Buffet Meal Ideas for a Birthday Party at Home

Serve a buffet of raw foods for a healthy and colorful meal.

A buffet meal provides a party host the ability to serve a variety of different foods, many of which can be prepared beforehand for simpler last minute, party day preparations. A buffet-style spread also allows the guests at the celebration the opportunity to choose just a few favorites from the buffet table, while those more gastronomically daring can try out new and different foods.

A Themed Buffet

Incorporate the theme of the birthday celebration into the buffet foods. For a vampire-themed birthday party, serve red foods, such as tomatoes, cherries, red peppers, red plums, ripe strawberries and raspberries. Prepare a batch of cocktail meatballs and ravioli and lay out a batch of sugar cookies cut in the shape of vampire teeth and dripping with red royal icing. For a carnival theme, arrange foods, such as hot dogs and nachos, on your buffet table. Surround the party food staples with bowls of popcorn, and lay out small sticks of cotton candy.

A Casual Buffet

Keep the party simple with a variety of finger foods that require no heating and can be prepared beforehand. Prepare a variety of fruit and vegetable trays, filled with in-season, local produce for an inexpensive buffet, or splurge a bit and fill the trays with exotic fruits, such as coconut, mango, papaya, lychee and dragonfruit. Include other cold finger foods as well, such as sandwich wedges or cheese and crackers.

Around-the-World Buffet

Bring a little bit of culture to a birthday party by serving a variety of dishes from around the world. This plan is best suited for an adult's birthday party, because children are sometimes hesitant about trying new foods. Use the guest of honor's favorite part of the world to guide the menu. If she has always longed to travel to Europe, serve a variety of European specialties from countries such as France, Italy, Greece and Spain. For an avid Asia enthusiast, present a variety of Thai, Chinese, Korean and Sri Lankan specialties.

A Healthy Buffet

If you have undertaken a change to a healthier food lifestyle or are considering doing so, use this opportunity to present an array of the best of your favorite healthy recipes to share with friends and family. Health food is no longer synonymous with bland, and there are a multitude of tasty recipes that incorporate gluten-free, vegetarian or vegan and even sugar-free diets.

References

• Find Party Ideas: Create a Carnival Party for Your Very Own Greatest Show on Earth