Volunteering to host a sister, relative, or friend’s baby shower can be challenging if you’ve never done it before. While fun aspects such as the theme, colour choice and venue are easy enough to arrange, creating a menu for the shower will take some clever planning.
For starters, it’s always a good idea to choose a baking service that offers the cake delivery Melbourne residents love so much. Besides that, there are a few key aspects to keep in mind as you start the planning process. Not sure what they are? Then keep reading—this article is for you!
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Easy-to-Follow Tips to Make Baby Shower Food Planning a Breeze
You may think planning food for an occasion as simple as a baby shower couldn’t be easier. That is of course, until you start taking into account dietary requirements, allergies, and foods not suited for the mom-to-be.
And don’t forget that you may need to find or create foods in a specific colour or theme. Fortunately, we’ve been helping with baby showers long enough to have gathered up a few tips that will help you get started.
1. Consider the Theme
Most mothers-to-be would already have dropped several hints about the theme they’d like to use in their baby shower. For many, this is often the theme of the nursery as well. Teddy bears, Hello Kitty, nautical, bees, and Disney are classic themes that remain popular.
Once you know what the theme is going to be, you can start buying, ordering or creating snacks with this theme and colour choice in mind. Be sure to discuss the theme with any professional bakers or caterers you’re going to use. They may suggest a few ideas that you hadn’t considered.
2. Establish the Style
Next on your list is the style of the shower. Will it be a formal sit-down gathering where everyone is seated at tables? Will it be a more casual affair where guests are standing or eating on their laps? Are you serving finger foods or full meals?
This matters because it will help you find the best (and least messy) way to serve the food. You’ll also have an idea of the types of plates to use. Most baby showers are casual, but this really is a matter of preference.
3. Variety is Key
Having a variety of foods on hand should be a rule of thumb for any event. With gluten-free and vegetarian ingredients more readily available, it’s easier than ever to cater for everyone’s dietary needs.
The person creating the invitations can include a question about dietary requirements. You can also send guests an email or text enquiring about food allergies and special dietary preferences.
Keep in mind that the mom-to-be will also have a list of foods to avoid. Avoid messy, saucy foods that can potentially spill, leak through paper plates, or stain beautiful outfits.
4. Create Themed Food Labels
It may seem silly to create labels for food when it’s quite obvious what’s on the plate. However, the only way to tell the difference between a regular cupcake and a gluten-free one is with a label.
Keep in mind that for some people, the option to eat gluten-free food isn’t a new-age diet fad, but rather necessary as ap of a medical condition. It’s a good idea to create cards or tags that blend in with the theme of the shower. For instance, if your theme is teddy bears, consider using cutouts of little bears with the name of the food on the plate printed on their tummies.
5. Arrange Cake or Cupcake Delivery
Whether you’re choosing one large, themed cake or several individually frosted cupcakes, it’s a good idea to arrange for delivery to the venue. This not only saves time but also reduces the risk of a beautifully decorated masterpiece getting smashed before anyone has even seen it.
If you’re outsourcing any other baking, cooking, or furniture rental it may be worth choosing the delivery option. Rather than driving all over town, trying to collect everything on time and in one piece.
6. Choose Sturdy Tableware
Disposable tableware, such as paper plates, may seem like a wonderful idea since it makes clean up easier and you can buy themed or coloured plates for cheap. However, this isn’t always the case. Essentially, it comes down to what you’re serving.
The last thing you need is to have food soaking through the plates and making a mess. Always consider what you’re serving and what would be the least messy. Remember that you can opt for neutral-coloured plates and use the serviettes to highlight the theme. You may want to use metal cutlery if you’re serving meat as cutting with plastic knives can be challenging.
Final Thoughts
Arranging a menu to suit the baby shower’s theme is easy. It’s important to also consider the details that will add to the menu’s success. Use the tips and pointers that we’ve shared to get your planning process started. The right planning will make your baby shower stand out for all the right reasons!
