You will definitely want to offer food and drink at any baby shower, but exactly what you want to offer will depend on time of day, any theme you may have, and your budget – not to mention the practicalities of serving food in your own home, if that’s where the party is.

When preparing your menu, consider foods that you have made previously that are easy to prepare or that can be made ahead of time and frozen. Now is not the time to experiment. The party will be much more enjoyable for you as the host if you are mingling with the guests rather than hanging out alone in the kitchen!

For most baby showers we recommend party food suitable for a finger or fork buffet. Make sure you have plenty of variety to cater for all tastes as well as any vegetarians. You should also try to avoid serving anything that contains foods that pregnant women are advised to avoid, so that the guest of honor doesn’t have to worry about what she can and can’t eat, such as:

Soft cheese (such as brie or mould-ripened cheeses like stilton)
Unpasteurized milk / cheese
Pate
Ready-prepared coleslaw
Undercooked meat (so best avoid doing a BBQ, just in case)
Raw or runny eggs
Peanuts