planning a baby shower

[sarahoc]

My friend and I are co-hosting a baby shower for a close friend. She is the first in our circle to get pregnant so none of us have been to a baby shower before.

The party will be on a Saturday afternoon at my co-host's apartment. There will probably be 10-15 attendees, mostly creative Brooklynite types in their late 20s -early 30s. The guest of honor is a vegetarian so we were planning on making tea sandwiches, a chocolate torte, maybe a punch or some kind of virgin cocktail.

Does anyone have any other menu suggestions? And what about activities? I did some web searching and everything I found seemed really cheesy.

[Gifted Gourmet]

Fret thee not, you have come to the best possible place for baby shower food inquiries! On the other hand, activities are usually, as you so correctly note, cheesy. So let us focus on the food, which to my way of thinking, is the main activity!

If you will click here:discussion here on a good type of food for a baby shower, this may answer some of your questions. And if not, many will chime in with their feedback ...

[Malawry]

Try to avoid strong aromas and flavors if you can. Things like stinky cheese are way out for me right now, as they are for many pregnant women. Also, try to get things that are neat to eat...I spill on myself since my dimensions have shifted so much.

My first baby shower had rather ordinary food...fruit or spinach salads, sandwich fixings, punch, chips/crackers/veg/dip, a cake. If I was catering a baby shower, I'd propose more sophisticated food, but I was perfectly satisfied eating the stuff people provided for me. I like to make things like mushroom and goat-cheese filo cigars, shot glasses of gazpacho, tea sandwiches with homemade herb butter or herb mayo and assorted vegetables or sliced hard-boiled egg, little squares of cake and bar cookies so you don't have to commit to any one dessert.

I found the taste-the-baby-food game a little gross and cheesy, but also somewhat illuminating. I sucked at it but had to admit I was glad I gave it a shot. If you play this one, I recommend getting baby foods that are single-item (not "carrots and butternut squash" in the same jar) and selecting high-quality versions without additives. If you feel creative and inspired you could make your own pureed/strained foods without seasonings and have people sample and guess them.

[Kouign Aman]

To build on what Malawry wrote, I would deliberately add a few of the really common jarred baby foods, just for the illumination factor: two or three of the really snazzy sounding 'casserole' flavors of any brand (which all seem to be predominantly carrots and all tasted the same - blech, and which stain like an SOB so provide bibs), and of course, Gerber's spinach (which contains onion etc.). If you do this to the mom-in-process, be kind and include a food mill among the gifts!

Strawberries and cream. Shortbread.

[lcdm]

The baby showers I have attended had quite normal finger foods, spinach dip, veggies & dip, finger sandwiches, quiche, spinach salad. Desert was usually some kind of "bar", sheetcake or fruit salad. Think of a cross between a ladies luncheon and cocktail party.

One game I remember. Take 10-20 lunch bags and number, enclose some kind of baby item in each bag (like a bottle, a pacifier, a diaper, small toy, bib........) and seal the bag. Each person gets a numbered list and has to write down what they think is in each bag, (it's OK to feel/shake the bags) the person with the highest number of guesses wins (and the mom-to-be gets to keep the baby items).

[tejon]

Heh heh....the best baby shower game I've ever come across involves an assortment of chocolate candy bars and confections and a bag of newborn diapers. The candy bars get a quick zap in the microwave to melt, then strategically placed on the diapers. Guests have to guess which candy bar each is (no tasting allowed - just by looks). Surprisingly realistic, and one of the funniest things I've ever participated in .

Edited April 2, 2006 by tejon (log)

[Kris]

Heh heh....the best baby shower game I've ever come across involves an assortment of chocolate candy bars and confections and a bag of newborn diapers. The candy bars get a quick zap in the microwave to melt, then strategically placed on the diapers. Guests have to guess which candy bar each is (no tasting allowed - just by looks). Surprisingly realistic, and one of the funniest things I've ever participated in .

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I like this idea!

I'm hosting a small baby shower brunch in two weeks and I think this will be a cute and clever game.

I've been fretting over a menu as well. But since it's a brunch I think I've narrowed it down to:

Creme Brulee french toast

Assorted quiche

Fruit kebobs with some type of dip

Chicken tarragon salad stuffed cherry tomatoes (or on mini croissants - I'll see)

Sausage

Belgian waffle station with assorted syrups and freshly whipped cream

Coffee, tea, mimosas, O.J.

Some type of coffee cake or other cake

I'm still debating on whether I should have a mini bagel w/cream cheese assortment with a smoked salmon platter. But that might be overkill.

[Kouign Aman]

Tejon, thats killer! I about fell off my chair laughing. At least one diaper should get butterscotch or peanut butter chips melted into it.

[LaurieB]

I'll be helping my sister host our cousin's wife's baby shower in a couple of weeks -- but, in the meantime, could you please post how you make creme brulee waffles? My mouth is watering.

Laurie

[Megan Blocker]

I think it was creme brulee French toast, not waffles!

Here's a recipe for it from Epicurious...

[scordelia]

Your menu sounds really nice. You might want some champagne for the non-pregnant ladies (and the pregnant one for that matter--I drank champagne often when preggers and my kids are fine).

I would say no to any activities. Just enjoy eachother's company, and no shrieking when the presents are opened, no matter how cute they are!

[Kris]

I think it was creme brulee French toast, not waffles! 

Here's a recipe for it from Epicurious...

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Thanks for posting Megan - this is the recipe I use, except I use challah bread instead of a baguette.

The baby shower brunch I hosted turned out very well. Everyone loved the menu. I didn't make the fruit kebobs though - too much work. So I just had a fruit salad.

[kiliki]

The best baby showers I've attended-the ones where everyone looked like they had a great time-were the ones that were just like parties. The included both men and women, had great cocktail party type food, and some have even had booze (after all, the guests aren't pregnant). The ones where everyone sat in a circle and tried to look like they had a good time were the ones with tea sandwiches and games. I would definitely check with the mom-to-be about games-maybe she enjoys them, or maybe, like my cousin who we had a shower for a few weeks ago, she will refuse to attend if anyone plans games.