Catered food for baby shower

50 Easy and Delicious Baby Shower Catering Ideas

If you’re planning a baby shower, you might feel overwhelmed with the food choices. After all, it’s no secret that guests look forward to the food at a party more than any other attraction. So you may have gathered up some adorable decorations and fun games, but now you need to settle on an array of food and desserts to please a crowd. So what kind of food is best to serve at a baby shower?

Your best bet is to serve a variety of finger foods. With bite-sized food offerings, your guests won’t have to worry about how they’re going to eat and play games, catch up with family and friends, and watch the mom-to-be open all of the adorable baby gifts. If you’re in need of some inspiration, we’ve gathered up the most delicious appetizers, salad, sandwiches, and delectable desserts. Here are 50 baby shower catering ideas:

Appetizers & Hors D’Oeurves
Salads & Sides
Sandwiches & Sliders
Desserts

Appetizers & Hors D’Oeurves

1. Sweet Baby Girl Bouquet

This arrangement features succulent pineapple crafted into the shape of a rocking horse, teddy bear and carriage, strawberries covered in pink white chocolate, zesty orange slices, and so much more. It’s perfect for a baby shower for a little girl.

2. Congratulations Indulgence Platter

Fresh strawberries, grapes, and chocolate-dipped strawberries make up the center of this delectable platter. It also includes rich, airy cheesecakes topped with everything from fresh fruit to chocolate dipped fruit.

3. Chicken Bouchees

These bite-sized pastry puffs are filled with a creamy, cheesy chicken filling that’s downright addictive. The filling is made with onion, chicken, cream cheese, sour cream, and chives.

4. Easy Addicting Crab Cake Bites

These delicious crab cake bites are quick and easy to make. They’re packed with flavor, with ingredients including lump crab, panko bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, cream cheese, mayo, and more.

5. Mini Spinach Artichoke Stuffed Potatoes

These fun and light mini spinach and artichoke stuffed potatoes are the perfect party appetizer. They’re made with mini potatoes, Neufchatel cream cheese, mozzarella cheese, Greek yogurt, and Parmesan cheese.

6. Sriracha Deviled Eggs

These sriracha deviled eggs kick up the heat of regular deviled eggs with the addition of sriracha and paprika. With the extra heat, they are truly “devilish” and are totally addictive and pop-in-your-mouth-able.

7. Loaded Baked Potato Bites

These baked potato bites are loaded with cheddar cheese, sour cream, crumbled bacon, and chopped green onions. They’re everything you love about a loaded baked potato with all the toppings, just in a bite-sized package.

8. Zucchini Garlic Bites

These zucchini garlic bites combine shredded zucchini with garlic, Parmesan cheese, and a bunch of fresh herbs. They’re served with a tasty marinara dipping sauce for an Italian-inspired twist.

9. Beet and Avocado Tartine with Perfect Instant Pot Beets

Whole wheat bread is topped with cooked beets, avocado, and a handful of arugula. Not only does it look beautiful, but it’s also extremely tasty with the combination of creamy avocado and bright vinegar-soaked beets.

10. Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Meatballs

These buffalo chicken meatballs are a lighter and easier to eat alternative to wings. Even better, you can make them right in the slow cooker with ground chicken, Panko bread crumbs, buffalo sauce, blue cheese dressing, and spices.

11. Balsamic Glazed Steak Skewers with Kale and Roasted Tomatoes

Served with toothpicks, these steak skewers encompass the perfect steakhouse meal in just one bite. They’re made with sirloin filet, balsamic vinegar, cherry tomatoes, kale, and garlic.

12. Polenta Squares with Blueberry and Corn Relish

Baked polenta squares are cooled and then topped with a delectable relish made from blueberry and fresh corn. The polenta squares have a good flavor, and that oregano addition is a must, truly. The relish is fresh tasting, sweet, salty, and a little bit spicy.

13. Mushroom Bruschetta with Gruyere and Thyme

This mushroom bruschetta is rich, savory, and comes together in just 15 minutes. It’s made with slices of baguette topped with gruyere cheese, crimini mushrooms, shallot, and garlic.

14. Mini Cheesy Pretzel Dogs

These easy-to-make soft pretzels are stuffed with mini hot dogs and cheese. They come out fluffy and delicious, with pretzel dough made from scratch, mini cocktail wieners, and slices of American cheese.

15. Party Potatoes Pave Bites with Cheese Sauce

Potato Pave is made from layered scalloped potatoes. They feature a super crisp exterior with an inside that melts in your mouth. To make them even more delectable, they’re served with an easy cheese sauce.

16. Baked Zucchini Hummus Bites

These zucchini bites are topped with hummus, diced roasted red peppers, crumbled feta cheese, and fresh flat-leaf parsley. The rounds are cooked until just tender for the perfect bite.

Salads & Sides

17. Asian Slaw

This salad is easy to make ahead of time and tastes even better the next day. It’s made with a cashew miso dressing, cabbage, peppers, scallions, cilantro, fresh basil, peanuts, and peach slices.

18. Broccoli Salad

Made with bacon, sunflower seeds, cranberries, cheddar cheese, and a dressing made from mayo and sour cream, this broccoli salad is a true crowd-pleaser. It’s a simple and refreshing side dish your guests will gobble up.

19. Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad

Shaved brussels sprouts, cranberries, sunflower seeds, Parmesan cheese, apple, and a mustard maple dressing make up this delicious salad. It’s packed with flavor your guests will love.

20. Quick and Easy Pasta Salad

This fresh and easy pasta salad features bell peppers, zucchini, cherry tomatoes, scallions, olives, fresh mozzarella, and a simple homemade dressing made with vinegar, pepperoncini juice, and olive oil. It’s bright, fresh, and flavorful.

21. Italian Orzo Salad

This one-dish pasta salad features orzo, cherry tomatoes, chickpeas, cucumber, basil, and a tangy Italian dressing. It’s packed with flavor and takes just 15 minutes to throw together.

22. Lemon and Herb Couscous Salad

This light and healthy couscous salad features a simple lemon vinaigrette, cucumber, sweet tomatoes, crunchy nuts, raisins, and herbs. It’s packed with texture and flavor and is a surefire crowd-pleaser.

23. Cold Soba Noodle Salad

Soba noodles, red bell peppers, carrots, green onions, zucchini, cucumber, sesame seeds are tossed in a sesame lime ginger dressing that’s simply divine. The result is a hearty salad that works as a side dish or even a main meal.

24. Taco Salad

This easy taco salad recipe is made a bit more on the lighter side with ground turkey, black beans, Mexican-style corn, cherry tomatoes, avocado, reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese, and a Greek yogurt dressing. It’s both fresh and filling.

25. Cobb Salad

This salad is loaded with crisp lettuce, tomatoes, chicken, bacon, boiled eggs, creamy avocado, and crumbled blue cheese. It also includes a recipe for a quick and easy balsamic vinaigrette that’s tangy and sweet.

Sandwiches & Sliders

26. Italian Slider Sandwiches

These Italian sandwich sliders feature three kinds of salami, melted provolone, and banana peppers that provide a tangy kick. They’re made on Hawaiian rolls that are so sweet and soft, they’re hard to resist.

27. Crispy Chicken Parm Sliders

These chicken parm sandwiches will be a hit at your shower. They feature dinner rolls covered in a seasoned butter-parmesan sauce filled with crispy chicken strips, marinara sauce, and melted provolone.

28. Chicken Bacon Ranch Sliders

Sliced deli chicken, colby jack or sharp cheddar cheese, crumbled bacon, and ranch dressing are layered in Hawaiian sweet rolls covered in a savory butter sauce. They’ll quickly become a favorite at your shower.

29. French Pressed Sandwich Bites

These French pressed sandwich bites feature three different flavor varieties for your guests to enjoy. They’re made with a large ciabatta loaf, cream cheese, cucumber, baby spinach, grated carrot, smoked salmon, and more.

30. Baked Roast Beef Sliders with Horseradish Sauce

These roast beef sliders are slightly spicy and super cheesy. Loaded with horseradish sauce, roast beef, three types of cheese, and a Worchestershire sauce marinade, they’ll make a big impression at your gathering.

31. Turkey BLT Croissant Sandwich

This turkey sandwich features deli turkey, buttery croissants, plenty of bacon, juicy tomatoes, mayo, and a hefty amount of avocado. It’s hearty, delicious, and a total crowd-pleaser.

32. Beef Tenderloin Sliders

Slightly spicy, creamy, and tangy, these beef tenderloin sliders make the perfect party appetizers. They’re made with beef tenderloin, slider buns, and a homemade horseradish sauce.

33. Mini Kentucky Hot Brown Sandwiches

The Hot Brown sandwich is a popular open-face sandwich served at the Brown hotel near the Kentucky Derby racetrack. This recipe recreates the treat made with deli-sliced turkey, Roma tomatoes, cooked bacon, and a creamy sauce made with butter, milk, Parmesan cheese, and sharp cheddar cheese.

34. Mini Muffuletta Sandwiches

Muffuletta sandwiches are a quintessential favorite in New Orleans. They’re loaded with salami, provolone cheese, sliced mortadella or ham, mozzarella cheese, capicola, and a tangy olive salad.

35. Turkey Pesto Sandwich

Two slices of sourdough bread are topped with pesto sauce, oven-roasted turkey breast, turkey bacon, provolone cheese, and sundried tomatoes. Served warm, it’s toasty, flavorful, and perfect for a party.

36. Philly Cheesesteak Sliders

Philly cheesesteak sliders are made with thinly sliced steak, cooked peppers, onions, and Provolone cheese. Slider buns are packed with ooey-gooey melted cheese and all the flavors of Philadelphia cheesecake in bite-sized form.

37. BBQ Chicken Sliders

These easy BBQ chicken sliders are made with chicken thighs and a simple homemade barbecue sauce. Served with a refreshing coleslaw, they’re the ultimate crowd-pleasing meal.

38. Italian Stromboli Sandwich

This easy stromboli recipe uses store-bought pizza dough to create this Italian classic. It’s stuffed with pepperoni and sharp cheddar cheese and topped with olive oil and Italian seasoning.

39. Cuban Sliders

Hawaiian rolls are loaded with ham, pulled pork, mustard sauce, cheese, and pickles, making these sliders the ultimate party sandwich. The key ingredient is a tangy mustard sauce made from mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and melted butter.

Desserts

40. Easy Fresh Strawberry Mousse

This strawberry mousse is made with only three ingredients: strawberries, granulated sugar, and cream. First, you puree the sliced strawberries and sugar, then add the cream and beat until stiff peaks form for a thick and tasty mouse.

41. Mini Vanilla Crème Brûlée Cheesecakes

These tasty bite-sized treats combine two amazing desserts: cheesecake and creme brulee. Each treat consists of a graham cracker crust, rich, creamy cheesecake, and creme brulee topping made from caramelized sugar.

42. Oreo No-Bake Cheesecake Cups

No-bake, ready in just 20 minutes, and packed with Oreos, this dessert is quickly going to become your go-to party favorite. It’s made with a block of cream cheese, whipped topping, sugar, vanilla, and a whole lot of Oreo cookies.

43. Lemon Drop Glazed Mini Cupcakes

These tasty bites combine a lemon cake mix with vanilla pudding, eggs, sour cream, and milk. Once baked, the bites are inverted and topped with an easy lemon glaze for a simply delicious dessert.

44. Blue Velvet Cupcakes

For a shower for a baby boy, choose these blue velvet cupcakes made with cocoa powder and blue food coloring. Top with a homemade cream cheese frosting to make these cupcakes even sweeter.

45. Sprinkle Cheesecake Cookie Cups

Can’t decide if you want to serve cookies or cheesecake? With this recipe, you can have both. Chocolate chip cookies are baked in muffin liners and topped with cheesecake made from cream cheese, sugar, egg, and vanilla.

46. Caramel Marshmallow

Chewy and gooey, these bite-sized desserts are sure to delight your guests. They’re made with fluffy homemade marshmallows topped with buttery caramel and topped in a sweet chocolate coating.

47. Apple Pie Bites

Made with store-bought crescent rolls, light brown sugar, apple pie spice, chopped pecans, and Granny Smith apples, these bites taste like just the real thing. Even better, you can whip up these tasty apple bites in under 30 minutes.

48. New Orleans Raspberry Filled Beignets

Deep-fried, pillowy beignets are filled with raspberry jam and topped with powdered sugar for the perfect dessert your guest will gobble up. These tasty treats will transport your guests right to New Orleans.

49. Almond Lemon Blueberry Pie Bars

These blueberry pie bars feature a cookie crust, a coating made from slivered almonds, a blueberry filling, and a two-ingredient glaze topping. Plus, they’re vegan so even your plant-based guests can enjoy them.

50. Strawberry Whoopie Pies

Perfect for a shower for a baby girl, these strawberry whoopie pies are made from scratch with strawberry gelatin and fresh strawberries. They’re filled with a marshmallow buttercream filling for plenty of sweetness.

These delicious appetizers, salads, sandwiches, and desserts will keep your guests satisfied throughout your baby shower. Even better, with bite-size food options such as these, your guests will feel free for even more celebration and merrymaking.

37 Crowd-Pleasing Baby Shower Food Ideas

Planning a baby shower is lots of fun, especially when it comes to brainstorming food ideas. Whether you’re looking for food ideas that match your chosen baby shower theme or you’re just looking for quick, easy, and flavorful options that everyone will love, you’ve come to the right place. Check out our 37 baby shower food ideas, including savories, sweets, and thirst-quenching drinks.

9 Tips and Ideas for Planning a Baby Shower Menu

When planning a baby shower, you can be as creative as you like with the food ideas, but it’s also important to consider some practical aspects.

As the host, you’ll have a lot to take care of, including decorating the venue, so it’s good to plan food that is quick to make and easy to serve and eat.

Here are some tips to help you think about the types of food to choose, how to serve it, and more:

Savory Baby Shower Food Ideas

Whether you plan on having only finger foods or an entire menu at the baby shower, here are some ideas for the savory food:

Baby Shower Dessert Table Food Ideas

Besides having a baby shower cake as a centerpiece, you may want to have a dessert table with an assortment of other sweet offerings. Here are some ideas for crowd-pleasing sweets and desserts:

Drinks

Beyond serving the usual wine spritzer or sparkling wine at the baby shower, consider some alcohol-free drinks, like mocktails, punch, and homemade sodas:

The Bottom Line

You’ll no doubt have lots of fun planning and serving the food for the mom-to-be’s baby shower.

If you’ve decided to prepare most of the food, round up some of the mom-to-be’s friends and family to help. Make it easier on yourself by using some store-bought elements, too. You could also make some of what’s on offer but ask each guest to bring a small plate to share.

Set up food and dessert tables so that guests can serve themselves buffet style, and stick to foods that aren’t too messy to eat while standing up and mingling.

If you have a set theme, you can tie the food into the theme by using colored frosting, or by piping lettering onto foods like “Oh, Baby!” Cookie cutters are your friend! Cut everything from brownies to sandwiches into shapes that match the theme. You can also connect the food and drinks to the theme based on the colors you choose for the straws, napkins, and cupcake liners.

Having a chocolate fondue fountain or a soda bar can create an interactive element that guests will love.

Have fun with it! Your options are endless, and you might find you really get into it once you get started. And, always remember, no matter what food and drinks you serve, your guests — especially the guest of honor — will really appreciate your efforts and thoughtfulness.

While you’re here, check out our baby shower checklist to double-check that you’ve covered everything for the upcoming event.

nine secrets and a ready-made menu

Very soon, on March 15, Great Lent will begin for Orthodox Christians - the strictest and longest in the church calendar. This is not a diet and not a way to lose weight by summer, as some believe, but the body will indeed go through a powerful transformation along with consciousness and spirit. Therefore, you need to prepare for fasting in advance so as not to harm yourself and your health.

1. Start fasting smoothly

Traditional Shrovetide is a great excuse to eat pancakes with various fillings, but don't get too carried away. In contrast, the rejection of animal and dairy foods, eggs, white bread and familiar sweets may seem too harsh. It is best to gradually switch to lighter and simpler food in the week preceding the fast, reduce the number of servings.

2. Plan your diet ahead of time

Fasting doesn't mean spending seven long weeks depressingly crunching on lettuce and crackers. Yes, this is a time of serious and strict restrictions, but the modern city dweller with an intense and eventful lifestyle needs to properly balance his diet. Make an approximate menu, try to make it varied and interesting - it will be easier to hold out until May 1, the bright holiday of Easter.

The diet must include cereals:

oatmeal,
buckwheat,
rice,
barley,
90.18 wheat

This is a valuable source of fiber, which is essential for normal bowel function and immunity. Cereals contain many vitamins and minerals, so porridge should be on the table every day. In order to make it tastier, you can add jam or vegetable sauces, seasonings and spices to it.

Be sure to eat fruits and vegetables during fasting: they can be boiled and baked, eaten fresh or made into salads. If you follow the traditional rules of fasting with no vegetable oil on certain days, make a salad dressing with avocado, ground herbs and soy sauce (this simple recipe will work for the rest, too).

Soy products (a good alternative to meat), mushrooms and legumes should definitely be in the diet: in addition to fiber, they contain a large amount of protein, which is simply necessary for the body.

3. Make up for the lack of vitamins and microelements

Before the start of Lent, it is wise to visit a therapist and find out if there are any restrictions in your case (medical indications are an important reason to soften fasting or abandon it altogether). The two main issues that fasting people face are a drop in iron levels in the body and a lack of vitamin B12.

There are two ways to solve the problem ( after prior consultation with a doctor! ). The first will not interfere even with people with perfect health and excellent blood tests. It is necessary to diversify the diet with the obligatory addition of such products as:

cocoa in powder (without the addition of sugar),
Grenates,
Sea cabbage and algae (spirulina and chlorella),
Spinach,
Capted Capusta,

22 buckwheat,
seafood (if fish is allowed for only two days during fasting, shrimp and mussels can be eaten freely).

The second is to choose a suitable vitamin complex for yourself or take iron preparations separately.

4. Eat nuts, peanut butter and sesame paste

Nuts are a valuable source of protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals. You can add them to porridge or salads, make spreads for sandwiches and salad dressings from them, or just eat a handful of nuts daily with honey - it's delicious and very healthy. Sesame is the champion plant source of calcium and is needed to maintain healthy nails and bones. In light of the restriction of dairy products in fasting, this is a very relevant product.

5. Replace milk with herbal alternatives

You don't have to give up your favorite teas and coffees during fasting - and this is great news. Fans of drinks with milk should consider options with vegetable analogues - coconut, almond, oat milk. They are so tasty and nutritious that they can remain among the gastronomic favorites even after the end of the fast - there are many such cases.

6. Do not deprive yourself of desserts

It seems that there is no place for pleasures and pleasures in fasting, but this is not at all the case. Cakes and pastries are prohibited, but a small dessert made from dried fruits with honey and nuts, jelly from berries or fruits, jelly based on agar-agaras with a cap of whipped coconut cream is what a body weakened by a long winter and fasting definitely needs. At least once a day, please yourself with something sweet and healthy, especially for those with an experienced sweet tooth.

7. Don't overeat

In the context of fasting, this advice sounds a little funny, but you can overeat lettuce, seeds, and berries. It is better to eat up to seven times a day in small portions with two or three meals in one meal than to eat one meal “from the belly” at night, because there was no poppy dew in the mouth all day. In this way, you can cause serious damage to digestion, gain weight and spoil the skin and hair.

8. Don't forget about drinking regime

It is very important to remember to drink clean water regularly. You need to find your own balance. Some do not feel well without three liters of water a day, while others hardly drink several glasses. It is impossible to force and force yourself, but it is also not worth bringing to the appearance of a feeling of thirst. It is good to add lemon, fruit slices or your favorite herbs to the water.

9. Leave the fast smoothly

It is customary to prepare a hearty feast on Easter day, but after a long abstinence from food, you should not immediately jump on fatty foods, alcohol, eggs and pastries - the body will receive a real shock. The following days can be very unpleasant in this case: with digestive disorders, stomach pains, drowsiness and exacerbation of chronic diseases, if any. Enter your usual diet and regime gradually and smoothly, adding your favorite foods in turn.

Finally, we have prepared an example of a three-day menu for you. Feel free to change dishes in places and be healthy!

For more on diet and behavior during fasting, as well as options for ready meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner, look in the continuation of the article>>

Soy: a potential danger for therapeutic baby food | partners

Studies of the properties of soy and its effect on the adult and children's organisms are not completed. But soy products are strictly not recommended for children with congenital hypothyroidism, premature infants, underweight and disorders of the gastrointestinal tract

Key words / keywords: Nestle meals for kids, Nutrition science, Pediatrics, Nestle meals for kids, Nutrition science, pediatric

Soy and products from it imperceptibly, but are firmly included in our daily diet. Today it is already becoming problematic to find a food product, meat or dairy, which would not include soy protein.

A few years ago, the world was swept by "soy fever": the benefits of the product were described everywhere and in the brightest colors. Japan was cited as an example, where the average resident eats 27 kg of soybeans annually, while in Europe this figure was only 3 kg. The high life expectancy of the Japanese was put in direct dependence on soybeans. Recent studies have shown that there were much fewer reasons for such enthusiasm than it seemed.

Research on the positive and negative properties of soybeans continues today, and the debate between advocates and opponents continues to flare up.

In defense of soy

To date, it can be considered proven that soy protein can fully replace animal protein. In addition, unlike meat, soy does not increase the level of "bad" cholesterol and, accordingly, the risk of cardiovascular disease. As a plant product, soy is a source of useful vitamins and minerals that have a positive effect on metabolism, and can serve as a prevention of cancer and some other diseases.

Big "But"

Scientists around the world who are closely involved in the study of soy warn that the use of soy products, along with the benefits, is fraught with certain dangers, which should not be forgotten when compiling your diet, and especially when planning the diet of children. The threat posed by soy may not manifest itself in healthy people, but with certain pathologies of the endocrine and digestive systems, such a diet can aggravate the condition of patients. In children, the active use of soy products can lead to disruption of the formation and normal functioning of some body systems.

Why is soy dangerous?

Soy as a plant over the centuries of its existence has developed protective properties that prevent pests - insects and animals from actively eating it. The same anti-nutritional factors cause the negative effects of soy intake on the human body.

So, most of the protease inhibitors contained in soy products are not cleaved in gastric juice and, passing on, block the work of pancreatic enzymes, forcing it to work much more actively, causing its hypertrophy.

Lectins, which are part of soy, make it difficult to absorb in the intestines. Under-digested and remaining in the intestinal lumen, polypeptides are an excellent breeding ground for bacteria and cause the formation of toxins. Studies also show that the same substances cause growth retardation in children.

Plant hormones (phytoestrogens) of soy negatively affect the maturation of the reproductive system. In girls, this is expressed in the early onset of menstruation, while in boys, sexual development slows down, and a decrease in testosterone levels is observed. Even in adults, in some cases, on the background of a soy diet, problems with conception in women and impotence in men were noted.

The strumagenic substances of soybeans cause thyroid dysfunction, up to the formation of a goiter. This problem most often occurs against the background of iodine deficiency in the daily diet. As early as half a century ago, it was proved that a diet based on soy flour led to serious endocrine disorders in infants.

Thus, soy products are strictly not recommended for babies with congenital hypothyroidism and other endocrine problems. The risk category also includes premature infants, children with underweight and disorders of the gastrointestinal tract.

Soy and GMOs

Soy is one of the most beloved plants by geneticists, so it is really difficult to find a soy product that has not undergone genetic modification today. According to domestic experts, genetically modified soybeans are not used in the food industry in our country. But, even if this information is to be believed, the soy products that we see on store shelves are rarely of Russian origin.

We reduce risks to a minimum!

Research on the various properties of soybeans and their effect on adults and children is far from over. Often such works give contradictory results, and scientists often explain the discrepancies in data in different countries by the peculiarities of genetic memory and the tradition of using this product.