Themed Party Food for Kids

Picking a theme which interests your child is usually the best – and easiest - way to plan a party. If your child has a fascination with trains, a Thomas the Tank Engine party will definitely delight. If he or she loves Peppa Pig, try theming the party around Peppa cakes and decorations. Younger guests can also bring their own favourite cuddly toy or doll if you want a Teddy Bear Picnic or Barbie-themed birthday.

Older children will love a football-themed party or something not tied in to cuddly characters, such as a Hawaiian luau buffet, High School Musical party or Under the Sea themed extravaganza. Tying in the food with the theme is a sure-fire way to both keep the menu relatively straightforward and simple, and all the guests happy!

Themed Party Menu Ideas

These tried-and-tested favourites all kids will love...

Cowboy Party

Don't forget Calamity Jane – this party will be equally appreciated by cowgirls as well as cowboys. BBQ-style food goes down a treat in the Wild West, so stock up on burgers, hot dogs and beans. Add corn on the cob, cornbread and perhaps a big bowl of chilli, along with platters of fresh chips and tortilla-style crisps and tumblers of Bug Juice (fizzy punch). No self-respecting cowhand will turn up his nose at this meal!

Kid-Friendly Cowboy Chilli

Here's a chilli recipe that's not too spicy...

What you'll need: (serves 6)

• 800g of beef mince meat
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 2 400g tins of chopped tomatoes
• I small tin kidney beans (optional)
• 1 tsp very mild chilli powder
• pinch of salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 2 tbps of tomato puree
• 1tsp of worcestershire sauce

What you do:

Place your mince in a large pan and cook until all the mince is brown, about 5 minutes. Drain your mince and add the onion and garlic and stir, cook for another 2-3 minutes. Next add your chilli powder, salt, pepper and tomato puree stir together and cook for 1-2 minutes. Now add your tomatoes, kidney beans and worcestershire sauce stir together and cook for about 30-40 minutes.

Serve with rice or crusty bread!

Dora the Explorer Party

Dora and her cute monkey friend Boots are Mexican, so plan this fun fiesta around delicious Mexican food. Serve either Mexican wraps (sandwich fillings inside wrapped tortillas) or tacos. Also serve fresh salads, lots of tortilla chips and dips, and exotic fruit cups containing cut-up pineapple, mango and melon (sorbet in exotic flavours will also go down well for dessert). Buy Dora cups, plates and napkins and the fiesta's ready to begin! Ole!

Tasty Tacos

This taco seasoning is much nicer than the store-bought variety...

What you'll need:(serves 6-8)

• 800g of beef mince meat
• 1 tin kidney beans (optional)
• 1 tbsp chilli powder
• 1 small onion, well chopped
• 1 tsp each of ground cumin, mild paprika, garlic powder, sugar and dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp salt
• Taco shells
• Condiments of chopped lettuce, tomatoes, grated cheese, Creme Fraiche, guacamole (if desired)

What you do:

Mix together all of the dry ingredients in small bowl. Next brown the mince and onions and drain off an excess grease.

Stir in homemade taco seasoning and 60ml of water, allow to simmer for about 1 hour .Microwave taco shells for 30 seconds, or according to packet instructions Spoon meat mixture into taco shells, let children add own condiments

Under the Sea Party

Fantastic menu idea for any boy or girl under about age eight. The easiest food to prepare is a hearty meal of fish fingers and chips, with blue and green jelly (sea foam) to accompany a cake frosted with marine-style icing and decorated with jelly sweet seashells. Other ideas include:

• Octopus Sarnies: Buy hot dogs and hamburger buns. Cut a hot dog towards the centre lengthwise. Cut the two floppy pieces into four smaller ones, making eight “legs”. Put on hamburger bun and you have a lovely octopus sarnie...
• Jolly Jelly Boats: Buy oranges, box of jelly, swizzle sticks or toothpicks, and paper. Cut oranges in half and scrape out inside, then fill with jelly, prepared according to instructions on box but with a bit less water. Place in fridge to set, then cut oranges in half again. Make “sails” out of paper, stick in oranges with sticks, and you have beautiful boats!

High School Musical Party

Any girl with aspirations to be all-American will love this party. Buy themed High School musical party supplies and decorate tables with stacks of schoolbooks, basketballs, megaphones - anything that is reminiscent of a US high school. You can also print HSM posters from the Disney website. For the food, serve Yankee-style fare of pizza, hamburgers, hot dogs or fried chicken, along with popcorn and ice cream sundaes for dessert. Fun, yummy and easy!

Arabian Nights Party

Hearty party food with a Moroccan flair will go down well amongst your older genies. Prepare humus, ham and olive spread sandwiches, cut into triangles, and place bowls of olives, pitta bread, grapes and fruit skewers for guests to nibble on. Enormous platters of crisps with a variety of dips are always popular, as are cous-cous salads and drinks served out of wine bottles that have been decorated with glitter and fake jewels.

Themed Desserts

• Pieces of Eight Biscuits: Loved by pirates and mermaids, these are simply small biscuits covered in yellow frosting. Island Floaters (lemonade topped with ice cream) are also fun and delicious when a hoard of hungry pirates is visiting.
• Barbie Cake: Simple and sweet. Buy a cake mix, bake in large greased Pyrex bowl. Cool 15 minutes, then place on cake plate with widest part on bottom. Allow to sit three hours. When completely cool, insert clean Barbie doll in cake centre. Decorate her skirt with frosting, then decorate cake to match. Note: Some people end up having to break off Barbie's legs if cake is not tall enough to accommodate her. Ouch!
• Clown face cake: Perfect for your circus party. Bake one round and one rectangular cake. Cut latter into three triangles by making a V-shape. Place one above round cake for hat, two on bottom for bow-tie. Decorate to make a smiley clown face.