Fun food ideas for baby showers
25 Perfect Baby Shower Food Ideas on a Budget – Instacart
Throwing a fun, memorable party to celebrate the new arrival in your life doesn’t have to break the bank. You can decorate a party or backyard and prepare a tasty menu affordably without compromising on quality—it just takes planning. If you’re stuck and don’t know where to start, these baby shower food ideas on a budget will get the ball rolling.
How to throw a baby shower on a budget
Before we get into baby shower food ideas, these are our cost-cutting tips for throwing a wonderful baby shower on a budget.
1. Don’t host at mealtimes
If you host a baby shower at mealtimes, you’ll have to serve full meals, which can be expensive. Instead, throw your baby shower between meals, so you can serve only appetizers and sweet snacks. 2 p.m. is a popular time for these events.
2. Keep a pared-down guest list
On average, guests eat around 5 pieces of food at baby showers. The more people you invite, the costlier the event will be.
3. Ask guests to bring food or drinks
If you still want a full party but can’t afford to feed everyone, ask your guests to bring over food or drinks. It will be a baby-shower-meets-potluck type of event, which can be a lot of fun.
4. Choose local, seasonal ingredients
The cheapest food for a baby shower is the one that’s local and in season. Research what fresh produce is cheapest, then come up with recipes using those ingredients.
Following a themed menu can help you pinch pennies. For example, if you’re using chicken for 1 appetizer, make sure to include it in another snack. This way, you don’t have to buy as many ingredients and end up saving money.
6. Ditch the fully stocked bar
Choose just 1 or 2 drinks to serve—preferably non-alcoholic for baby showers. No need to keep a handful of spirits and mixers on hand.
7. Make your own decorations
DIY the décor using things you already have at home. Visiting a thrift store can also help you throw a stylish baby shower for cheap.
Affordable appetizers for a baby shower
Plate up these tasty, budget-friendly appetizers for your guests.
1. Ham and cheese sliders
Ham and cheese sliders are simple, easy to make, and affordable.
2. Pulled pork buns
Pulled pork sliders are also a popular snack for baby showers. Don’t skip out on the barbecue sauce.
3. Turkey cheddar hot pinwheels
With pre-made pizza dough, deli turkey slices, and cheddar cheese, you can make this comforting finger food.
4. Tomato and broccoli mini quiches
Quiches are sophisticated but surprisingly cheap to make. For this version, use ripe sliced tomatoes and broccoli florets for the filling.
5. Hummus and roasted veg toast
Spread homemade or storebought hummus on toasted bread and top with an assortment of roasted veggies.
6. Build-your-own chili
If you’re looking for a more filling snack, chili is the way to go. Let your guests add their own toppings.
7.
Potato skins with baconHollowed-out baked potatoes, bacon, and sour cream make the perfect appetizer. It’s easy to eat and packed with flavor.
8. Summer pasta salad
For something lighter, serve individual portions of pasta salad. Toss fusilli and whatever veggies are in season in olive oil and a pinch of salt.
9. Deep-fried pickles
Pickles are a popular satisfying snack among many moms-to-be. Set out a plate of deep-fried pickles with ranch dressing on the side.
10. Babies in a blanket
Give pigs in a blanket a twist. Wrap the dough around the sausage so it looks like a swaddled baby and add chocolate sprinkles for the eyes.
11. Grape jelly wieners
Toss smokies in a grape jelly and ketchup mixture, then serve on toothpicks.
12. Barbecue meatballs
Another hearty appetizer, meatballs doused in barbecue sauce are a crowd-pleaser.
13. Tater tot casserole
Tater tot casserole is pretty inexpensive to make.
Use a blend of affordable cheeses to take this comfort food to the next level.
14. Chicken salad sandwiches
Spread chicken salad on soft white sandwich bread and serve with an olive and a toothpick on top.
15. Pesto chicken tea sandwiches
Grilled chicken and basil pesto is another great combination. Cut the sandwiches into quarters so they’re easier to eat.
16. Hamburger meat empanadas
Pie crust and hamburger meat can be turned into delicious empanadas. Salsa makes for a great dipping sauce.
17. Cheese pizza bites
Make finger food pizza bites using a cupcake tin, pizza dough, pizza sauce, and shredded cheese.
Cheap desserts and treats for baby showers
What’s a party without something sweet? These cheap recipes for a baby shower will satisfy your sweet tooth without going over budget.
1. Gendered rice crispy treats
Rice crispy treats are cheap to make. They only call for margarine, marshmallows, and puffed rice.
Add red or blue food dye for a gendered twist.
2. Carrot cupcakes
Not into gender-themed desserts? You will probably love carrot cupcakes. Making your own is cheaper than getting it from the store—and surprisingly easy!
3. Fruit on a skewer
Pierce a skewer through pieces of fruit for a healthy snack. Grapes, banana, strawberry, apple—whatever is in season.
4. Caramel apples
In the fall, when apples are abundant, caramel apple slices hit the spot.
5. Waffle bites
Waffle mix is inexpensive, so why not make waffle bites? Cut a waffle into fourths and top with fruits, caramel, or chocolate.
6. Decorated sugar cookies
Take sugar cookies to the next level by decorating them. All you’ll need is icing, food dye, and a piping bag.
7. Ice cream sundaes
Sundaes are perfect for summer baby showers. Choose 1 ice cream flavor and let your guests pick their toppings—pretzels, caramel drizzle, and chocolate chips are just some of the options.
8. S’mores bar
Set up a s’mores bar for a DIY dessert. You’ll need graham crackers, chocolate bars, and marshmallows. Don’t forget skewers and a few candles.
Save time and money with a little help from a friend
You probably have a clearer picture of what you’ll serve at your budget-friendly baby shower, right? Now comes the fun part: creating invites, making a playlist, and decorating the space. What’s not so fun is doing the grocery runs—but, fortunately, you can leave that to Instacart. Order everything you need with just a few clicks and focus on the party. You may also want to check out current deals from our retailers.
Grab it now on Instacart:
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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.
Halloween dishes for children - recipes, decoration, menu
Halloween dishes for children - recipes, decoration, menuWe have compiled a children's menu for Halloween so that you do not have to worry about what to feed your little guests at the holiday.
How to choose a children's menu for Halloween
Halloween is loved by children around the world. On this day, you can dress up as your favorite characters, play harmless pranks, enjoy sweets from the heart and tell scary stories. That is why children's holidays are often held on Halloween in our country. nine0003
Organizing a Halloween for the kids will require entertainment, spooky venue decorations, and, of course, spooky treats.
Children will definitely get hungry after games and competitions, and then thematic goodies will come in handy. Take care of the children's holiday table in advance - order catering or prepare the dishes yourself.
Children's Halloween menu should match the mystical atmosphere of the holiday, but at the same time remain childish and not too scary. Do not rush to extremes and offer adult creepy treats to children. Let the themed dishes be funny and a little scary. nine0003
All kinds of snacks are very popular on Halloween, which is ideal for children's parties. Everyone knows that children do not like long banquet gatherings, but they like buffet dishes, they had a bite to eat and ran to play. It doesn't have to be junk food. Halloween is perfect for creating themed dishes from healthy products, because children love unusual serving of food.
Halloween Meals for Kids: Recipes and Ideas
Our catalog contains fun and creative meals for kids. nine0003
Snacks
- A very simple Halloween snack for kids called "Witch's Broom".
It can be made from salted straw, which is wrapped with a fringe of hard cheese and tied with a sprig of dill. - You can bake Halloween pizza together with your children. Decorate the dough with olive and sausage spiders, make paws from strips of chopped pepper. Sprinkle cheese on top. No one will definitely refuse such a pizza!
- Little monsters love sandwiches. Spread some ketchup on the toast, arrange cheese strips, and make eyes out of olives. Terrifying mummy toasts are ready! nine0022
- Spooky Boiled Egg Snack is great for baby food. It consists of halves of stuffed boiled eggs, decorated with olive spiders.
- Do you have baking molds handy? Use them to make baby canapés. Take a savory biscuit, put a lettuce leaf on it, put a piece of boiled sausage on top and decorate canapés with pumpkin, ghosts or witch hat figures carved from cheese.
Hot dishes
- If you decide to add hot dishes to the menu, for example, for a home holiday, we can offer chicken mini skewers, and potato “Smiles” in the form of emoticons as a side dish.
Such a set will help the kids to eat properly. - You can also include interesting and funny pumpkin dishes in the children's menu on Halloween. Stuffed pumpkin with pulp stewed with sour cream, rice and vegetables is suitable for baby food. An edible Jack-o'-lantern can also be made sweet by stuffing it with pumpkin pulp, dried fruits, rice and honey. nine0022
- Can I offer pumpkin puree soup to children? If you decorate it with a cobweb of sour cream and pour it into portioned bowls, you get a festive dish, which is also healthy.
- Another pumpkin dish is cottage cheese casserole with pumpkin pulp, raisins, cottage cheese and nuts. Also a great dish without harmful components.
- All children love sausages. There are several festive dishes from this product. If you wrap sausages with dough and bake, you get funny mummies, and if you boil and attach marigolds, you get witch fingers. The long sausages will become snakes with olive eyes and a pepper tongue.
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Halloween is a holiday of sweets, so you can limit yourself to them. Order a children's Candy bar from us, decorated in a spooky style with various themed sweets. Children will be delighted with the sweet table, where they are allowed to take whatever they want. The stylized Candy bar will successfully fit into the mystical atmosphere and will become an excellent backdrop for photos.
Desserts
- For desserts, we can offer the "Sweet Hedgehog" dish with a cake base and various sweets on skewers - marshmallows and profiteroles. Place such a hedgehog in the middle of the table so that all children take goodies as they wish. nine0022
- Kids will love our ghosts and meringue bones. And the pastry chef of the Ministry company will take care of the quality of desserts.
- All children love gummy bears and worms. We played with this dessert, placed gummy worms in chocolate, and called the dish "Worms in the Ground", it turned out like Halloween.
- Halloween food doesn't have to be scary, for example, our marzipan pumpkins perfectly match the holiday atmosphere and don't scare anyone. nine0022
So, you have found out what Halloween dishes are for children. Recipes for holiday appetizers and desserts can be found on the "Recipes" tab of our website. If you want to enjoy the holiday with your children and do not want to cook treats yourself, place an order with the professional catering company "Ministvo".
The scariest and most delicious baby food is coming soon!
Halloween
See also
How to quit gracefully: catering for a special occasion We have catering options for all occasions, and layoffs are no exception! Thank colleagues for their work and say goodbye to them in a cozy atmosphere. Halloween food decoration Let's talk about decorating dishes in Halloween style to create the spookiest holiday table at your party! Holiday seafood dishes Find out the most unusual facts about seafood, the history of famous dishes and ancient legends that reveal the mystery of the popularity of seafood dishes.
Halloween recipes and snacks Especially for the holiday, we have prepared a selection of terrifying themed dishes for the most fun Halloween party. nine0003
Children's birthday menu: photos, recipes, dish ideas
How to make a child's birthday truly unforgettable? Gather his friends, come up with entertainment and, of course, treat everyone to something delicious. But pleasing little guests is sometimes more difficult than adult gourmets. Our article will come to the rescue. In it, we have collected 10 dishes that will enchant even the most capricious persons. Serve these treats for a kid's birthday party and no one will leave hungry.
Original canapés
Kids will appreciate the unusual presentation, and adults will appreciate the ease of cooking. Indeed, among the recipes for a children's birthday, it is important to have at least one option for a quick snack.
For canapes in the form of ladybugs, it is better to take unsalted crackers with the addition of whole grain flour. You can grease the products with both pate and hummus or curd cheese.
Ingredients:
- crackers - 10 pcs.
- cherry tomatoes - 5 pcs.
- leaf lettuce - 3-4 leaves
- olives - 3 pcs.
- pate - to taste
Preparation:
- Cut the cherry tomatoes in half and make a shallow cut in each half.
- Brush crackers with pâté and cover with lettuce. Excess greens can be removed.
- Top the salad with half a cherry and a quarter of an olive.
- Decorate the finished ladybug with a pattern of white dots. To do this, dip a toothpick in Greek yogurt or mayonnaise and gently color the workpiece. nine0022
Snack muffins
Children are rarely fans of vegetables. But thanks to such muffins, they will even eat the hated green beans or green peas.
It's nice that you can change the toppings to your liking. For example, take corn, ham or some broccoli and cauliflower. It is also better not to forget about the vegetable slices on the table. Serve carrot, pepper and cucumber sticks with yoghurt sauce.
Ingredients:
- green beans - 100 g
- green peas - 100 g
- cheese - 100 g
- chicken eggs - 2 pcs.
- sour cream - 3 tbsp. l.
- flour - 3 tbsp. l.
- Bulgarian pepper - 1 pc.
- baking powder - 0.5 tsp.
- salt - to taste
Preparation:
- Defrost beans and peas.
- Pepper and cheese cut into small cubes. nine0021 In a clean bowl, mix eggs with sour cream and salt. Gradually add the sifted flour mixed with the baking powder.
- Add prepared cuts to batter.
- Divide the pastry between molds and bake for 15 minutes at 180°C. Then lower the heat to 160°C and bake the muffins for another 15-20 minutes in the oven.
Cheese donuts
If you don't know what to cook, try these donuts. At a children's birthday party, they will definitely become a popular treat. The main thing is to find a good crumbly cottage cheese with a fat content of 5-9%. It is desirable that there is not too much moisture in the mass, gluing the grains together. Otherwise, wrap the cottage cheese with gauze and put it under pressure for 2-3 hours to remove excess moisture.
Ingredients:
- cottage cheese - 200 g
- cheese - 80 g
- flour - 70 g
- chicken eggs - 2 pcs.
- baking powder - 0.5 tsp.
- sesame - to taste
Preparation:
- Mash the cottage cheese with a fork or chop with a blender.
- Add grated cheese, whole egg and one egg white.
- Add the sifted flour with baking powder and knead into a stiff dough.
- On a floured surface, shape the dough into a ball and divide it into 6-8 equal pieces.
- Roll each piece into a sausage and seal the edges.
- Transfer the blanks to a baking sheet lined with baking paper and brush with the remaining yolk. nine0022
- Garnish with sesame seeds and bake for 30 minutes at 180°C.
Mini Pizzas
Who would say no to a popular treat? For a children's holiday, it makes sense to make portioned pizzas. It will be easier for kids to hold them in their hands. As a sauce, ordinary ketchup or a mixture of pureed tomatoes boiled with spices is suitable. In addition to cherry tomatoes, you can use bell peppers or broccoli for the filling, and put boiled chicken or turkey instead of ham. When serving, garnish pizzas with fresh herbs, if desired. nine0003
Ingredients:
For the dough:
- flour - 200 g
- water - 90 ml
- olive oil - 30 ml
- sugar - 1 tsp.
- dry yeast - 4 g
- salt - pinch
Basic:
- ham - 200 g
- cherry tomatoes - 8 pcs.
- tomato sauce - 3 tbsp. l.
- cheese - 50 g
Preparation:
- Mix yeast, sugar and water. Cover the bowl with a towel and put it in a warm place for 15-20 minutes. After the specified time, a foam cap should appear on the surface of the mixture.
- Sift the flour into the activated yeast, pour in the olive oil and add the salt. Knead a homogeneous dough that will not stick to your hands.
- Transfer the workpiece to a clean dish, greased with olive oil, and leave warm for 1 hour. nine0022
- Punch down the risen dough and divide into 8 equal parts.
- Shape each piece into a 8-10 cm round shape and place on a baking sheet.
- Brush base with tomato sauce, top with ham and cherry halves, sprinkle with cheese and place in the oven.
- Bake the mini pizzas for 15 minutes at 210°C.
Chicken skewers
Homemade skewers continue the selection of recipes for children's birthdays.
When preparing a marinade, remember that the child likes simple and understandable tastes more. A large set of seasonings, especially spicy, he will not appreciate. But vegetables will add benefits and make the meat juicier. For variety, place sliced bell pepper or zucchini between the chicken pieces. Don't forget to prepare wooden skewers. Before stuffing the meat, it is advisable to soak them in boiling water, otherwise the wood may burn in the oven. nine0003
Ingredients:
- chicken fillet - 800 g
- kefir 3.2% - 180 ml
- onion - 1 pc.
- garlic - 1-2 cloves
- salt - to taste
Preparation:
- Divide the chicken fillet into 2-3 cm pieces.
- Chop the onion into rings, mince the garlic.
- Mix the chicken with chopped onion and garlic, season with salt. nine0022
- Pour in the kefir and mix well. Leave the blank in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
- Thread the marinated pieces onto skewers and bake for 15-20 minutes at 200°C.
Fish fingers
Children love variety. Give the kids a choice between several dishes. For example, serve chicken skewers and crispy fish fingers. The appetizer is made from white fish: pollock, cod or haddock. If desired, breading can be supplemented with sesame seeds. Ready-made sticks go well with tartar sauce. nine0003
Ingredients:
- white fish fillet - 600 g
- vegetable oil - 150 ml
- breadcrumbs - 3 tbsp. l.
- chicken eggs - 1 pc.
- salt - to taste
- pepper - to taste
Preparation:
- Cut the fillet into strips 1.5–2 cm thick. Season with salt and a little pepper.
- Beat the egg with a fork in a flat bowl. nine0022
- Place the breadcrumbs in another bowl.
- Heat vegetable oil in a frying pan.
- Dip the fish fillets in turn into the egg and breadcrumbs, and then fry in hot oil.
- Wipe finished sticks with a paper towel to remove excess oil.
No Bake Cake
When planning what to cook for a child's birthday, don't forget about sweets. What's a holiday without cake? This recipe can be made the day before. Any gelatin is useful, but the rules for working with sheets and powder are different. The layers are randomly poured with cold water, and then squeezed out. For crystals, it is desirable to observe a ratio of 1: 6 (take 6 parts of water for 1 part of gelatin). nine0003
Ingredients:
For the cake:
- cookies - 300 g
- butter - 100 g
Basic:
- cottage cheese - 800 g
- cream 20% - 200 ml
- sugar - 100 g
- sour cream - 100 g
- cocoa - 2 tbsp. l.
- gelatin - 40 g
Preparation:
- Grind cookies with butter into crumbs. Spread the mass over the bottom and sides of the form and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Soak gelatine in water.
- Beat cottage cheese with sugar and sour cream. The easiest way to do this is with an immersion blender.
- Mix swollen gelatin with cream and heat to 60-70°C. The thickener should dissolve, but the liquid should not be allowed to boil.
- Add the warm mixture to the curd and blend well again with an immersion blender. nine0022
- Cocoa mix with half of the curd and cream mass.
- Spread the filling as follows: 1 tablespoon cream mixture, then 1 spoon chocolate mixture. It is advisable to finish the cake with a colored layer.
- Using a skewer, make patterns on the top of the workpiece and send it to the refrigerator until completely solidified.
Funny apple slices
Even ordinary fruit can be served in an original way. For example, make funny monsters out of apple slices. Sweet sprinkles in the form of eyes can be found on the Internet. If there is no unusual decoration, then make it yourself.
Melt the chocolate and use a toothpick or skewer to drizzle over the marshmallows. The same melted chocolate or peanut butter will help to fix the marshmallows on the slices. nine0003
Ingredients:
- apples - 2 pcs.
- strawberries - 100 g
- peanut butter - 8 tsp
- sunflower seeds - 2 handfuls
- confectionery topping in the shape of eyes - 8 pcs.
Preparation:
- Quarter medium-sized apples.
- Remove the center from the peel side of each wedge.
- Brush the resulting hole with peanut butter and fill with a strawberry slice. nine0022
- Peel the sunflower seeds and stick a few into the apple blanks.
- Seal eyes with peanut butter and serve.
Cake pops
Brightly colored cakes on skewers - why not a treat for a child's birthday? It is easy to attract even the birthday man himself to their preparation. Or you can make blanks in advance and invite guests to decorate them with sprinkles and icing.
For the latter, it is better to choose white chocolate, since dyes can be added to the resulting mass. Let the little chefs cover the balls on their own and show imagination in decorating. nine0003
Ingredients:
For the biscuit:
- chicken eggs - 3 pcs.
- sugar - 90 g
- flour - 90 g
For cream:
- curd cheese - 90 g
- powdered sugar - 30 g
For glaze:
- chocolate - 200 g
- butter - 20 g
Preparation:
- Beat the eggs with sugar until fluffy white foam.
- Carefully add the sifted flour and knead the dough.
- Bake the biscuit for 30 minutes at 180°C.
- Cool the finished cake and grind into crumbs.
- In a clean bowl, beat the cream cheese with the powdered sugar.
- Add biscuit crumbs to the cream and mix. Form into balls 4–5 cm in diameter and refrigerate for 1–2 hours.
nine0021 Melt chocolate in a water bath and mix with butter. Thread the balls onto wooden skewers. - Dip the balls in the frosting one by one. Let the mass take over.
- Decorate each cake pop as you like.
Nut bars
Although a sweet table is an indispensable part of a children's holiday, it is not worth pampering children with a lot of sugar. Instead of store-bought bars or candies, make an alternative treat of nuts and dried fruits. Don't be afraid to change the filling to your liking. For example, make a treat only from almonds or add walnuts. nine0003
Ingredients:
- pitted dates - 200 g
- almonds - 60 g
- cashews - 50 g
- peanuts - 50 g
- hazelnuts - 50 g
- honey - 50 g
- coconut oil - 1 tbsp. l.
For glaze:
- chocolate - 200 g
- coconut oil - 1 tbsp. l.
Preparation:
- Crush the almonds.
