Kids Party Food Ideas and Printable Shopping List

Looking for kids party food ideas? You’re in luck with this adorable snack board!

I’m so excited to partner with Cabot Cheese again on a really cute project! I first met the Cabot team on a trip to Vermont, where they’re based.

Want to see? Check out my post on what to do in Burlington, Vermont. There are some pretty adorable early Cricket pictures!

Anywho, since we’re approaching the holiday season, I thought it would be fun to show you guys some great kids party food ideas. 

That’s right – you can serve up kid-friendly options that are still beautiful (and totally cute!). 

Read on for lots of ideas of what you can serve up – like the Cabot Cracker Cuts that I can’t live without for parties – and some tips and tricks for hosting kids at your gathering. 

Oh, and since you’re *obviously* into cheese, why not try making these drool-worthy cheesy green chile twice-baked potatoes. 

What are some kids party food ideas? 

Are you wondering what snacks to serve guests when your guest list includes children? There are so many options that are perfect for little ones. I’ve listed some suggestions below.

• Cheese, of course! Cabot Cracker Cuts are perfect for this because they’re already sliced to the right thickness.
  • Colby Jack Cheese Cracker Cuts
  • Sharp Cheddar Cracker Cuts
  • Seriously Sharp Yellow Cheddar Cracker Cuts
• Carbs/starches
  • Pretzels
  • Crackers
  • Pita wedges
  • Tortilla chips
  • Potato chips
• Fruit
  • Apple slices
  • Berries
  • Melon
  • Orange slices
  • Clementine oranges
  • Pineapple
  • Kiwi

• Veggies
  • Carrot sticks
  • Broccoli
  • Celery sticks
  • Cucumber slices
  • Pickles
  • Snap peas
• Dips
  • Hummus
  • Ranch dressing
  • Peanut butter and jelly
  • Hazelnut chocolate spread
  • Tatziki
  • Mild salsa/pico de gallo
  • Queso
  • Pudding
• Sweets
  • Cookies
  • Marshmallows
  • Chocolate chips
  • Yogurt-covered raisins
  • Rice cereal treats

Save This for Later – Pin It!

Planning a holiday gathering or party can be super stressful, and anything you can do to streamline it is a lifesaver, right?

To cut down on the chaos, I’ve created a free printable shopping list and planner. You can download the printable kids party food ideas list. There are spaces to add your own food ideas, too, so don’t feel limited to what I’ve put together for this post!

Choking Hazard Foods for Toddlers

I try to be as clear and careful as possible when sharing anything kid-related. Since this whole post is about feeding kids, I think it’s important to make sure you’re aware of what foods to avoid for little ones. 

Skip these if you’re planning to have any kids ages four and under at your party. If you’re not sure, then it’s always best to be on the safe side.  

• Hot dogs*
• Whole grapes*
• Nuts and seeds
• Hard candies
• Popcorn
• Chunks of meat**
• Large cubes of cheese**

* Round foods like grapes or hot dogs should be cut into quarters. Since I personally detest cutting a million grapes into tiny pieces, I just choose to avoid them entirely. 

** Meat and cheese should be cut into slices rather than served as large cubes or chunks. If you do want to serve cubes, just make sure they’re cut smaller than a half-inch. 

How to Make the Perfect Kids Snack Board

1. Compile elements from the major food categories: cheese (and meat, but I’m vegetarian), carbs, fruit, veggies, and sweets.
2. Think outside the box, and make it fun!
   • Use mini cookie cutters to cut shapes from Cabot Cracker Cuts.
   • Use lots of color, whether it’s from different fruits and veggies or these pastel marshmallows. 
   • Incorporate different textures, like crunchy veggies, creamy cheese, and fluffy marshmallows. 
3. Choose two or three dips, and put them in little bowls. 
4. Use a tray with sides to keep the food from falling off. 
5. Start by putting the dip bowls on the tray in different places. These will be your anchor points that you build around. 
6. Use crackers or pretzels to make a “snake” around/between the bowls. 
7. Now start adding fruit and veggies in sections. Leave gaps between them to fill in later. 
8. Add the smaller items in the gaps between the larger items. Make sure to keep sweet things together and savory or sour things together. 
9. Put paper cups and/or plates around the snack board. I like cups because the kids can fill them with whatever they want, and they’re less likely to spill. 

Tips for Hosting a Party With Kids

Kid-friendly food: Obviously, as you can tell from this post, the food is the most important starting place! Make sure to have a range of food and snacks and that you have healthy options on-hand. 

Don’t forget about beverages, like milk and water. You can do juice boxes or pouches if you want, too. 

Activities: Have a few different activities around to keep the kids busy and engaged. 

• Use a roll of kraft paper under the snack board. You can doodle on it with a black marker to make a coloring book-style design. Put out crayons, and let the kids color in your designs. 
• Put together a sensory bin. Just throw a few little odds and ends into a tub, and cover them with beans or something the kids can dig through. Here’s a more elaborate sensory bin if you’re looking for ideas!
• Stickers, stickers, stickers! Kids love stickers. You can get them for cheap at the craft store. Just put out some paper, and let them go nuts. 

Baby/Kid-Proofing: If you don’t have kids, or don’t have little tiny ones anymore, you might want to do a walk-through. If you have anything breakable or shop at kid-level, put it up high. 

Consider paper plates/cups instead of using your regular ceramic stuff. Cups are especially good, as I mentioned earlier, because they’re way less likely to spill food out of a cup than they are off a plate.