Simple Kid’s Birthday Food and Drink Ideas for Mom’s On a Budget

Planning a kid’s birthday party on a budget can seem daunting, but it doesn’t have to be! With some creativity and smart planning, you can throw a fun party without breaking the bank. The key is keeping it simple – focus on easy, crowd-pleasing foods and drinks that kids love.

Simple Food Ideas

With kids, keeping it simple is usually the best idea.

Hot dogs – An all-time kid favorite! Buy packs of hot dog buns and dogs. Set up a topping bar with ketchup, mustard, relish, onions, cheese, etc. Easy and budget-friendly.
Chicken nuggets – Another kid pleaser. Bake your own using chicken breast cutlets or buy frozen bags. Serve with honey mustard and ketchup for dipping.
Mac and cheese – Make a pan or two from the boxed stuff. Jazz it up with mix-ins like broccoli, peas, diced ham, etc.
Fruit kabobs – Skewer bite-sized pieces of their favorite fruits. Watermelon, grapes, strawberries, and pineapple work great.
Veggie trays – Baby carrots, grape tomatoes, cucumber slices, broccoli florets with ranch dip. Let kids build their own veggie snacks.
Mini pizzas – Buy ready-made crusts or tortillas and let kids customize their own mini pies with sauce, cheese, and fun toppings.
Popcorn bar – Offer bowls of plain popcorn and allow kids to season their own with spices, Parmesan, ranch powder, chocolate chips, etc.

Simple Drink Ideas

Drinks don’t need to be fancy, but avoid serving too much soda unless you want to deal with hyperactive children for 2+ hours.

Fruit punch – Make a large bowl of fruity punch with lemonade/juice and slices of oranges, apples, strawberries, etc.
Smoothies – Blended drinks are fun for kids! Mix yogurt, milk, frozen fruit and a little honey. Serve in cups with bendy straws.
Soda bar – Set up an area with mixers like lemon-lime soda, ginger ale, Sprite. Have personalized mini soda bottles kids can fill up.
Milkshakes – Make a batch of chocolate, vanilla and strawberry shakes. Top with whipped cream and cherries!

Homemade Birthday Cake

Baking a birthday cake from scratch can save you money over buying one, and with some fun cake decorating ideas, kids will have a ball adding their own special touches!

Cake mix – Pick their favorite flavor and bake two rounds as the package directs. Let cool completely.
Frosting – Make your own frosting by whipping heavy cream and adding powdered sugar and vanilla. Spoon on cooled cakes and spread evenly.
Decorations – Provide festive sprinkles, candies, and chocolate chips for them to decorate the top. Add birthday candles last!
Tips – Bake cake the day before so it’s firm for frosting. Store the frosted cake in the fridge until the party. Use wax paper under the cake for easy transfers.

With a little creativity and advance planning, you can easily whip up budget-friendly foods, drinks and a homemade birthday cake that will make your child’s party special without breaking the bank! Having activities like a mini pizza-making station or DIY milkshake bar also adds interactive elements kids will enjoy. The key is keeping the menu simple with kid-friendly ingredients.