Although organizing baby showers is the last thing crossing your mind as soon as the pregnancy test shows you’ll be a mother, there is no doubt that it will be one of the first thoughts that will cross your family and friends’ minds. And that’s great! The truth is that these are some of the events that you’ll enjoy the most during your twin pregnancy… And there’s nothing better than having all the help of your loved ones to organize them.
As we love being part of this fantastic moment in your life, we have many tips and ideas for your baby shower food. Whether it’s because you decide to organize one or you want to be part of what your friends will set up, be ready! Because in this type of celebration there is room for many ideas, especially when it comes to food.
Before our Baby Shower Food Ideas… When is The Right Time for a Twin Baby Shower?
If you’re here at Twinstuff, there’s a good chance you’ll become a mom of adorable twins. And indeed, you might be wondering, like other twins’ mothers, when the baby shower for your twins will be more appropriate.
Some people decide to organize them after their babies are born. But the trend nowadays is to do them before birth. If it’s a single-baby pregnancy, we recommend having baby showers after the 20th week until the 38th week.
However, for the birth of twins, things change a bit. It is recommended not to wait too long: between the end of the second trimester and the beginning of the third one is a good time to do them.
Why? Twins are likelier to be born prematurely, so don’t wait too long to throw a party and fill them with gifts as adorable as these bibs. There’s always a chance that children might come before their baby showers!
We must also consider that mothers of twins usually need a little more rest -which is why these pillows are such an excellent present for pregnant women. And it is more difficult for them to move at the end of pregnancy -which could imply that they could miss the celebration.
What Kind of Food do You Serve at a Baby Shower?
In a baby shower, there are many food options to prepare, lots and lots of them. Faced with a sea of possibilities, we’ll give you some information that will help you define what type of gathering you want to hold, and by explaining that, it will be easier for you to decide what kind of food to serve your guests.
How Big and How do you Want your Baby Shower to be?
This is the first point to define before anything else. If you want a meeting where people sit at a table to eat, that already gives you an idea of what dishes you could prepare.
But, if you don’t have the space or think that serving on a table is just too formal, you can organize the meal differently: with your guests sitting and eating on their legs or eating standing up. This one is also an option and depends on how informal you want the baby shower to be.
So, you have two options: a full meal for guests where everyone sits at the table or snacks and finger foods for guests sitting or standing during the gathering.
The second one, in our opinion, is the best option. It’s today’s most popular choice. It’s more practical -it will simplify the cooking process, and you won’t have to spend hours and hours in the kitchen; it’s less expensive -especially if you plan to invite a large group of people, and you’ll be able to provide something that everyone will enjoy.
Offer Different Dishes
Keep in mind that you’ll invite many people, and each person is different from the others. You’ll realize that some like one thing and some others don’t. Some can eat certain types of food, but others can’t because of allergies or other reasons. Even you, in your state of pregnancy, must be more aware of the food you eat: You can’t have raw fish – so, goodbye, sushi! You can’t eat deep-sea fish because it might contain high amounts of mercury. You can’t eat unpasteurized cheese. And you can’t drink alcohol.
Therefore, the idea of offering finger foods is the most attractive. With only one dish, some guests might not enjoy the food. With snacks, that’s a different story: you’ll be able to do something to please every taste.
It’s also a good idea to think of sweet treats for the gathering. Think of them as little desserts at the end of the meal. And, if you are going to be the lucky mom of twin girls, this cake decorating kit will make the baby shower dessert table look stunning.
Tip: If your friends are throwing you a baby shower, let them know what new food restrictions you have because of your pregnancy. The last thing they want is you not to be able to enjoy what they have prepared for you.
Tell Them What Food They’ll Eat
It is a nice touch of you to show your guests what’s on the menu, so they know ahead of time what they will eat and what they won’t. You can label the food if you serve your dishes as a buffet, or you can also print the menus, frame them, and put them on the table for your guests to read.
How do you know what your guests can eat? Simple: ask them. You can do it when you give them the invitation to the baby shower. That way, you’ll find out if they have food allergies; or if they can’t eat something in particular. You can ask them their answers via email.
Think of How You’ll Plate
Your tableware will hardly work for that many guests. So that option is canceled. Using plastic plates and cutlery can be an option but be careful not to buy the cheapest ones: these tend to break, and you don’t want your guests to get food stains on their clothes.
Paper plates are also an excellent option. Choose ones that are thick enough to withstand sauces, sharp cutlery, and heavy hands. These are a great option!
This brings us to another consideration about the food you’ll serve: avoid sauce-covered dishes and meals that are tough to cut. We don’t want anyone to get dirty or be unable to eat.
What Kind of Food do you Serve at a Baby Shower?
Now that you’ve got a general idea of what to consider for your baby shower food, here’s what you’ve been waiting for: baby shower food ideas on a budget!
- The ever-reliable ham and cheese tray:
Here, you don’t have to prepare anything; this option is always a hit. Put a variety of cheeses -make sure they are all pasteurized- and hams -in your local market; they can advise you what to put on it.
You can also add fruits such as apples, crackers, small portions of bread, and nuts.
- Vegetable Tray:
Always consider a vegetarian option for your guests. Be sure to wash vegetables very well, cut them into sticks, and accompany them with ranch or blue cheese sauces.
- Caprese Skewers:
Make this famous Italian salad on small skewers! Cherry tomato, mozzarella cheese, and basil… Put them on a skewer, drizzle with oil, then season with salt and balsamic vinegar. Easy Caprese!
- Fruit Skewers:
Use fruits you have at home. Cut some bananas, kiwis, strawberries, and melon into slices and make your skewers.
- Chicken and waffle sliders:
If you want something a little heavier, this is a great option: crispy mini waffles and a nice bite of fried chicken in the middle. Cover them with a little honey… YUMMY!
- Chili Garlic Chicken Skewers with Greek Yogurt Dip:
Marinate chicken cut into dices for 2 hours in the fridge with garlic, chili, honey, salt, and pepper. Then, skewer five dices of chicken and heat them in the pan or grill.
Let them take a nice gold color, sprinkle with lemon, and serve them with Greek yogurt on the side.
- Crab dip:
You only need mayonnaise, cream cheese, garlic, salt, a little bit of mustard, and chopped onions. Mix and then add the crab with a bit of parsley. Then cover and store in the fridge until guests arrive. It goes perfectly with crackers.
- Bacon mac and cheese bites:
Little cups of bacon stuffed with mac and cheese. Sounds delicious, right? Tip: use muffin tins to make the “bacon cups.” Fill with the mac and cheese, sprinkle with Panko, and put them in the oven for 15 minutes at 350 degrees.
- Beef Wellington bites:
Please make sure they’re hot and served in little portions.
- Cheesy party burgers:
The cheesier and succulent, the more your guests will enjoy them. Make plenty: indeed, many will want to repeat.
Best Way to Approach Your Baby Shower Food Ideas
One way to approach baby shower food is to imagine miniature versions of meals you usually prepare. Anything goes: mini ham and cheese sandwiches, mini hot dogs, mini pizza bites, meatballs, mini pasta salad served in cups… The list could go on and on. Of course, make sure to prepare dishes that you have made before.
We don’t encourage trying something new, especially since you’ll have a lot of guests and a short response time to fix something that goes wrong. Remember: this is a time to rejoice, make beautiful memories, and leave a lasting impression.
