Food for Birthday Party?

[NewWorldOrder]

My daughter is turning 17 next week, and she is having a party on the 16th. She is inviting about 20 people, and I don't know what kind of food to serve. The party starts at noon and goes till whenever. I want her guests to have a good time, so I was looking for ideas for easy food options. I had thought about serving hamburgers, but DH has to work that day, and won't be available to cook them, and I don't want to do it. So I was thinking about little finger foods, but I'm not sure. I also need ideas for drink ideas beside soda.

[Itiswell]

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Party-Punch-IX/Detail.aspx

This is the best punch recipe ever!

INGREDIENTS
3 (3 ounce) packages fruit flavored gelatin mix (I usually use tropical)
4 cups white sugar
13 cups boiling water
2 (46 fluid ounce) cans pineapple juice
1 (16 ounce) bottle lemon juice concentrate
2 (2 liter) bottles ginger ale, chilled

DIRECTIONS
In a large bowl, combine gelatin and sugar. Stir in boiling water until mixture is dissolved. Stir in pineapple juice and lemon juice concentrate. Divide into 2 containers, and freeze until solid.
To serve, place gelatin mixture in punch bowl, and chop into pieces. Pour in ginger ale.

Make sure as you are making this you stir it at least once an hour until it is frozen so the ingrediants are evenly distributed. Because it is frozen, you can make it ahead of time and thaw it out to a slushy consistency on the day you need it.

[Betty]

most young kids like sandwiches, chips and dip, and mixed nuts. Finger foods are the easiest and the kids will be walking around and eating. They have too much energy to sit and eat at a party.

[mom211]

For birthday parties I've made homemade sloppy joes in the crock pot, pasta salad, jello fluff, and served all that with chips, dip, and a veggie tray. I've also gotten the party trays of deli lunch meats & cheeses, and made rigatonni & meatballs in crockpot or roaster.

[ATYCLB]

Tostitos, cheese sauce and salsa!

:bouncie

[lyngraphics]

Finger foods would be best... An yummy dip I like to make is avocados mixed with Ranch dressing, I serve it with any kind of chips. And I like to make it a little chunky.

Sam's has a lot of appetizers and finger-foods frozen. Sometimes I go there for ideas, and if it's easy I make it myself!

[NewWorldOrder]

Hey ya'll have given me some really good ideas. I hadn't even thought about Sloppy Joes. I like that one. The deli tray is a good idea too. Thanks guys (gals) ya'll were a great help. :hat

[Cookies4me]

a nacho lay out.

Have the chips, beans, meat, sour cream, cheese, and all those good fixings. :drool

[Biblenuggetlady]

Agreed with those who mentioned the nacho bar...kids love nachos or a taco/burrito bar. Use crock pots for the melted cheese and meat.

Also...you might like to get "Oh Boy" brand frozen meatballs, stick them in a crockpot and add a little spagetti sauce on top and heat, then have sliced french/hoagie rolls set out and they can make meatball sandwiches. Simple, not as messy as sloppy joes and my kids love them. EASY.

If you don't mind cooking, these have always gone over well, either as part of their lunch or as munchies...

Poppin Fresh Barbecups

In a large skillet brown 3/4 lb. ground beef and drain. Add 1/2 cup BBQ sauce (Baby Ray's is the best), a teaspoon of minced onion, 2 Tablespoons brown sugar.

Canned biscuits Tenderflake is the ones in the original recipe, any will work.

Take each biscuit and place them into ungreased cupcake pan, pressing the dough up the sides of the cup up to the edge. Spoon the meat mixture into each cup and sprinkle the top with some grated cheese. Bake at 400 for about 10-15 minutes, or until they are golden brown. (Left overs are even good heated up in the microwave.)

Pizza never fails with kids.

For snackies...a vegetable tray with dip always goes over big with kids as does bowls of popcorn and bowls of peanuts and pretzels. If you want ooooohs and aaaaahs, slice apples and get the carmel apple dip available in the produce section.

For drinks, don't forget bottled water, kids drink a lot more of that today than ever.

Tip: If you do a punch bowl, freeze some OJ in bowls or jello molds (to make it fancier). It keeps the punch from diluting due to ice and adds flavor, offer an ice bucket on the side for anyone who wants to have ice in their drink. I just use the Hawaiian Punch syrup and 7-up for the punch. Slice some oranges to float on top to make it look pretty.

[ZAGS]

Pizza rolls, you can either make your own or you can buy them. If you make your own buy a couple of pizza crusts roll them out cut about a two inch by one inch piece, rub spaghetti or pizza sauce on it sprinkle mozerella cheese and add about 1/2 teaspoon of cooked meat (sausage, hamburger, etc) or veggie (diced) then fold over pressing the edges together with a fork and cook according to pizza crust instructioins. Cheaper than buying them.