Birthday party foods (menu planning): A list of the easiest and most delicious recipes for hosting an epic birthday party. From appetizers to desserts, these recipes are always a hit with kids and adults alike. I've also included some tips and tricks that will help you streamline the menu planning process.
If you don't see anything that piques your interest here, check out my easy party appetizers and easy party desserts for more great ideas.
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- 🎉 Birthday Party Appetizers
- 1. Deviled Eggs
- 2. Air Fryer Pigs in a Blanket
- 3. Dill Pickle Dip
- 4. Rotel Dip
- 5. Nachos Supreme
- 6. Easy Air Fryer Pretzel Bites
- 🍔 Best Main Courses for Birthdays
- 7. Baked Potato Bar
- 8. Burger Bar
- 9. Hot Dog Bar
- 10. Taco Bar
- 🍟 Birthday Party Side Dishes
- 11. Fruit Salad
- 12. Potato Salad
- 13. Ambrosia Salad
- 14. Air Fryer Frozen Onion Rings
- 🎂 Birthday Party Desserts
- 15. Sprinkle Cookies
- 16. Easy Chocolate Cake
- 17. Birthday Cake Funfetti Cupcakes
- 18. Chocolate Birthday Cake
- 💭 Tips For Choosing The Best Birthday Party Foods
- 🎉🎂🎈🍰 More Crowd-Pleasing Recipes
- 📖 Recipe Card
- Birthday Party Foods (Menu Planning): 18+ Recipes To Make The Day Special!
- 💬 Comments & Reviews
There are three key things you need to pull off a fabulous birthday party: a venue, entertainment, and FOOD. If you've picked the place to host your party and planned the activities, then all that's left is to build the birthday party menu.
Now that my daughter is a teenager, I've hosted my fair share of parties for kiddos to young adults. I've learned a thing or two about picking the perfect menu that keeps the partygoers happy and makes cleanup afterward a breeze.
🎉 Birthday Party Appetizers
Chips with dip and grab-and-go snacks make for the best party appetizers. You don't want to choose anything too complicated, so you can focus your energy on the main course and dessert.
1. Deviled Eggs
When I'm throwing a party, these deviled eggs are always the first thing to disappear. This is my go-to recipe for classic deviled eggs with the perfect balance of mayonnaise and mustard.
2. Air Fryer Pigs in a Blanket
It doesn't get much easier than these 2-ingredient air fryer pigs in a blanket. They are a great appetizer for when you're short on time before the party starts, and they are practically mess-free.
3. Dill Pickle Dip
This creamy chip dip is full of dill pickle flavor. Best of all, it only takes about 10 minutes to throw together and only requires a handful of simple ingredients.
4. Rotel Dip
Warm and cheesy RoTel dip is best served with crispy tortilla chips. The taco-seasoned ground beef makes this an excellent appetizer for the taco bar below.
5. Nachos Supreme
A giant platter of nachos supreme will require some extra plates and napkins, but they're always a popular addition to any appetizer spread. To make things easier, you can put the cheese and toppings on the side so everyone can assemble their nachos on their plate.
6. Easy Air Fryer Pretzel Bites
Utilize time-saving kitchen appliances like your air fryer or Instant Pot to help you with prep. These air fryer pretzel bites are delicious and perfect for dunking in various condiments and sauces like my cheese dip for pretzels.
>>>See All Of My Tasty Recipes Here!<<<
🍔 Best Main Courses for Birthdays
7. Baked Potato Bar
Baked potatoes can make an excellent main course if you provide a variety of hearty fillings like pulled pork or shredded chicken.
I like to display all the potato toppings in Tupperware containers. That way, I can quickly close everything up and refrigerate it when the party ends.
8. Burger Bar
Both kids and adults love burgers, especially when there are tons of tasty burger toppings to choose from. You can offer different cheeses and condiments like my addictive burger sauce and let everyone build their perfect burger.
9. Hot Dog Bar
A build-your-own hotdog bar is perfect for summertime parties and outdoor events. Hot dogs are quick and easy to prepare and don't require any silverware. A big batch of homemade chili for chili dogs is always appreciated, too.
10. Taco Bar
If the guest of honor is a fan of tacos, nothing beats a taco bar. You can assemble different toppings, condiments, meats, and fillings for everyone to load up their taco shells or tortillas (or both).
Adults may appreciate more 'gourmet' taco toppings, while kids are usually content with the basics.
🍟 Birthday Party Side Dishes
11. Fruit Salad
Fruit salad is cool and refreshing, plus it can be made hours before the party and kept in the fridge until you're ready. The fruit is tossed in a super simple honey citrus sauce that will have everyone coming back for seconds.
12. Potato Salad
It's easy to make a huge batch of potato salad, and again, it can be prepared the night before and refrigerated until needed. This is a favorite for outdoor parties during the hot summer months.
13. Ambrosia Salad
Ambrosia salad is a sweet side dish consisting of creamy Cool Whip dressing, fluffy mini marshmallows, and fruit. You can whip it up hours before the party and keep it cool in the fridge while focusing on the remaining food.
14. Air Fryer Frozen Onion Rings
Onion rings pair perfectly with any of the main courses above (of course, you could go for air fryer french fries, too). Frozen onion rings turn out crispy and delicious in the air fryer, no one will know they weren't homemade.
🎂 Birthday Party Desserts
15. Sprinkle Cookies
I love that you can use any type of sprinkles for these soft and chewy sprinkle cookies. It makes it incredibly easy to make them match the party theme.
16. Easy Chocolate Cake
If you don't consider yourself a baker, you can still pull off a wonderfully moist and decadent birthday cake. This easy chocolate cake recipe is simple enough for beginners in the kitchen and always tastes delicious.
>>>See All Of My Tasty Recipes Here!<<<
17. Birthday Cake Funfetti Cupcakes
Cupcakes are a classic birthday dessert that can be easily customized with sprinkles, candy, and different colors and flavors of buttercream frosting. I love these Funfetti cupcakes because every bite has a rainbow sprinkle surprise.
You could also try my number cupcake cake, which makes for a cute photo op!
18. Chocolate Birthday Cake
Almost everyone loves chocolate. As long as the birthday boy or girl is a fan of chocolate cake, this moist chocolate birthday cake with chocolate buttercream frosting never disappoints.
💭 Tips For Choosing The Best Birthday Party Foods
Ultimately it's up to the guest of honor to choose the type of food at their party, unless it's a surprise party, of course. Here are a few key things to keep in mind when building the birthday party menu:
- Pick age-appropriate options: When selecting the menu, be sure to keep the age of the attendees in mind. Young kids usually prefer common foods, whereas teenagers or adults might enjoy a more diverse menu.
- Consider the time of your party: Usually, you will be expected to serve dinner if the party is at dinnertime. If you're working on a budget, have a mid-afternoon party. You can feed small plates and snacks rather than a full meal if the party is held outside of mealtimes.
- Finger foods and easy-to-eat items: Finger foods and easy-to-eat options are best, especially for younger kids. Guests can graze and snack throughout the party, so dishes that require minimal mess or utensils make cleanup so much easier.
- Customize for the theme: If the birthday party has a specific theme, try incorporating it into the food. For example, I like to use coordinating frosting colors for cakes or cupcakes.
- Keep it fun: Interactive food stations that allow partygoers to customize their meals are part of the entertainment. Build-your-own burger bars, taco bars, hot dog bars, and even ice cream sundae stations are always a hit.
🎉🎂🎈🍰 More Crowd-Pleasing Recipes
- Cream Cheese Salsa Dip - This 2-ingredient party dip is the perfect appetizer for a taco bar!
- Boneless Chicken Wings - The great thing about boneless chicken wings is that you can toss them in different sauces and seasonings for variety!
- Fudge Brownies - Warm fudgy chocolate brownies are delicious with a scoop of ice cream on top!
- Crockpot Macaroni and Cheese - This rich and creamy mac and cheese can be served warm right out of your crockpot!
- Cherry Pie Bars - These 3-ingredient dessert bars are perfect for parties, potlucks, and more!
- French Onion Dip - No one can resist French onion dip. It's a classic party appetizer!
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📖 Recipe Card
Birthday Party Foods (Menu Planning): 18+ Recipes To Make The Day Special!
Ingredients
Burgers
- 6 lbs ground beef (I used beef with an 85/15 ratio)
- 3 tablespoon burger seasoning
- 12 hamburger buns (twice as many if making ¼-pound burgers)
Toppings
- bacon (cooked and crisped)
- red onion (sliced)
- tomato (sliced)
- lettuce (washed and leaves separated)
- dill pickle slices
- pineapple slices
- roasted onions & bell peppers
- mushrooms (sauteed)
Cheese
- American cheese (sliced)
- provolone or swiss cheese (sliced)
- blue cheese crumbles
Condiments
- burger sauce
- ketchup
- mustard
- mayonnaise
- BBQ sauce
- sweet pickle relish
(Note: 2x or 3x only changes the ingredient list)
Instructions
Cook The Burgers
- Preheat your grill, frying pan, skillet, or flat-top griddle to medium-high heat (425°F / 218°C).
- Stovetop: Add 1 tablespoon of EVOO (extra virgin olive oil) to the pan as it heats up. (Adding more as needed after batches of burgers).Grill: Clean and oil the grates.
- While things are heating up, portion 6 lbs ground beef into twelve ½-pound patties (or 24 ¼-pound patties).
- Once your grill or pan is ready, season both sides of the burger patties with the 3 tablespoon burger seasoning and add them immediately to the hot grill or pan. (Work in batches if necessary and wait to season the patties until right before adding them to your pan or grill).
- Cook for 4 minutes on the first side, then flip the burgers and cook for another 3-4 minutes on the opposite side or until they reach your desired level of doneness.
- Once cooked, transfer the burger patties to a cutting board or plate and cover them loosely with foil. Let them rest for 5 minutes before serving. Repeat with any remaining burger patties.
Set Up The Burger Bar
- On a large table or surface that is easily accessible to guests, set out the plates and utensils.
- Place the burgers, 12 hamburger buns, toppings, cheeses, and condiments at the head of the table after the plates. If possible, label the ingredients to help your guests navigate your burger bar more easily. (bacon, red onion, tomato, lettuce, dill pickle slices, pineapple slices, roasted onions & bell peppers, mushrooms, American cheese, provolone or swiss cheese, blue cheese crumbles, burger sauce, ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, BBQ sauce, sweet pickle relish)
- Allow guests to make their way down the line and assemble their perfect burger!
Notes
- Save yourself time before the party by prepping all the toppings, vegetables, and condiments in advance. Most ingredients can be prepared 1-2 days in advance and kept in the fridge until needed.
- To keep your burgers warm and delicious, consider using a chafing dish or warming tray to maintain their temperature. Alternatively, you can cook the burgers in batches, allowing guests to enjoy them fresh off the grill!
- Turn your burger bar into a friendly competition by inviting guests to submit their best burger creations! You can then have a taste test and award a prize for the most delicious and creative burger.
- To store: Leftover burger patties and toppings can be placed in an airtight container or Ziploc bag and refrigerated for 3-4 days. Leftover buns can be kept at room temperature in a sealed Ziploc bag for up to 5 days.
- To reheat: Place leftover burger patties on a metal wire rack on top of a baking sheet and bake them at 400°F (205°C) for 3-4 minutes, then flip and cook the opposite side for 2-3 minutes. Then, assemble your burgers and enjoy!
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