20 Life-Saving Ideas for a DIY Kid’s Birthday Food Boxes

November 3, 2020

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This article contains helpful ideas on how you can create your own DIY kid’s birthday food boxes. Enjoy reading!

Planning for your kid’s birthday party entails a lot of things. It will probably take months before you can figure out everything – from foods to decors, party favors, games, and the like.

Some parents choose to focus on extravagant decors. Others take the extra mile in the games and activities. And more often than not, the menu is overlooked.

In reality, the foods that you will serve should be one of your top priorities. After all, this one can make or break your kid’s birthday party.

Some of your guests might have food allergies. Others might have strict dietary restrictions. So, why overlook the menu when it can make your guests go home happy or in pain.

What foods should you be serving then? And how are you going to serve the food, in food boxes or buffets?

If you ask us, we prefer food boxes for a kid’s birthday party because it’s convenient. Plus, having so many kids around, a buffet is a big no-no.

Just imagine the kids falling in long lines just to get their food. That doesn’t sound too pleasing, does it?

So, if you plan to do this by yourself, here are some life-saving ideas for a DIY kid’s birthday food boxes.

Table of Contents

Why Go for a DIY Kid’s Birthday Food Boxes?

1. It’s More Organized

It’s a kid’s birthday party, so expect to have a lot of kids around. With this, food boxes are more organized to distribute than having everyone, especially the kids, get their food on the buffet table.

Besides, going for a DIY kid’s birthday food boxes can save you from a lot of mess. In buffets, there is no guarantee that no one will break plates. But with food boxes, you are ensured that there will be no broken plates, and the table can be less messy.

Further, unlike buffets, no one will be standing from their seats and fall in line to get their own serving. This makes serving time lesser too.

2. It’s Cheaper

Compared to buffets, which will eventually cost you hundreds (or even thousands) of dollars, DIY Kid’s Birthday food boxes are cheaper. This is a good option when celebrating your kid’s birthday on a budget.

What makes food boxes a cheaper option is that you can limit the food for each person. Just make sure that there’s enough food placed inside the food boxes.

In addition, with food boxes, you don’t have to prepare a lot of food options since they can only handle a limited amount of food. So, you can stick around with a single appetizer, main dish, and dessert.

3. Lesser Wasted Food

As mentioned above, a DIY kid’s birthday food boxes allow you to limit the amount of food served for each person. This means that you can put just enough serving on each food box, which lessens the amount of food wasted.

Unlike buffets, wherein your guests can freely get as much as they want and end up not eating everything on their plate, food boxes are the complete opposite.

If a guest wants more, then he can simply ask for another box.

4. It Requires Lesser Staff

With DIY Kid’s birthday food boxes, you actually don’t need a lot of help serving the food. Since the foods are already in boxes, you won’t need extra help in assisting everyone while getting their food, just like in a buffet.

Also, you’ll need fewer staff, most especially in washing the dishes. With it, you can save money, too, from paying more people to help you.

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Life-Saving Ideas for a DIY Kid’s Birthday Food Boxes

Planning for a DIY Kid’s birthday food boxes isn’t that complicated. Besides, this option is way simpler due to the limited space in there.

Of course, you just can’t put everything on the food boxes. You have to carefully plan what foods to serve or what food goes with one another. Also, the presentation should be superb too.

Here are some ideas that you can have for your DIY kid’s birthday food boxes:

1. DIY Kid’s Birthday Food Boxes: Use Food Boxes with Compartments

To avoid cross-contamination and better presentation, choose food boxes with compartments.

The compartments will help you separate the foods from one another to look better when served. Remember, presentation is very important when it comes to the kids.

And sure enough, you do not want to serve a food box with all the foods mixed around. That’s not appetizing at all. Kids might not even want to take a look at it.

2. DIY Kid’s Birthday Food Boxes: Choose Dry Foods

When planning for a DIY kid’s birthday food boxes, go for dry foods if possible. Foods with soups will just create a mess, and there’s a tendency that the soup will mix with the other foods.

With dry foods, the risk of cross-contamination is lesser. Besides, serving dry foods is more favorable since they are less messy when eaten by the kids.

Dry foods might sound boring, but there are actually a lot of dry foods that are tasty and yummy. For example, you can have baked mac, lasagna, and the like at that.

3. DIY Kid’s Birthday Food Boxes: Keep Everything Clean

Since you are dealing with foods, always keep everything clean, including your hands, the utensils, and of course, the food boxes. Ensure that the food boxes are placed in a clean and sanitized area and have not been in contact with anything.

Washing your hands when preparing for your DIY kid’s birthday food boxes is also very important. Remember, hand washing is one of the most common ways to stop bacteria from spreading.

Also, wash the cutting boards, dishes, utensils, and countertops with hot, soapy water before preparing a food item. If possible, use a different knife and cutting board for fruits and vegetables, meats, and fishes.

4. DIY Kid’s Birthday Food Boxes: Begin with Safe Food

In case you have perishable food items in your DIY kid’s birthday food boxes, such as luncheon meats with crackers, cheese, and condiments, then keep the cold for safety purposes. To keep them cold, you can use freezer gel packs or a frozen juice carton.

Insulated, soft-sided lunch boxes or bags are known as the best for keeping foods cold. But if you don’t have any of these, metal or plastic lunch boxes and paper bags are excellent alternatives.

If you go for paper lunch bags, keep the food boxes insulated by creating a few layers.

5. DIY Kid’s Birthday Food Boxes: Keep Hot Foods Hot and Cold Foods Cold

Going for a DIY kid’s birthday food boxes can get a little complicated when choosing to serve foods that are to be kept hot or cold. If you have soups or stews, place them in insulated containers while they are not yet served.

A good step to try to keep foods hot is to fill a container with hot water for a few minutes, empty it, and then add the food boxes. Keep the container closed until you serve the food boxes to avoid bacterial growth and contamination.

When it comes to cold foods, make sure that you store them properly. Ideally, they should be refrigerated and should only be taken out when it’s time to serve.

But since you will be serving food in food boxes, this one is a little hard to achieve. So, if possible, stick with either hot foods or cold foods only. Avoid having hot and cold food items to store them properly.

6. DIY Kid’s Birthday Food Boxes: Label the Food Boxes

Labeling food boxes is very important. As mentioned above, some of your guests might have food allergies or strict dietary restrictions, making labeling a must for their safety.

When labeling food boxes, include the foods inside the box and any allergen they contain (if there is). Better yet, place the ingredients used in each dish.

You can simply print out small pieces of paper with the ingredients and glue it into the food boxes. There are also food labels that you can buy online, then just fill up the information needed there.

7. DIY Kid’s Birthday Food Boxes: Include Pasta In Your Menu

Pasta is a kid’s favorite. Whether it is penne, macaroni, spaghetti, and the like, kids will surely love it.

To be safer, go for pasta if olive oil or marinara. Other children prefer stronger flavor when it comes to pasta, but encouraging them to try something new is not bad at all.

If possible, choose small-sized pasta so that children can handle it easier. Try to make the sauce healthier, too, by adding as many vegetables as possible.

8. DIY Kid’s Birthday Food Boxes: Incorporate All Food Groups in Your Food Boxes

When preparing your DIY kid’s birthday food boxes, try incorporating all food groups in the foods you’ll be serving. If you can find a food box with four compartments to contain grains, proteins, vegetables, and fruits, then that would be perfect.

When it comes to grains, choose whole grains such as brown rice, whole-wheat pasta, or whole grain bread since they are healthier. For proteins, you can choose from either fish, chicken, or lean meat.

On the other hand, choose the favorites of the kids for the fruits and vegetables. For example, you can include blueberries, tangerine slices, or strawberries for fruits and spinach, broccoli or carrots for vegetables.

To avoid choking, make sure that you cut all the solid food into tiny bites.

9. DIY Kid’s Birthday Food Boxes: Involve Your Child in Planning What Food to Serve

When planning what to include on your DIY kid’s birthday food boxes, try involving your child. Include the food he likes on the menu and be careful not to focus only on his preference.

What your child wants might not be what the other children love. So, try mixing up what your child wants with other good choices.

The key here is anticipating what your guests want, especially the kids since they are picky.

10. DIY Kid’s Birthday Food Boxes: Serve Food Separately

This takes a lot of time, but for everyone’s safety, why not?

If some of your guests have allergies or strict dietary restrictions, serving everyone with their party box is a good idea. This will allow you to give the child separate, appropriate food without any fuss or without making him feel different.

When planning what foods to include in your DIY kid’s birthday food boxes, incorporate fresh foods that are allergen-free. For example, fresh fruits and vegetables will never go wrong.

11. DIY Kid’s Birthday Food Boxes: Determine How Much to Serve

While children might have more attention to the games and activities than on the foods, knowing how much food you need is still of utmost importance. If not, you might fall short or have too much and get pressed on how everyone will consume all of it.

But how will you estimate the food portions in your DIY kid’s birthday food boxes?

Try estimating each portion by thinking of a packed sandwich. How much of it can each child finish at an average?

Some kids eat more. Others eat less. So try sticking with the average to avoid any wasted food. Plus, you are ensured that each of them will get enough food.

kids-party-foods — A birthday party won’t be complete without foods, what should you serve?

12. DIY Kid’s Birthday Food Boxes: Prepare Plenty of Drinks

Prepare plenty of drinks that will go with your DIY kid’s birthday food boxes. Doing so is necessary if the party is high-energy.

If you have prepared a lot of games and activities, then your guests will need a lot of drinks. Always go for healthy drinks such as fresh fruit juice or water. But if you want to treat the kids, kid-friendly punches are go-to.

It is better to have more than enough drinks than falling short of it. Your family can enjoy what’s left, anyway.

13. DIY Kid’s Birthday Food Boxes: Consider Your Budget

Although food boxes are relatively cheaper, the expenses can still go out of hand if you do not watch it out. The best thing to do is to figure out your budget for the foods and divide it into the number of DIY kid’s birthday food boxes that you’ll be preparing.

There are actually a lot of budget-friendly yet delicious foods that both kids and adults will love. For example, fruits and vegetables are cheaper than meats, so have more of them on the menu.

You must not exceed the budget that you have when it comes to your kid’s birthday party. If possible, always stick with what you have allotted for it, and try not to use the budget for other things.

14. DIY Kid’s Birthday Food Boxes: Cook to the Right Temperature

Since you are mostly feeding kids, you must cook everything at the right temperature. Do not put any half-cooked food in your DIY kid’s birthday food boxes to avoid food contamination.

Foods, especially meats, are safe to eat for the kids when the internal temperature is high enough to kill germs or bacteria that can cause sickness. If possible, cook all the foods as thoroughly as possible.

To make sure that the food is thoroughly cooked, use a food thermometer. If you think that the food is done, stick the thermometer to the thickest part, and if it has reached the minimum cooking temperature, then it’s good to go.

Also, do not ever serve raw food to the kids. You are not sure if what is in this raw food, and the kids might end up catching bacteria or germs that can harm them.

15. DIY Kid’s Birthday Food Boxes: Beware When Making Sandwiches

Sandwiches are very popular party food, and kids just really love it. Plus, there are a lot of possibilities when it comes to sandwiches, which is a good thing.

But be aware when making sandwiches since they can get a little tricky.

Making a sandwich usually involves a lot of handling since you have to cook some of the ingredients and assemble it. This makes it essential always to keep your hands clean. Hygiene is key.

Usually, sandwiches are made of potentially hazardous food, which means that you should handle and store them properly, just like any other high-risk food. If possible, only make sandwiches a few hours before the party.

If that is not feasible, make sure that they are refrigerated to keep them edible.

16. DIY Kid’s Birthday Food Boxes: Find Foods that Works for Food Boxes

Not all foods are suitable for food boxes. For example, soups are a terrible idea for preparing a DIY kid’s birthday food boxes since there is a tendency to mix it up with the other foods.

Food boxes are definitely not the one size fits all type. So, you can experiment with what foods best work for food boxes before finalizing the menu.

Ideally, try sticking with dry or not soupy meals. Steaks are okay as long as your food boxes are sturdy enough to handle juices.

17. DIY Kid’s Birthday Food Boxes: Buy Food Boxes in Bulk

Since it’s a birthday party, you probably have a good number of guests, making buying food boxes in bulk a cheaper option for you.

Besides, food boxes don’t have an expiration date, so you can still use the remaining ones at your next event.

Also, don’t just buy food boxes. Ensure that what you are getting is sturdy enough for all the food you are planning to place inside.

If within the budget, go for microwave-safe food boxes since they are more sturdy than paper food boxes.

18. DIY Kid’s Birthday Food Boxes: Have Extra Food Boxes

You aren’t sure if your guests will bring other people with them, so having extra food boxes is a must. Don’t just pack the exact number of the DIY kid’s birthday food boxes exactly as the number of invites you have sent out.

More or less, the parents or the siblings of the kids will come with them. So, it is better that you anticipate such a situation than panic when it happens.

Also, guests might ask for a second box, making it more reasonable to prepare extra food boxes with you.

19. DIY Kid’s Birthday Food Boxes: Use Dependable Recipes

Your kid’s birthday party is not exactly the right venue to try out some crazy food experiments. Instead, use recipes that you already have mastered or you are confident about.

Better yet, go for tasty recipes that you can easily pull off. And of course, don’t forget to consider your guests’ age group when choosing what foods to include in your food boxes.

Experimenting is really a good idea, but it’s not appropriate to do so at a kid’s birthday party. You might just end up ruining the party if you fail at one thing.

20. DIY Kid’s Birthday Food Boxes: Have Fun and Reward Yourself

Planning for your kid’s birthday party is a lot; perhaps, you aren’t done with everything yet, but you are already tired.

So take a deep breath and relax. Everything will be okay; things will turn out as you wanted.

Instead of stressing yourself out, why not enjoy the process. Have fun planning, cooking, and making your food boxes. Make it a family activity, if possible.

Don’t be too hard on yourself in trying to give your child the best birthday party. Your child and the guests will surely appreciate what you’re coming up with.

It’s okay to pour everything you have in here, work hard if you must, but do not forget to enjoy the process. Remember, birthdays only happen once in a year, so give your best and enjoy it too.

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Conclusion

Birthday parties will never be underrated to kids, most especially when it’s their birthday. Perhaps, this is the day that they mostly anticipate each year.

It’s understandable that you want to throw your kid the best birthday bash ever as a parent. You want him to feel special because he really is.

With this in mind, you try as hard as you can to give your best. You make sure that everything is carefully planned and executed as it is.

From the biggest to the smallest of details, you try to work hard to make them flawless. Good job, mom!

Just a little reminder, do not forget to plan the menu well. The menu is one detail that has a large impact on how the whole party will turn out.

Finally, do not be afraid to ask for help. Everyone, most especially moms, can relate to this struggle. So, if you need help, go and ask for it.

Check out these articles too:

5 Ways to Deal With Misbehaving Kids at a Kid’s Party

How to Console a Child Who’s Not Invited at a Kid’s Party

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