The quick answer: the best kids party food is small, easy to grab and familiar. Fairy bread, mini frankfurts, mini pies, sausage rolls, a sausage sizzle, doughnuts, cupcakes and a cut fruit platter will cover almost any kids birthday party in Australia. Below are 30 easy kids party food ideas, plus how much to make per child, what to do about allergies and how to keep party food cold outside.
I'm Deanna, one of the two sisters behind Spixal. I've thrown plenty of birthday parties for my two boys over the years, and now my sister Maggie is doing the same with her little ones. The menu barely changes, because kids want the same favourites every time. Here's what we always put out, and what actually gets eaten.
What Gets Eaten First at a Kids Party
At every party we've thrown, fairy bread is the first thing to go, followed closely by the mini frankfurts. If you only have time to make two things, make those. The fruit platter goes slower, but parents love having it there, and the kids always come back to it once the sugar wears off.
Savoury Kids Party Food
- Mini frankfurts with tomato sauce for dipping.
- Mini pies. Buy them frozen and bake them just before guests arrive.
- Sausage rolls. Homemade or store bought, cut into bite-sized pieces.
- Sausage sizzle. Bread, sausages, onions and sauce. Easy for a crowd and the dads can run the barbie.
- Party pies and pasties for bigger appetites.
- Chicken nuggets with a couple of dipping sauces.
- Mini sandwiches. Ham and cheese, Vegemite, or egg and lettuce, cut into triangles.
- Pinwheels. Cream cheese and ham rolled in a wrap and sliced.
- Cheese and crackers. Pack the crackers separately so they stay crisp.
- Mini pizzas on English muffins or pita bread.
- Chips and popcorn in small bowls around the table.
- Vegie sticks and dip for the kids who graze.
Sweet Kids Party Food
- Fairy bread. White bread, butter and hundreds and thousands, cut into triangles. Always the first to go.
- Doughnuts. Mini cinnamon doughnuts or iced ones.
- Cupcakes. Easier to serve than slicing a cake for twenty kids.
- Chocolate crackles. A classic that can be made the day before.
- Honey joys. Cornflakes, butter, sugar and honey, baked in patty pans.
- Jelly cups. Set them the night before in small cups.
- Icy poles for hot days, kept in the freezer until it's time.
- Party biscuits. Iced animal biscuits or Tiny Teddies.
The Healthy Add-On: A Fruit Platter
We always put out a cut up fruit platter as a healthy add-on. It balances out the party food, and it's the one plate parents are happy to see their kids go back to.
- Watermelon cut into sticks or wedges.
- Grapes. Cut them lengthways for little ones.
- Strawberries.
- Orange wedges.
- Pineapple pieces.
The Roundie Lolly Platter
Our favourite party trick is using the Roundie snackle box as a lolly table platter. It has six compartments around a centre container, so each kid favourite gets its own spot and nothing gets mixed together. It looks bright on the table, and the lid goes back on to keep the leftovers fresh.
- Lolly snakes.
- Chocolate frogs.
- Banana lollies and sour straps.
- M&Ms and Haribo bears.
- Stix in the centre container.
- Tip: fill a second Roundie with savoury bits like cheese cubes, crackers and pretzels for the grown-ups.
If you've seen the Roundie on TikTok, here's why it went viral.
How Much Food Per Child?
My rule is simple. Think about how much your own child eats in one sitting, then multiply that by the number of kids coming. Kids eat less than you think at a party because they're too busy playing, so you don't need to cater for a full meal each. Add a bit extra for the grown-ups, especially if there's a sausage sizzle.
Kids Party Food and Allergies
Always ask the other parents about food allergies before the party. If a child has an allergy, I make something for them that's as close as possible to what the other kids are having, so they don't feel left out. Then I check with their parent ahead of time that my alternative is suitable, just to be extra cautious.
A few more tips:
- Many schools and kindies are nut-free, so most kids' friends will be used to nut-free food. It's an easy default for a party.
- Keep the allergy-friendly food in its own sealed container so it doesn't get mixed with everything else on the table.
- Keep the packets so parents can check ingredients.
What to Make Ahead
- Two days before: shop, and bake cupcakes to freeze un-iced if you like.
- The day before: chocolate crackles, honey joys, jelly cups and pinwheels.
- The morning of: fairy bread, sandwiches, fruit platter and the Roundie lolly platter.
- Just before guests arrive: mini pies, sausage rolls and frankfurts into the oven.
Keeping Party Food Cold Outside
Backyard and park parties are the Aussie way, but cold food doesn't stay cold for long in the sun. Keep the fruit platter, sandwiches, dips and drinks in a leakproof cooler bag with ice until it's time to eat, and set the food table up in the shade. Food Standards Australia New Zealand's 2 hour / 4 hour rule is a good guide for how long fridge food can sit out.
Having the party at the park? Our picnic food ideas show exactly how we pack two cooler bags for a family day out.
Kids Party Food FAQs
What food should I serve at a kids party?
Small, familiar food kids can grab with their hands. Fairy bread, mini frankfurts, mini pies, sausage rolls, a sausage sizzle, doughnuts, cupcakes and a cut fruit platter are the Aussie classics that always get eaten.
How much food do I need per child?
Think about how much your own child eats in one sitting and multiply it by the number of kids coming. Kids usually eat less at parties because they're busy playing.
What is the most popular kids party food?
At our parties, fairy bread is always the first to go, followed by mini frankfurts.
How do I cater for food allergies at a kids party?
Ask parents about allergies before the party. Make an alternative that's as close as possible to what the other kids are eating, and check with the child's parent ahead of time that it's suitable.
How do I keep party food cold at an outdoor party?
Keep cold food and drinks in a leakproof cooler bag with ice until it's time to eat, and set the food up in the shade.
Need everyday ideas too? See our 100 lunch box ideas for kids.
Less chaos, more calm.