Birthdays are always special – be it for children or adults. Who does not like to get pampered and be showered with love, good wishes and blessings on one’s birthday? One of the most important aspects of birthdays is the special birthday dishes.
Different people celebrate birthdays in various ways. Some prefer to keep the event low-key and celebrate at home with a sumptuous birthday dinner or a birthday special dish. Again, some people love to throw a birthday party with the best birthday party menu.
Milestone birthday parties are always special – like your child’s 1st birthday, 5th year birthday or 18th birthday. People often celebrate their 25th, 50th and even 75th birthday grandly. Birthday dishes ideas will vary depending on the person’s age.
It is obvious that a kids birthday party menu will be different from that of an adult’s birthday meal ideas. In this blog, we will discuss in detail the best food for birthday party for kids and adults, breaking down the menu into different categories. It will also include birthday snack ideas, birthday lunch ideas and a birthday dinner menu.
Best birthday party menu ideas for a grand party
Category
Subcategory
Item
Cakes & Sweets
Cakes
chocolate cake, vanilla cake, funfetti cake, cartoon character cakes (like Mickey Mouse, Dora the Explorer, or Spiderman), unicorn cake, rainbow cake, monster truck cake, princess cake, car cake, cupcake cake, ice cream cake, and animal-themed cakes (like a lion, bear, or dinosaur cake)
Candy
Chocolate: M&M’s (Milk Chocolate, Peanut, Peanut Butter), Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Bars, Kit Kats, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, Snickers,
Fruity & Chewy: Skittles, Starburst, Gummy Bears (Haribo is a popular brand), Sour Patch Kids, Jelly Beans, Twizzlers,
Hard Candy & Lollipops: Lollipops (various flavors and sizes), Blow Pops, Ring Pops, Life Savers,
Novelty Candy: Push Pops, Pop Rocks, Candy necklaces and bracelets,
Chewy & Taffy: Airheads, Tootsie Rolls, Laffy Taffy,
Sour Candy: Warheads, Sour Belts,
Candy Floss
Let us take a look at the birthday party buffet food ideas in different categories and their sub-categories.
Cakes and Sweets
No birthday party food will be complete without cakes and sweets. This applies particularly to birthday parties for kids. Mentioned below are some of the most popular cakes and sweet items that people love:
Cakes
Cake cutting is an integral part of any birthday party. You can choose from a wide variety of cake options, particularly for children. Some of the options include:
Chocolate cake
Vanilla cake
Funfetti cake
Animal-themed cake (like a lion, bear, or dinosaur cake)
Monster truck cake
Car cake
Unicorn cake
Rainbow cake
Cartoon character cake (like Mickey Mouse, Dora the Explorer, or Spiderman)
Princess cake
Ice cream cake
Cupcake cake
Candy
For children, candies are the best sweets for birthday. A handful of candies makes any child happy. These are also excellent return gifts. Some varieties include:
If you are a Bengali, you will surely have some traditional sweets for birthday party. These sweets are sure to find a place in a Bengali birthday menu list.
Rosogolla
Makha Sandesh
Gulab jamun
Rosomalai
Kalakand
Sandesh
Komola Bhog
Chocolate Sandesh
Baked Mihidana
Rabri
Ice Cream Sandesh
Burfi Sandesh
Moong Daal Halwa
Jalebi
Butter Scotch Sandesh
Gajar Halwa
Brownies
For birthday sweets ideas, brownies act as excellent birthday party desserts. They are available in different forms like:
Pineapple Brownie
Chocolate Brownie
Brownie with Ice Cream
Strawberry Brownie
Ice creams
Ice creams can be an independent item or an item among birthday party desserts. Ice creams come in different varieties and flavors. Some available options include:
Fun & Colorful: Bubble Gum, Rainbow Sherbet, Cotton Candy
Novelty Treats: Frozen Yogurt, Ice Pops/Popsicles
Classic Flavors: Chocolate, Vanilla, Cookies and Cream, Strawberry, Mint Chocolate Chip
Guests coming to the birthday party will love to drink something hot or cold. They can choose from the below-mentioned options.
Welcome Drinks
Different caterers prepare different kinds of welcome drinks for guests. While some welcome drinks might be common, there are special summer and winter welcome drinks. While finalizing the menu, the caterer can inform about the variety of welcome drinks that they offer.
Mocktails
Many caterers now arrange for live mocktail counters. Invitees to the birthday party can enjoy mocktails of their choice. There are professionals at the bar counter who prepare the mocktail instantly.
Fruity and Refreshing Drinks
When it comes to beverages many people want to keep some fruity and refreshing drinks/juices for their guests. These can be in the form of:
Lemonade
Pineapple Juice
Fruit Punch
Apple Juice
Watermelon Juice/Agua Fresca
Grape Juice
Orange Juice
Fizzy and Fun Drinks
If you want to experiment and add a fun element to your drinks, these fizzy and fun drinks can be a great choice.
Flavored Sparkling Water
Sparkling Cider (Non-Alcoholic)
Homemade “Soda” (Fruit Juice + Sparkling Water)
Creamy and Sweet Drinks
Children coming to birthday parties often love to have some creamy and sweet drinks. Some of the most popular options include:
Smoothies (Fruit-Based)
Milkshakes (Vanilla, Chocolate, Strawberry)
Sherbet
Sherbet is available in different flavors and tastes. Many caterers offer Curd Sherbet and Lassi in different flavors. This is also a live counter at the party.
Soft Drinks
Soft drinks are a favorite beverage at a party, particularly during the summer months. These drinks are available in different flavors like lemon, orange, cola and many more.
Tea/Coffee and others
Along with cold beverages, hot beverages are also served at parties. Different kinds of teas and coffees are often served. Popular options include:
Iced Tea (Sweetened or Unsweetened)
Tea
Coffee
Tandoor Tea
Flavored Water (Infused Water)
Starters
Birthday party snacks are an indispensable part of birthday dinner ideas. Birthday party snacks for adults and children can be from different cuisines. The snacks are usually crispy, munchy, slightly spicy and delicious. Finger foods are a popular choice. Let us take a look at the different kinds of starters served at birthday parties.
Street Food
Street foods have become a popular starter option in many places. Items in street food include:
Fuchka Live
Popcorn
Dahi Vada
Street Chaat Counter Live
Egg dishes
Egg items are often a popular starter item at birthday parties. Egg Devil needs a special mention in this regard.
Fish Dishes
If you are looking at starters in a birthday menu Bengali, you are sure to find some amazing fish items. Some of them are:
Fish Orly
Fish Cutlet
Fish Tandoor
Fish Finger
Fish Ball
Prawn Dishes
Prawns are also a favorite item for starters. Popular items are:
Golden Prawn Fry
Prawn Cutlet
Chicken Dishes
You will be amazed by the varieties of chicken dishes, which are available as starters. You are sure to find some of them in an Indian birthday party menu. Let us check some of the options:
Chicken Pakora
Chicken Reshmi Kebab
Chicken Tandoori
Chicken Hariyali Kebab
Chicken Momo
Chicken Tikka
Chicken Drumstick
Chicken Satay
Cream of Chicken Soup
Pizza
There is probably no kid or teenager who does not like pizza. When it comes to party food ideas buffet, pizzas make it to the list. Two popular choices are:
Mini veg pizza
Chicken pizza
Vegetable dishes
Not everyone at the birthday party is a non-vegetarian. Some people who love vegetable items in starters and in the main course as well. Some famous vegetable starters include:
Paneer Tikka
Crispy Baby Corn
Cheese Balls
Paneer Chop
Chili Baby Corn
Veg Momo
Veg Pakora
French Fries
Mochar Chop
Tomato Soup
Corn Soup
Live Counter Items
Many starter items are available in live counters at the birthday party. The most popular live counter items include:
Pasta Live
Chowmein Live
Main Course
Whether you are deciding on a Bengali birthday lunch menu or thinking about birthday dinner menu ideas for adults, you can choose from the below-mentioned items. While some items are suitable for the lunch menu, others work well for the dinner menu. You can take a look and decide. The main course is divided into different sub-categories, with many items under each.
Salads
Many guests enjoy salads as a part of their meal. Some of the most popular salad options are as follows:
Green Salad
Sweet Corn Salad
Chicken Salad
Russian Salad
Mini Salad Bar
Sprouts Salad
Macaroni Salad
Raita
Prawn Salad
Egg Salad
Breads
Breads are a staple in birthday dishes Indian. Available in different varieties and tastes, Indian breads are unique in themselves. Items often served at parties include:
Kulcha
Radha Ballavi
Masala Kulcha
Baby Naan
Peas Kochuri
Bhature
Rumali Roti
Lentils/Vegetables
Indians, particularly Bengalis are food-loving people. They love to experiment with different kinds of lentils and vegetables offering excellent tastes. Here are some lentils and vegetable items, which are often included in any party menu:
Butter Paneer Masala
Vegetable Navratan
Kashmiri Aloor Dum
Dal Makhani
Stuffed Aloor Dum
Plain Aloo Dum
Chana Masala
Malai Kofta
Chanar Dalna
Potoler Dolma
Chole
Kachkolar Kofta
Cholar Dal
Phulkopir Roast
Fish Dishes
Fish dishes are mandatory in any Bengali birthday lunch menu or dinner menu. The variety of fish items served at any Bengali event is noteworthy. Here are some popular fish items that are a must-try in any event:
Bhetki Fish Fry
Paturi
Katla Kalia
Fish Batter Fry
Dahi Katla
Fish Kabiraji
Chingri Malaikari
Fish Cutlet
Shorshe Pabda
Parshe Jhal
Shorshe Ilish
Chicken Dishes
Talk of buffet party food ideas for adults and chicken dishes will be there in style. Succulent pieces of chicken in various curries and gravies are a great attraction on the menu. They can be eaten with rice items or breads of your choice. Let us check out some popular chicken dishes:
Chicken Kosha
Chicken Duck Bungalow
Chicken Afghani
Chicken Chaap
Chicken Lababdar
Chilli Chicken
Mutton dishes
Though mutton is an expensive choice over chicken, many people want to keep mutton dishes on the birthday party menu. Mutton items that people love include:
Mutton Curry
Mutton Chaap
Mutton Kosha
Mutton Duck Bungalow
Mutton Rogan Josh
Rice Items
An Indian birthday party menu will definitely have rice items. You can choose from the below-mentioned items and keep the one you prefer.
Steamed Rice
Jeera Rice
Peas Pulao
Fried Rice
Basanti Pulao
Vegetable Pulao
Chicken Biryani
Vegetable Biryani
Mutton Biryani
Chicken Pulao
Mutton Pulao
Chicken Fried Rice
Mixed Fried Rice
Other Main Courses
Apart from rice and bread, you can choose from other options too. Here are some of them:
Vegetable Chow Mein
Chicken Chow Mein
Mixed Chow Mein
Vegetable Pasta
Chicken Pasta
Mixed Pasta
Taco
Spaghetti
Risotto
Chutneys
End your meal with some sweet and sour and delicious chutneys. Chutneys are prepared according to the available ingredients. Some common options are:
Mango Chutney
Dry Fruits Chutney
Pineapple Chutney
Dhania Chutney
Fruits Chutney
Desserts
After the chutneys, it is time for desserts. A detailed list of the desserts and sweet items is there at the top of the menu list.
Along with the ones mentioned there, another popular Indian dessert that is a must for birthdays is payesh. It is considered an auspicious birthday special dish.
Paan
The last item in the birthday dishes Indian is the ‘Paan’. The paan is not only aromatic but also helps in easy food digestion. Check out some paan options:
Pan stall live serving different kinds of pan
Fire pan
Summing it Up
This blog provides comprehensive information on various birthday dishes ideas, including birthday dinner ideas and birthday lunch ideas. You can provide a list of the items you want in the birthday party buffet food and discuss the same with your caterer. The right caterer will help you create the best birthday meal ideas.
For all kinds of birthday party menus and birthday party catering services in kolkata, contact New Bhojon Caterer. We offer the best food at the most reasonable rates. Contact us for more details.
