Planning the Menu for a Baby Shower Party

Regardless of the type of party you’re planning, food, beverages and cake are perhaps one of the most important parts of the process. When planning a baby shower, you’ll need to consider how to create the ideal baby shower cake for the occasion, as well as regular menu items for a luncheon or afternoon snack.

Feeding guests is an ideal way to let them mingle and socialize, and catch up with the expectant mother. Often, the simpler the menu the better – it needn’t be extremely complicated and stressful, but even simple food can be presented in such a way to wow everyone involved.

Most baby showers will typically include things like finger foods and sandwiches, or a buffet-style menu. The key is to choose foods that are easy to prepare and serve, as well as eat. In other words, don’t plan on serving the most elaborate dish or something that requires a lot of silverware and plates for the guests!

Costs also need to be controlled, so consider this while planning the menu. Also, keep the time of day the baby shower will be held in mind – this will affect how large the menu should be. You can also arrange for a ‘pot luck’ menu, asking each guest to bring their favorite dish; this lowers your individual costs as the host, and prevents major clean-up after!

When meeting with the expectant mom in the early planning stages, ask for her input on possible menu items. This will help you determine the required budget, as well as any items that can be prepared and frozen way ahead of time.

Beverages should generally be non-alcoholic. This will prevent any overindulgence on the guests’ behalf, but virtually any drink can be fun and festive. Consider standards like bottled water, iced tea or lemonade, but add a bowl of colorful and fruity punch to go with the serving of the cake.

Soda or flavored water can also be considered, and coffee and decaffeinated choices should be provided. Any of these beverage choices can be purchased at sale prices far ahead of the baby shower date.

Don’t forget that the baby shower cake will be the center of attention on the menu. Sheet cakes are the easiest to serve and tend to be the least expensive, and can be decorated with a wide variety of appropriate baby theme items. If you prefer a more indulgent cake, consider a tiered creation that is more formal and can offer several different flavors.

You can look online for several photos of baby shower cakes, or can visit several local bakeries to inquire about special offers and designs available. Most bakeries will only need a week or two of advance notice to prepare the baby shower cake for pickup, unless you require a very unique design or flavor.

Remember to try to coordinate the baby shower cake design with the theme of the party, or a more elaborate cake may serve as the basis for the surrounding decorations. The simpler your food and beverage menu, the more of your budget can be allotted toward the creation of a truly unique baby shower cake that will impress both mother and guests alike!