40 Fun Tea Party Food Ideas for Kids + Recipes

Whether you’re planning a memorable birthday celebration or keeping the little ones busy on a rainy day, a kid’s tea party is always a great idea! One of the best things about tea parties is that you can have them over and over without getting bored. Change up the theme, décor, and menu to create a unique experience.

There are many different types of tea party food for kids, giving you almost unlimited options. Need some inspiration? Take a look at these fun tea party planning tips.

How to plan the perfect tea party

It’s easier than you might think to plan a kid’s tea party. All you need to do is choose a theme, pick up some fun decorations, and plan out your kid’s tea party menu. If you’re planning to invite other guests, make sure you send out your invitations in plenty of time. Then, when the day arrives, all you’ll need to do is prepare your food, plan some fun party games, and enjoy making memories with your kids.

There are several elements to hosting a successful tea party for kids. These include fun games and costumes, pretty linens, miniature place cards, flower arrangements, teapots, and of course – tea party food.

What type of food is served at a tea party for kids?

You can serve anything from cookies, candies, and cakes to an array of fun sandwiches and miniature pastries. Edible party favors are also popular here.

When planning out your kid’s tea party menu, you’ll want to stick with finger foods that are easy for little hands. However, with some creativity, it’s easy to make regular food exciting and fun! Here are a few ideas to help you get started:

Tea sandwiches for kids

Mini sandwiches are a classic tea party food, and it’s easy to make tea sandwiches for kids. Here are a few ideas that are sure to be a hit.

1. Classic ham and cheese

This option goes well with mini rolls or croissants. To appeal to kids, choose a sweeter maple honey ham and a mild cheese with a touch of honey mustard.

2. Grilled cheese

Kids love grilled cheese! Make full-sized sandwiches with white bread and American cheese, then cut them into fourths for the perfect bite-sized tea sandwiches for kids.

3. Turkey and cranberry

It doesn’t have to be Thanksgiving to enjoy some freshly roasted turkey breast with a dab of sweet cranberry sauce. Serve it on mini-croissants for a delicious, kid-friendly treat.

4. Peanut Butter and Jelly

Even the pickiest kids love peanut butter and jelly, making this a great choice when planning a kid’s tea party menu for a larger group. You can use a few different jellies and jams to keep things interesting and please everyone involved.

5. Chocolate cheesecake

If your kids have a sweet tooth, they’re sure to love mini sandwiches made with a chocolate cheesecake hazelnut spread. Serve them cold or toast the bread and then add the spread for a warm, gooey treat.

Kid-approved savory treats

Savory treats are another popular addition to your kid’s tea party menu. By choosing these pre-made frozen snacks, you can focus your attention on the kids instead of wasting the day slaving away in the kitchen.

1. Mini corn dogs

Corn dogs are a popular snack for kids. Keep them tea-party-friendly by choosing mini corn dogs instead of the full-sized option.

2. Pizza rolls

Pizza rolls are always popular among kids and are super easy to make. Portion out pasta sauce in mini cups for dipping so each child can enjoy their own set-up.

3. Tater tots

Make tater tots even more fun by providing a variety of sauces for kids to dip them in. Catsup is the obvious choice, but kids may also enjoy dipping their tots in barbeque sauce, honey mustard, or even cheese sauce.

4. Franks in the blanket

For a treat that’s equal parts tasty and fun, you can’t go wrong with Franks in a Blanket. Kids will love these mini hotdogs wrapped in puff pastry.

5. Mac & cheese bites

Mac and cheese is always a popular choice at mealtime. So turn it into a snack with these tasty mac & cheese bites.

Beautiful and delicious desserts

You can’t plan a tea party for kids without including some delicious desserts! Of course, you could spend all day baking tasty treats, but many parents prefer to keep things simple. So here are some easy ideas that kids are sure to love.

1. Mixed fruit cups

Fresh fruit is a healthy option that most kids will enjoy. Use cupcake liners or small dishes and mix various colorful fruits to make the snacks visually appealing.

2. Caramel popcorn

It’s fun to make caramel popcorn and mix in mini marshmallows, candy, and other treats. If you want to keep things simple, though, you can pick up a bag of pre-made caramel popcorn and serve it to each child in their own small, colorful dish.

3. Chocolate dippers

Warm-up some chocolate sauce and give kids small wooden skewers so they can make their own dessert by dipping fruit, marshmallows, or mini cookies into it. They’ll love the hands-on aspect of this activity.

4. Mini cupcakes

Since they come in so many flavors, mini cupcakes are a great option when planning a kid’s tea party menu. They also make a stunning display when you’re decorating for your tea party.

5. Brownie bites

Pre-made brownie bites are super simple, but they don’t have to be boring! Colored frosting, sprinkles, and other tasty decorations will make them much more fun. You could even turn it into an activity by letting each child decorate their own.

Kid-friendly drink ideas

Just because you’re throwing a “tea” party doesn’t necessarily mean you have to serve tea. Not only will most kids not like the flavor of traditional tea, but you also probably don’t want to give them the extra caffeine. So instead, try these kid-friendly drink ideas.

1. Flavored herbal teas

If your kids really want tea, then opt for flavored herbal teas instead. They’re naturally decaffeinated and come in fun flavors like strawberry and orange, making them a better alternative for a kid’s tea party.

2. Pink lemonade

You don’t always have to get fancy when serving drinks at a kid’s tea party. Pink lemonade is a simple option they’re sure to love. If you want to make it a little more exciting, add a splash of club soda to give it some fizz.

3. Rich hot chocolate

During the winter months, a rich cup of hot chocolate is sure to please everyone! Add some marshmallows for an extra tasty treat.

4. Orange pineapple punch

This simple three-ingredient drink is always a hit! First, add pineapple juice to a punch bowl and drop in a cup of softened sherbet. Then, pour some orange soda in to give it a fun, bubbly effect.

5. Sparkling juice

Nothing makes a kid feel grown-up quite like enjoying a small cup of sparkling juice. There are plenty of different flavors to choose from, so you can mix it up to keep things interesting from one party to the next.

Additional Tea Party Food For Kids

Looking for more food ideas? Here’s a few last-minute favorites for you to try out:

1. Sundae cupcakes

Acquire cupcakes, some cherries, ice cream, and colorful sprinkles. Place a few scoops of ice cream atop each cupcake in the shape of a sundae. Decorate each sundae cupcake with some sprinkles and a cherry. 

2. A teapot cake

Get your hands on premade cake mixture in the flavor of your choice, and make a teapot-shaped cake with frosting. You can also make this cake the focal point of your table.

3. Petit fours

Buy some decadent petit fours to add flavor and variety to your table. These miniature sponge cakes prettily decorated with tasty fondant icing are a winner for all tea parties. They can be served as party favors too.

4. Mini croissants

Serve these buttery pastries with pesto or ham and cheese. You could also fill the croissants with berries and cream.

5. Scones with appetizing toppings

Scones are the most popular tea party food. Serve these with lemon curd, whipped cream, or grated cheese.

6. Mini quiche

Get hold of a few boxes of mini quiche to serve to the kids. Serve this with roasted potato wedges if you prefer.

7. Pizza rolls

Pizza rolls are great to serve at a kid’s tea party, as most kids adore pizza. Choose from a range of delicious flavors like Margherita, pepperoni, BBQ chicken, or a tasty double cheesy flavor.

8. Mini sausage rolls

Mini sausage rolls served with mash and gravy are perfect for a kid’s party, as they are filling and delicious. You can also serve this with roasted baby carrots. 

9. Delicious muffins

Use muffin mix for baking fun, flavored muffins for your tea party. You can choose from an array of cranberry orange, almond poppy seed, blueberry, or cinnamon swirl flavors.

10. A cookie selection

Packaged cookies are the go-to food when it comes to kid’s parties. Serve them Oreo sandwich cookies, chocolate chip, hazelnut wafers, or strawberry crème cookies.

11. Rainbow cake

Make a multi-layered cake, using a different color food coloring for each layer. Apply a layer of white frosting to the cake. For an even greater splash of color, place delicious multi-colored M&M’s atop your frosting.

12. Strawberry and marshmallow kebabs

Get a few strawberries and marshmallows. Secure the strawberries and marshmallows onto a skewer, and you have a sweet, fruity kebab.

13. Cheese and crackers platter

Cut some sliced cheese into heart and star shapes. Open a few boxes of crackers or mini crackers, and serve this with the cheese and some baby carrots and cocktail tomatoes.

14. Delicious truffles

Serve a variety of truffles or chocolate candies at a kid’s tea party. Arrange each type in a separate mason jar, and decorate the jars with some ribbon to complement the rest of the table décor.

15. Chips

Serve a few bowls of chips. Some favorite types to choose from including Lays, Cheese Puffs, or tortilla chips like Doritos.

16. Stacked mini pancakes

Get premade mini pancakes, some raspberries, and blueberries. Prepare the pancakes, sprinkle them with cinnamon sugar, and stack them on skewers with the berries.

17. Strawberry shortcake

Serve an ideal tea party food like a delicious strawberry shortcake. You can also serve lemon shortcakes if you prefer.

18. Teacup treats with candies

Gather some shortbread cookies, ice cream cone cups, and yogurt-covered twisty pretzels. Use the cookies as saucers and the ice-cream cones as teacups. Attach the cups to the cookies, and use the rounded part of the pretzels for cup handles. Fill the cups with bright-colored candies.

19. Bagel Bites

Serve scrumptious premade bagel bites stuffed with pepperoni and cheese. If you want, you can also buy regular bagels and serve them with delicious toppings like Nutella or peanut butter and granola. For something more colorful, serve the bagels with cookie dough and sprinkles.

20. A tea party hedgehog

Get creative with vegetables, as sometimes kids need encouragement to eat this. Get an orange for the hedgehog body and some toothpicks for the spikes. Take cocktail tomatoes, chopped sweet bell peppers, and diced cucumber, and stack them on the toothpicks. Stick the toothpicks in the orange to complete the veggie hedgehog. You may add grapes to the toothpicks.

Plan your kids’ tea party in no time

Planning a tea party for your child is a great way to create lasting memories. Once you’ve completed your list of tea party food for kids, let our Instacart Shoppers know what you need, and they’ll do the shopping for you!

This way, you can focus your attention on decorating and helping your kids get dressed up for their big day!

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