How much is appropriate to spend on food for a birthday party

my SIL had a fruit/veggie tray, chips, cheese dip, and cake lol. plus sweet tea and water. you don't even necessarily HAVE to provide food aside from snacks and drinks

I would skip fries and do cut up veg/fruit. Especially if you are having bags of chips available.

If you do the party for a short time like 4 hrs or something your don’t need so much food but if you expect for them to stay late then I think more food should be provided. What you said I think is appropriate for like 4-6 hrs. Nachos are a really cheap option as well I always have some incase anyone doesn’t get full they have that. Costco pizzas are also cheap and big just get it “party cut” so the slices are more regular.
I usually spend 600-700 it’s more towards 800 in this economy tho but I do too much lol keep it simple. Easy cheap food like sandwiches, pinwheels, casseroles, tacos, pancakes, pasta salads, potato salad will keep people full and in budget. You’ll get the hang of it the more you do this. Also you’ll see if it’s actually worth it and who’s there for you.

I literally spent less than $100 for my daughter's 1st birthday. They can get so expensive for something they won't even remember. Granted, I made her cake and cooked all the food. It was in the morning so, Quiches, fruit, some sweet treats, cupcakes, juice. A few balloons, table cloths, and cutlery. There were probably 10-15 ppl including myself, hubs, and our moms.

But what's appropriate is what you can afford. Set a budget and stick to it. No need in stressing yourself out over this.

@Kevina that is so nice that you cooked for all of them. Big respect for you! 🌺🌸 I am planning this coming weekend to make everything from scratch. Not only because it’s cheaper, because I want to serve healthy food for kids and my guests. I know it will take a lot of energy and time, but I want them to feel welcomed and appreciated! The best I can do to give them love through home made bread, juices from scratch, grill, cakes, and fruits!

I would hate myself to order pizza and serve to the kids. That’s just me!

We are planing to spend around $600-$700 with food and little bounce house playset rental. 🎀🩷🌸

Whew, girl, kudos to you! Homemade bread and juice! You're going all out! The healthy factor was what I was going for too! We'll probably do bigger parties and rentals as the kids get older, but this year we're being super low-key. Just our immediate family (daughters have the same birthday).