Delicious Foods to Include on Your Baby Shower Menu – Indian Party Planning Guide
Throwing a baby shower can feel overwhelming – there are dozens of decisions to make! Theme, guest list, venue, games, and of course the food! When it comes to baby shower menu planning, you have to ensure that there are plenty of good food to eat for the guests – as well as consider what the mom-to-be can – or cannot – eat.
Tips for Baby Shower Menu Planning
While there are no hard and fast rules, here are a few guidelines to make your planning easier and to make the food a super-duper hit among the guests.
- Offer Short-Eats – If it’s a casual event, you can offer tiny finger foods instead of large meals. Most guests like to graze and nibble at baby showers. So, offering them self-serve starters is a great way to keep the conversation flowing, while enjoying their foods.
- Include a Variety of Options – When it comes to baby shower menu planning, you have to consider a wide range of dietary needs, including the preferences of the mom-to-be. Include multiple choices like non-vegetarian, egg, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free so that all guests can enjoy the meal without any dietary restrictions.
- Mess-free Desserts – Make it easy for guests to enjoy the foods while participating in the games and events by offering them mess-free desserts that they can eat while on the move. Cupcakes, cookies, brownies, single-serve ice-creams make for great desserts.
- Keep everyone hydrated – Make sure you have plenty of beverages and water in canisters so that guests can get a drink, whenever they feel parched. Serve infused water in glass jars. It not only adds to the décor but also incites guests to drink more water.
- Hire a Baby Shower Menu Caterer – Yes, you can prepare the food all by yourself, but that’s a challenging task, especially when you have dozens of guests to feed. Hire a professional baby shower caterer and relieve the burden. With a caterer, you can breathe easy knowing that the food department will be handled by professionals. You can focus on other tasks like welcoming guests, organising the events of the day and more.
Looking for what to include on your baby shower menu? Move on to the next section, as we’ve got some great food choices to include on your menu!
Baby Shower Menu Ideas for Non-Meal Times
If you’re planning a baby shower outside of major meal times, then you can keep the menu simple with a few starters, desserts and cake. Here are ideas on what you can include on the menu:
- Fruit salads
- Kebabs with dips
- Vegetable trays with dips
- Fruit punch
- Infused water
- Cake or dessert
Sample Baby Shower Menu for Brunch
A Sunday brunch is a great time to host a baby shower. Your guests are relaxed over the weekend and it’s a great time to slow down and socialise. Here are a few items to include on the menu:
- Egg varieties - omelets, boiled eggs, etc.
- Hash browns
- Fresh juices - orange, pomegranate, watermelon, etc.
- Muffins and sausages
- Paratha - Aloo paratha, gobi paratha, etc.
- French toast
- Cornflakes
- Bread, butter, and jam
- Pancakes with jams
- Coffee and tea
Sample Baby Shower Menu for Lunch
Lunch is another popular time to host a baby shower. If you’re planning a baby shower around lunch, then make sure to include a substantial food offering as guests are likely to feel hungry after the event.
- Finger sandwiches
- Soups
- Salads
- Starters - both vegetarian and non-vegetarian
- Vegetarian and non-vegetarian main course - curry and rice
- Biryani/Pulao
- Indian breads
- Dessert -Gulab Jamun, brownies/cupcakes, puddings and ice-cream
Sample Baby Shower Menu for Dinner
Generally, baby showers are not hosted during dinners as the mom-to-be is likely to feel drained out and tired at the end of the day. If you plan to organise a baby shower during dinner, here are some suggestions to include on the menu:
- Soups –hot or cold, depending on the weather
- Salads again serve a mix of hot and cold salads
- Appetisers include a variety of options like kebabs, BBQ, fries, etc.
- Indian breads - parathas, naans, rotis, phulka, etc.
- A couple of pulao varieties
- Dessert ice-cream, puddings are good choices for dinner parties
Ideas for Welcome Drinks for a Baby Shower
Lemonade | Seasonal Fruit Juices | Mocktails |
Infused Water | Tender Coconut | Bottled Beverages |
Milkshake | Cold Coffee | Iced Tea |
Ideas for Starters for a Baby Shower
Nachos | French Fries | Kebabs |
Chicken/Gobi 65 | Chicken/Paneer/Gobi Manchurian Dry | Kofta Balls |
Bhajiyas/Samosas | Grilled Vegetables | Grilled chicken |
Ideas for Main Course for a Baby Shower
Pulao | Fried Rice | Biryani |
Pasta | Pizza | Open-faced Sandwiches |
Mac-n-cheese | Wraps | Indian Breads |
Ideas for Desserts for a Baby Shower
Cake Pops | Cupcakes | Ice-cream Bowls |
Ice-cream Sandwiches | Puddings | Souffle |
Cheesecake | Gulab Jamun | Rabri |
Final Thoughts
Irrespective of when you host a baby shower, the food will help to set the tone of the event. Casual relaxed food helps to keep the conversations going and get the guests mingling. On the other hand, a formal sit-down meal will make the event feel more formal. There's no right and wrong choice. It all depends on your preferences, the style of the event, the guest list and the preferences of the mommy-to-be.
Remember, ultimately a baby shower is a celebration – a celebration of the mommy-to-be. There's no right or wrong way to celebrate. It all depends on what works for you and your family. So, go ahead and throw an awesome baby shower and enjoy the special moments in life.