy transport and will stay hot or cold as needed. The items are not very costly either.
If you want snack foods, chips and assorted dips, fresh fruit bowls, and cracker meat trays are the way I would go.
Have fun this only happens once! M.

HI H., this is something that I did every year for our kids including "renting" the park. Hamburgers, hotdogs and chicken are so easy I have a great recipe for chicken if you need one quick & easy and nothing they've had before. Then your salads that you can make the night before. The dollar stores have large plastic bowls (cheaper than the party stores) so you fill bottoms with ice and drop the salad bowls inside for freshness. Potato salad, macaroni or veggie salad and perhaps coleslaw ( I have quickies for those too) and with the cake a nice fruit salad is always a hit. If you're not a cake decorator, BJ's & sam's clubs make wonderful affordable cakes that everyone seems to enjoy I do half chocolate and half yellow or white cake ( you know your family)To save on drinks, saving milk gallon jugs and then making kool aid,lemonade,ice tea ahead and bringing them makes it a breeze We've found that individual drinks are always wasted other than juice boxes for the little ones tucked in a cooler that they can reach. Keep in mind if this is going to be a yearly event it's well worth picking up some of your chafing dishes which you'll use time and time again
Remember with your salads NO FOIL..you'll want a few bags of assorted chips to pick out while the grills going too.
Hope this is helpful I also did party planning for years so if you need help with anything else drop me a note
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HAVE FUN :)

Hot dogs, chips, and macaroni salad or potato salad are easy. Or instead of one of the salads get some water melon cut it up goes over great with the kids.

Birthday's are so much fun~~~ and stressful!! For my daughter's 1st birthday we grilled out with hotdogs and burgers. The downside was that my hubby was cooking over the grill and missed alot of the adult conversation. Since then, we've done parties with pizza (pizza hut $5 a piece) and a nugget tray from Chic-filet (b/c my other daughter is allergic to cheese), chips and juice boxes and soda and water bottles for the adults. We also do cake and ice cream sandwiches. The ice cream sandwiches are so much more fun and you don't have to worry about spoons and bowls. Don't forget to bring her a special little cake. Walmart bakery gives you a small cake for free if you buy a sheet cake and tell them it's for a 1st b-day. Also, don't forget to bring a high chair and extra baby wipes!!! Have fun and don't stress out too much. It's all about her special day and having fun with family and friends. Take lots of pics and try to video her eating her cake. A few balloons around the picnic area would be cute too. It's really hard not to go overboard, so my hubby and I talked about how much we were willing to spend on a party. We decided that since birthdays can be very costly (esp. with 3 kids) and they get so many presents from friends and family anyway~~~we consider the special party THE special gift from mommy and daddy. We don't buy our children a gift to open that day. That is also another way that you could save. I hope you have tons of fun!!!

Birthday parties are so stressful. Just keep in mind that this is for your one year old and she isn't going to remember it anyway. I would go with something like hotdogs or sandwhiches. Most people will have already eaten lunch so you shouldn't stress yourself or your budget over alot of food. Have chips and dip. Also bringing ice cream cups is alot easier than bringing a gallon and having to scoop it out. Good luck. Remeber that the easier this is for you the better time you will have and that's what it is all about!

We always go overboard for the b-day's! I have for 2 years running. Its really all about the kids, so have cake and ice cream, and maybe some chips. Since its in the middle of the day, most people would have already had lunch, and most parents don't want their kids appetite spoiled for dinner.
If there are a lot of adults, you may have 1 or 2 things they would prefer over the "kid food", but ... take it from me... I spent like $200 on my son's first b-day--not counting his presents!
I went way overboard. Do yourself a favor, don't sweat it so much. As long as the kids are happy, and the parents can have a drink or something, they are fine.

I always have fresh fruit and veggies cut up for my kids birthdays. If there is a grill near the shelter you could make hot dogs. If not then take some lunch meat and let people make their own sandwich or wrap. Think of it as a big picnic. Have fun!

I had my oldest daughters 1st and 2nd at a local park and it was great!!!! I think that is a great idea. When I invited everyone in our family I delegated food items for each member to bring. For example ours was a cook out them. I provided the hot dogs and hamburgers and every one else brought the salads, baked beans, buns and so on. Our family is real close and everyone was glad to chip in and help. This is one way you could do it. Good Luck and take plenty of pics!!!!!!!!!!! Oh by the way make sure you get a small cake for your daughter just to "dig" into that makes the best pictures!!!!!

H.,
Since it is the first birthday party--keep it simple. The children will probably enjoy just hotdogs and snack foods. The most enjoyment for the little ones is the cake and ice cream anyway. I am not sure of how many children you have invited, but if it is a lot-- the best way to go for a budget is Sam's Club or BJ's or Cosco for bulk items.
Good Luck!

Since the party is in a little later in the afternoon (after lunch) and it is mostly adult family members coming, I would do something very simple. Maybe some fruit, veggies, chips, and the cake of course. Good luck and enjoy the party.

I am a mother of four, grandmother to 3 and given/attended many parties....keep it simple...your 1 year old won't care and if mainly family is invited they will just want to spend time with child. I would suggest finger foods, such as small sandwiches,and build from there....cupcakes instead of a cake. Hope this helps...but and foremost...relax and enjoy the day!

H.,
My youngest daughter's birthday is in June and we used to always have the party at the park.
I either would make a deal with Domino's for a lot of pizza (which we got for $6.00 a piece) or grill hamburgers and hot dogs and have chips and drinks. Usually people pitched in and brought stuff because we have great friends, but it was always under a $100.00 for grilling and approx $50.00 for pizza depending on how many were invited. Keep it simple and fun. I have found the more you put into it, the more stressful it is and not as enjoyable.
Best to all, W. from Indiana

We did cake Ice Cream chips & cheesey poofs lol the lil ones LOVE cheesey poofs! the lil weenies in BBQ sauce are relatively cheap & gallons of juice, tea or koolaid are wonderful substitutions for pop.

A friend just did the same thing for their son's second birthday. They went to Costco and bought a sandwich tray, veggie tray, grapes, bags of chips and some drinks (& of course a cake). They set it up on a picnic table so people could graze. It was yummy and very easy!!
Have fun!

Why don't you do just hotdogs or hamburgers on the grill, if you have one and are allowed to grill and if someone wants to cook?

Or order a deli platter and grab some rolls for sandwiches. I would just get some individual packets of mayo and mustard to avoid it getting rancid in the heat. You can also order platters of wings too at some places.

Then throw in a few bags of assorted chips and your done!

all we had at my son's first party was cake and chips.

Hi H.,
You can make tortilla rollups. They are pretty cheap. You just need tortillas, cream cheese, lunch meat turkey, some roasted red peppers, if you prefer them, and also jalapenos if you like them.
Take the tortilla and fill it with cream cheese, turkey, jalapenos. Roll them up, but roll them tigtly. Then just cut little bite size peices kind of in a slanted position. Does that make sense? If you need more info on this, just write back, but its pretty easy. You can also do roast beef lunch meat if you want instead of turkey. Hope that helps a little. : }

Just make sure to have some finger foods she can eat too! By that point she'll want to eat everything you eat and she'll get mad if you don't let her! :)

H., just be simple. you're going to be worn out from all the activity and keeping up w/ a one year old. Unfortunately, you're daughter will not remember the event, but the adults will. So, keep it all simple, including food. Have some wonderful photos and family time! ~rlw

We just had our 1st yr b-day party and had meatballs that we bought from walmart in a crockpot w/ barbeque sauce, hotwings, and a 7 layer dip. The meatballs went over really well.

Since this is a first party and your daughter wont know what happening.Finger food is great.Keep it simple.Even better have others bring something so there is lots of different things..good luck.
S. B

Potluck. Super easy. Super cheap! You spring for the cake. :)

we had a cookout at our house for our daughter 1st b-day. this year we are going to have it at the park...less stress on me and my hubby. we did hamburgers and hot dogs on the grill and then asked everyone to bring a dish to go along with it. it's fun and saves $$$.

If it is mostly family then I would say you get some hamburgers and hot dogs to grill out and then ask some family to bring some chips and dip, soda and ice, or potato salad. Like pot luck, if it is family they shouldn't mind. Jenny

My son will be 2 in May and for his first birthday party we had it had Shilito park. We had to get our reserveration 2 months in advance for a shelter. What we did since we had family only also, is made it a birthday cookout. We had everyone bring one item and there own drinks. At Shilito Park they have a grill, but you have to bring your own charcoal. We had adults play cornhole, and brought some balls and other toys for smaller children. And of course we had cake. We decorated the shelter with balloons and crepe paper. Everyone had a blast, including the birthday boy.

I have 3 children and I always try to do too much and it always is too much. I have since learned -- Since your party is at 2 p.m. -- everyone has had lunch and it is too early for dinner. Have cake and ice cream! That's all! Easy on the pocket and also easy on you. Parties will get more difficult as they get older. Relax and enjoy this one. Her first one only comes around once!

We had my daughter's 1st Birthday Party at the park and it was a blast! My husband went early to reserve the tables we needed and set up additional tables for food. We had hamburgers and hotdogs and it was great... very easy! Then we (my family) also brought baked beans, taco salad, chips & cake! We took a cooler and filled it full of water etc. It turned out great because the kids could play while we prepared the food and got everything ready. Note: We did precook the hamburgers the night before the party, I warmed them in the oven before taking them to the park and then just cooked the hotdogs at the park (they had a grill there).

Good luck!

of course u will have your usual hot dogs or hamburgers or both. chips, potato salad or dirty rice. some kids will et the hot dogs with just the weiner by itself but i would try some finger sandwiches for the lil peoplelike tuna, ham turkey and cheese and veggie tray. you can also try grilling them some chicken tenders. just like you my sons 1st party was mostly adults so I had hamburgers hots, and bbq chicken, potato salad and baked beans with ground beef. the kids were mainly concerned with playing rather than eating. they just wanted cake and ice cream and then went back to playing. so you really don't have to go too over board, i know this is babys 1st bday so just really focus on her special cake annd ice cream and family and friends...

Pizza, soft drinks and juice boxes iced down in a cooler, cake and ice cream. Pizza Hut has those new $5 medium pizzas.

We did the same thing for my sons 1st birthday. I went to Little Ceasars and got 5 five dollar pizzas, it was EASY and cheap. Don't do so much that you won't be able to enjoy your daughter. Remember the day is all about her, not about the food and decorations! Pizza's went over great!

Hi H.,
If it is at 2:00 p.m., then I would assume that most everyone has had lunch by then. I would just do cake, ice cream, chips w/salsa, pigs in blankets, fruit bowl and/or strawberries (which will be in season)- you know... snack foods. It is a lot less hassle to do just snacks than cooking hamburgers and hotdogs- at least I think so. And if you don't do a meal, it is a lot less expensive. This is what we did for my son's first birthday. Hope this helps!

you probably know a cake. well you could also bring chips, mms, candy, and anything else sweet.

Hi H.,
My son just turned 1 earlier this month. Since the party wasn't during meal time (it was from 3-5) I just served some munchies. Of course I made a cake but we also had spinach/artichoke dip, sliced cheese and crackers. I bought some little spiral appetizers at Costco that had turkey, roast beef and cheese in them that everyone really like (the meat and cheese were wrapped up in tortillas them sliced up). I served whole strawberries too. We had mostly adults at my son's party but we did have a few little ones (all were about 1yr). I set out a bowl of cherrios and gold fish for the little ones.
Good luck!!!

pigs or cheese in blankets :) I usually can make 16 out of one can of crecent rolls, using cut up lil' smokies or cheese cubes.

cut a watermelon in half, scoop out the inside in 'balls' add melon, pineapple chunks, watermelon, grapes, berries, into the watermelon bowl.

use cookie cutters to make fun sandwich shapes... pb&j, ham/cheese, etc.

do ham/cheese rollups in a tortilla and slice into rings, add creme cheese as a spread to make them tasty!

make fruit pizza, or order pizza - Pizza Hutt now does an organic pizza!!

good luck and have a BLAST!!!

we had a bar=b=que. hamburgers and hot dogs, tater salad, deviled eggs. things like that. everyone likes.

Hi H.. My son is also 10 months old and I am struggling with similar things..definitely food also, do we have a theme? colors games for some of the kids that are coming? Any thoughts would be appreciated.

I'm in the same boat. My son will be one on May 10th and we will be out of town so we will probably do it the weekend before. Do you think it will be warm enough for an outside birthday party? If we do an outside party we will probaly just grill out. It's not that expensive to do hamburgers and hot dogs and family may bring drinks or pasta, something like that. Let me know your ideas also.