6 Years Old: The Birthday Party Menu Plan

Turning 5 years old last year. He has his ears plugged while we are singing 'Happy Birthday'

My son turns 6 years old in three days, and we are hosting a party this Saturday. Seeing as I've been lying on the beach for the past week, I'm feeling a little pressured to get everything together.

We I made the foolish mistake of throwing a large party for my son when he turned 3 years old. He has wanted the same party every year since! In a way this makes things easy, because I just do over each year what worked best the previous year, and my son actually likes the repetition. (He likes to know what to expect, particularly in intense situations.) The main challenge is balancing this party with my daughter's 4th birthday at the end of the month. Maybe next year I will combine their parties???

I'm trying my best to keep things the same from year to year without letting things get 'bigger'. Trust me, things are big enough already. In addition to same-age friends, we invite relatives, parents, and siblings. At this point (checking evite count) we're expecting over 20 people and I expect that number to increase to 40. It is a loose, unstructured party at which everyone runs around playing and jumping in the Moon Bounce (courtesy of Nana). This allows people to arrive/leave on their own family's schedule. Usually the kids come on the earlier side and the relatives come on the later side.

One thing that will make this year easier compared to last year is that I am NOT going to make a homemade pinata.

That is supposed to be The Death Star. This year I think we will go with a store-bought pinata instead.

Another thing that will help things go smoothly is that I will be serving basically the same menu as last year. Advantages of this menu include:

• The Birthday Boy likes everything on the menu
• The main items are easy to make ahead, freeze, and serve quickly the day of the party
• Items are small portions appropriate for young kids, and easier to snack on/graze throughout the day
• No Silverware Required!

The Menu Plan:

• Mini Hamburgers (4 dozen) with cheese, lettuce, tomato, and condiments
• Bean and Cheese Quesadillas (lots) with salsa and sour cream
• Watermelon slices
• Veggies and dip
• Chips, hummus, and other snacking items
• Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes (rather than a birthday cake): If some kids need to leave before we sing Happy Birthday, I can just hand them a cupcake!

Next I will put together my freezer cooking plan for this week; hopefully it will include some dinners as well as the food for the party.