What to serve at a 2 year old pool party?

[Angelina]

Hello all!! I seem to have this discussion once a year!! :)

I am having a pool party for my daughter at our house....it is more for the adults than the kids, as there will be about 10 kids ages 2 -11 and they eat anything. About 20-25 adults, so I was wondering what I should make/serve/cater?

I don't want to use the grill becuase with this many people, I don't want to be stuck on a grill, maybe my husband might grill some hot dogs for the kids...

I have some ideas, but wondering what anyone else can suggest! Thanks soo much!!

[Angelina]

Thank you all for sooo much help! I guess you are right about the pan of lemon chicken. Was just looking into getting some sandwich platters from a local caterer:

http://www.mumfords.com/catering_3.html

The salad I am definately doing, forgot to add that in!

I would do the chicken tenders myself, but it seems so time consuming for all those people. I have done it before, but for only 6 of us. If I did them the day before, do they get dried out when I leave them in the refrigerator overnight?

The food won't be outside. I am fortunate my kitchen is rather large and perfect for entertaining. I was going to do a hot pasta dish only because whenever I make the vodka pasta, it is the one thing that seems to vanish. It could be 100 degrees, and people still want it. (Maybe it's all that cream? who knows

)

Anyway, thanks again!!! I really appreciate everyone's help!! :)

[juliejulez]

A BBQ I was at this weekend had a crockpot with pulled pork in it set out, along w/ homemade bbq sauce and buns... people could make their own sandwiches with as much or as little pork as they liked, or just eat the pork with a fork. I thought it was a pretty good idea and since it stayed warm in the crockpot, didn't have to worry about it getting cold or going bad.

[boogiebaby]

Sausage and peppers and pasta just sound so heavy for a summer pool party!

I'd go with lighter fare -- sub sandwiches, wraps, a couple of salads, a fruit platter, etc. For apps/snacks, you could do a veggie tray, some chips and salsa, etc.

[pinehurst]

If your family is like mine, the adults will be focused like hawks on the kids around water.

Wrap sandwiches cut up (easy to hold) for the grown ups; you can go gourmet or simple. A tray of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches if no one's allergic. A tray of meatballs, a tray (as has been suggested) of chicken tenders. Mini quiches. Pizza. Lots of water and healthy juice boxes. A tray with olives/pickles/cheeses/pepperoni, etc. A veggie tray with dip, a fruit tray (or lots of grapes, strawberries, etc). Hummus and crackers.

[Terrie H.]

Pool party and steam pans of made-ahead pasta don't seem to go together. From your list, it looks as if you want to serve NJ Italian style food, so perhaps you could grill Italian sausages before the party, then combine with the peppers, onions and seve with small rolls - adult and kid friendly. A big tomato, lettuce and mozzarella salad or a panzenella salad, a pasta salad, a fruit salad for sides. For the kids, google lasanga cupcakes.

[valerie]

+1. Penne with vodka sauce does not belong here. I'd put in a salad of some sort, like Terrie suggested.

And I know you say the kids eat everything, but if this is a kids party, this food does not seem overly kid-friendly. Instead of steam pan of lemon chicken, I'd get a tray of chicken tenders. They may not admit it, but the adults will like that too.

[hotoynoodle]

she has said the kids will eat anything, so why is everybody trying to make them have chicken fingers? lol.

pasta is a pita at poolside, so is anything that requires both a fork and knife.

i think sandwiches and wraps are a great idea. different color tortillas to give visual interest and they are a one-hand food. ham and swiss, turkey and cheddar, hummus and carrot.

dips of varying kinds -- also good.

shrimp cocktail.

if you want chicken, you can roast off pans of drumsticks that have been marinated with lemon and herbs. good hot or cold and again, something to eat with one hand.

same with some beef. roast off a couple of tenderloins, slice and place on platters. bread and dressing on the side. good cold or hot.

tomato and corn salad, since both are in high-season right now.

cut-up watermelon and strawberries over ice. i know you're just batting ideas around, but 2-3 mains, 2-3 sides is plenty. easier to just keep replenishing platters this way.

[valerie]

I make chicken fingers from scratch with a parmesan cheese crust and adults love them. Nobody said they had to be a bag of frozen nuggets.

My kids, ages 7 and 5, happen to be good eaters. But when I have a party involving kids at my house, call me crazy, but I like to serve some "kid food".

[jmcarthur8]

What are your ideas, Angelina? That would give us guidance to what to suggest. That's great that the kids eat anything- it's so much easier to plan for adventurous eaters!

[Angelina]

Thanks everyone! I was going to do the hot dogs for the older kids..my daughter does not eat them and the only other 2 year old does not either..the other kids are 5 & up.

I was thinking (not all this, but trying to weed out because I wind up w/ a ton of leftovers)

steam pans of :

sausage and peppers in tomato sauce (Rolls on the side)

penne w/ vodka sauce

buffalo chicken dip w/ chips (almost like a meal..soo good!)

raw veggies w/ a hummus

salsa/chips

cold bean salad

spanikopita (spinach pies done the day before)

was going to get a catered chicken dish to put in steam pan because I don't feel like dredging soo much chicken..maybe lemon chicken/francaise?

Everything to be made by me...except for the lemon chicken.

No particular order, and just throwing out ideas. Like I said...I always wind up with way too much food!!

[jmcarthur8]

It feels like the lemon chicken is more a fork-and-knife food - what about a tempura fried boneless chicken with a lemon dipping sauce?
I love the sausage and peppers -- easy to eat outdoors, and it doesn't matter if it's hot or room temp.
Some cheeses would be nice to have with that. Perhaps a platter of pickled things, too.
I like your side dishes. Cut the spanokopita in bite size pieces.

If you can rent a soft serve ice cream machine, or do some kind of sundae bar, you'd have lots of happy kids (and adults).

[Angelina]

nice idea about the chicken, jm!!

For dessert, I have a b-day cake I am going to order, plus I will have many cookies, claufuties, and some mini cupcakes thrown in the mix! (Great idea about the ice cream, though!!)

[cheesecake17]

The chicken pieces are a good idea, especially for the kids. I've never seen a kid turn down a nugget.

I would include a salad. Maybe a big bowl of green salad with some squeeze bottles of dressing on the side. Everyone can choose their own, and no soggy salad.

Along with the raw veggies and hummus, add in some steamed broccoli and snap peas. Tasty and easy for the kids to eat.

Watermelon slices, on the rind, are a great refreshing dessert. Keep them chilled with a patter of ice under the platter of melon.

If the food is going to be outdoors, consider buying some mesh domes. They'll prefect the food from and bugs or critters.

[roxlet]

We used to give a big barbecue every year -- pulled pork, ribs, and all the fixings. SInce my son was little, and there were a lot of kids his age, my husband grilled up a bunch of hot dogs for the kids. Well, the adults snagged them all! I'll never forget how upset my MIL was that she didn't get a hotdog. If you make hotdogs, be prepared for this! Basically, it became such a pain, that we stopped serving hotdogs for the "kids." Oh, yes, we had the same problem with the cupcakes that I made for the children. There were a lot of questions from the adults about whether there were any more cupcakes!

[tiffeecanoe]

What about sandwiches and salads? Make up cute grab and go PB&J, plain meat etc. for the kids and perhaps make up a nice platter of meats, cheeses, fancy meat salads - I make a lovely BBQ chicken salad I can share the basic recipe - and a variety of rolls, croissants and such. Then some refreshing sides - fresh fruit, cucumber/tomato salads, lettuce salads, etc.

I did my mother's 50th B-day party like this several years ago and it was so nice and so easy to throw together that morning. Her birthday is in July so it was nice to have easy and nothing that required an oven, grill, etc. I think people appreciate the chilled food as well in the heat.

[Crockett67]

Errr. Due to age, I would hold out on hotdogs with that many toddlers. (Choking hazard.)

I would cater the food for the adults as you would like and have like chichen fingers, cut up fruit, and like some kid friendly potato/pasta salad for the kids.