I'm having a party for my little one but I am a bit worried about food.?

Question

There will be quite a few children and lots of adults from different ethnic backgrounds. Most people will be from backgrounds where eating spicy foods are the norm, and some friends are bringing their different traditional foods to help out. I want to make some of my traditional starters like samosa's and spicy lentil fritters etc but don't want people who eat western foods to feel left out or offended or accidentally eat it and not like it. Or for the kids to accidentally eat the spicy stuff.

Also people who dont eat spicy stuff may not want to eat stuff like rice or jerk chicken etc and its gonna cost me a fortune and take alot of time having different types of meat, starters, rice etc and finding the space to put it all, finding/buying serving platters for it all, and maybe labelling/describing everything to everyone.

Any ideas on how to make everyone happy without spending a fortune or taking two days to prepare everything!?

Answer 1

Pizza is always a good party food. Cheap & easy!

Answer 2

Well, it sounds as if you are concentrating on the adults.

Gear it towards the children and cook for them. Let the other adults

furnish the other food if they want to bring dishes to pass.  Otherwise, plan a different party just for adults where everyone brings a dish or two from different countries, you know like a around the world party.

Answer 3

Get some tortilla chips or crisps or something and have a range of different dips .. some spicy some not.  Like someone else said maybe suggest everyone bring something that they like for everyone else to try.  Will be fun for all then and at least everyone will have something they like.  

Its supposed to be a party for your little one anyway and Im sure people wont expect you to go to that much trouble to make something for everyone to eat.  Just some finger food .. a bit of salad and dressings .. bits and pieces for picking.

Have fun .. good luck and dont stress about it too much.

Answer 4

tell everyone thats coming to bring a dish that is ethnic to them? (even if thats fish and chips or mcdonalds) then everyone will have something they like. CAKE  is a universal party food too!

Answer 5

I'd make sure there will be NO nuts or anything resembling them like peanuts or peanut oil, even. There are too many people who have nasty reactions to them and you wouldn't want to spoil an otherwise special day.

Have a GREAT party.

The Muse

Answer 6

why not just erally simple food like pizza with some strange toppings or mildly spicy ...stuff oh and hehehe .................. some cynade ( poisin) would hurt bwa hahahahahahahahahah neeehhehehehehehehe

Answer 7

Some Mexican Cuisine would be nice.

You can have hot sauce around for the guests that like spicy food.

Tacos and burritos are great.

Nachos for kids.

Unless most of them don't like mexican food.

Answer 8

Make little flags. I did this once.

Red for very hot, orange, yellow, Green for the likes of Pizza and Blue for cool mild like dips and raitas!

People can then choose and the kids have fun working it out!

You could have other little fun codes like pictures of chickens on spring rolls or fish!

meat samosas and veg samosas would work with pictures too!

One of the best things I ever did was to put out lots of chopped up Naans and chipattis ao that people can dip and choose rather than having to just have one dish!

Don't forget bowls rather than plates - far less spills!

Have fun!

Answer 9

You could focus on the unviersal pleaser. The cake. Make it nice and ornate. Not only will everyone be dying to try it but they might be distracted and not focus on the food choices.

Answer 10

How about you make a few sandwiches and pizzas and some iced cakes, then ask people to bring their favourite dish with them. that way their is food that every one will like and you know that there will be some that isn't spicy.

Answer 11

I plan menus where the food items are cooked two ways. Cook plain chicken and then take some and add teriyaki sauce and put  all of your spicy dishes on a separate table that's labeled spicy. Try to include items in your menu that need minimal preparation like fruit or shrimp that is already cooked and cleaned and just needs to be rinsed and have a sauce or two on the side. A coconut rice may have a sauce on the side that is hot and spicy that can be added to your guests liking. Pineapple coleslaw is quick and tasty. Use inexpensive ingredients creatively. Preparing items  that can be done in advance and/or frozen ahead of time takes some of the last minute stress away. Veggies with dips are also nice and quick. Most dips benefit from being made a few days in advance.

Answer 12

Buy some tacos and a little pack of popcorn chicken, one pack spicy, and the other not spicy. Buy some shrimp and rice. And don't forget the cake. You might want to put out a fruit tray also. I hop I helped!