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If you have children yourself, you understand how picky they can be regarding the kinds of foods and dishes they’ll eat. When you’re catering food at an event with children, you might need to switch up a few tactics of your business to ensure the kiddos leave the party happy and with full bellies. Don’t let these little ones intimidate you with their pickiness—with our tips; the kids will love the food you prepare!
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Stick To Comfort Foods
When you take a child to a restaurant, what do they usually order? You guessed it—chicken tenders or mac and cheese! It would be best to stick to a menu with comfort foods because something a little different might cause the kids to ignore the food and not try it. Children are more likely to stick to eating foods they know they already love and enjoy.
Don’t Be Afraid of Variety
Yes, comfort foods are your best options, but don’t be afraid to add a little variety to the menu! The preferences of one child can differ from the next. Have enough options to please everyone in attendance and ensure you’re calculating catering food quantities appropriately. In general, kids will eat less than adults.
Forget Elegant Plating
Adults can appreciate the time and effort spent plating a dish. The kids care more about how the food tastes than how it’s elegantly displayed. Have fun with your plating by considering unique elements such as animal-themed plates, funky straws, and color-changing cups.
Offer Interactive Dinnerware
We’ve all been a little hangry when we have to wait longer than usual for food. The little guests attending your event will be no different, if not worse. So, what can you do to keep them entertained until the food is served? Our favorite suggestion is to use a coloring page as their food placemat—leave a cup of crayons in the center of the table and let the kiddos gleefully color.
Make the Food Easy To Eat
Do you remember when we used to ask our mom and dad to cut up our meat for us? Consider this when you’re catering food at an event with children. Foods and ingredients they can just pop into their mouths and easily chew are your best bet for the most satisfaction. Finger foods work great for this because kids also tend to eat with their hands.
The little guests you serve deserve the same respect as adults. Remember what the kiddos will appreciate, and don’t be afraid to have fun with your selections. What will you do at your next catering event to accommodate your little guests?
