Baby Shower Food: What To Serve And How To Serve Them

Baby showers usually are held a month or two before the mother's expected due date (some cultures, however, consider it bad luck to hold baby showers before the baby is born). They are intended not only to welcome the baby but also to help the expectant parents by giving them gifts that they will need for the baby. 

Planning for a baby shower is a huge task. Everything requires a great deal of planning - from the guest list, to handing out invitations, to the games, to baby shower favors, to the decorations - and, most especially, to the food.

Every party cannot be without food, as they are considered the most important part or the highlight of baby showers. 

There are numerous types of food that you can serve during baby showers. Some of them are the following: 

• Drinks (punch, juice, wine, etc.)
• Bread or sandwiches
• Chips or fries
• Dessert (cakes, cookies, ice cream, etc.)
• Pasta
• Salad
• Pies (pizzas, etc.)

Below is a list of several tips and guidelines on food ideas that will surely delight your guests and the parents-to-be: 

1. Decorate your food table by tossing baby pacifier candies, chocolate bars, and confetti all over it. 

2. The baby shower food that you serve will largely depend on the time of day when it will be held. A baby shower that will be held at noon or at dinnertime usually requires a full 'sit-down' meal, while early afternoon or early evening showers can do with appetizers, salads, and finger foods. In addition, the amount of food that you need to prepare will depend on the number of guests you will be inviting.

3. Try to match your food and keep them in-line with the baby shower's theme (if ever there is any). You may consider serving scones and finger sandwiches if your baby shower theme is a tea party. Or, if you are having a nursery rhyme-themed baby shower, cakes and pies that resemble the characters from famous nursery rhyme (such as Humpty Dumpty deviled eggs). 

4. Have multiple snack trays for serving different varieties of food - you can have one with an assortment of finger sandwiches, another with sliced turkey or smoked chicken, and still another with sliced fresh vegetables served with a dip that you can place in the center of the tray.

5. Put some 'life' in the baby shower foods that you will serve. Instead of serving your fruit salad in a simple salad bowl, try presenting them in a melon bowl (or better yet, in a baby carriage-shaped melon server). 

6. It is important to take into account the special diet of the mom-to-be, so try to avoid serving food that the pregnant mom herself would not eat. In addition to her allergies and food aversions, avoid the types of food that are prone to contamination and food poisoning, such as soft cheeses, uncooked meat and (most especially) alcohol. 

By following these food tips, you will surely be able to pull off a successful (and memorable) baby shower.