Most teenagers look forward to their 16th birthday, as it’s a rite of passage to adulthood. In fact, many parents spoil their kids rotten with an extravagant sweet 16 party, where they go all out.
Regardless of how big of an event you want to make your teen’s sweet 16, you’ve got to provide food for fuel. Otherwise, you’ll have some angry adolescents on your hands!
The teenage palate can be different from the adult one though. So you need to choose the best foods and snacks to serve these kids.
Below are 8 delicious sweet 16 food ideas you can use for your teen’s party!
1. Mini Burgers
Burgers are an excellent food option, but mini burgers are better since party guests can nibble on them throughout the night. If the weather’s good, you can always grill on your patio while the kids mingle and have fun.
You can set up a station with buns, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and condiments so the teens can make their own sliders. Not only will the make them happier, but it’ll also be less work for the person grilling.
If the weather’s bad, you don’t have a grill, or want to make things easier, you can also bake the patties in your oven.
2. Chicken Skewers
Chicken’s a great protein that most kids like. And if you string them up on skewers, it’s simple for them to grab; there aren’t any utensils or plates needed!
Like with the mini burgers, you can either grill or bake chicken skewers, whichever’s easiest. You can use a variety of marinades, spices, and sauces to appeal to different palates.
Then, lay the skewers on a tray and bring it out to the party room. It’ll be a cinch to repeat throughout the night!
3. Mini Quiches
Quiches are full of eggy deliciousness, especially when you combine them with cheese and other ingredients like chicken. This one may be a tough one to pull off on your own though, since you’ll have to prep and bake a bunch of small quiches. So it might be wiser to grab a bunch from your local grocery store.
Once they’re heated up, these mini quiches will go quickly since the teenagers can grab one and go. And they’ll be tasty, but still nutritious enough to fuel these party animals for the rest of the night.
4. Meatballs
Meatballs are handy as a fast snack. Buy ground meat in bulk, season it, and roll out meatballs to bake. You can even do this the day before and heat them up for a few minutes in the oven or microwave on the big day.
You can then set the meatballs out on a tray with a container of toothpicks next to it. The kids can then munch on these meatballs without having to grab a fork or plate. They can get back to dancing around in a flash!
5. Pizza
98% of Americans eat pizza, and children and teens are most likely to eat it. This means that pizza is a sure bet!
Whether you bake your own pizzas or order them, what’s great is you can customize each pie. That way, there will be various flavors, even for the pickiest of eaters. And there are even gluten-free and vegetarian/vegan options, so no one will be left out.
In general, you should expect each kid to eat 2 to 3 slices. So order or bake accordingly.
6. Cupcakes
Naturally, teenagers have huge sweet tooths. So you need to give them some sweet treats as part of the sweet 16 food.
Cupcakes are an outstanding choice because the teens don’t need utensils or plates to eat cupcakes. All they need to do is throw the wrappers away after they’re done.
Cupcakes are also easy to bake yourself, and you can customize them with different flavored doughs, fillings, and icings. You can even have your teen help out; it can be a fun bonding experience and they can learn some baking skills too!
7. Candy
One of the best sweet 16 ideas is supplying the guests with candy. Just grab a fancy bowl and dump a bag of candy into it, and you’re golden!
Check the bowl as the night goes on, as the kids might be more voracious than you’d expect. Have several bags at the ready so you can refill when needed.
8. Cookies
Cookies are another great idea for sweet 16 parties, as they’re sweet and filling. The possibilities are endless too, such as sugar, chocolate chip, chocolate lava, cookies and cream, and M&M. And like many other options on this list, you can also get gluten-free cookies so those with sensitivities can still indulge.
While you can bake cookies yourself, you can also have them catered. This allows you to serve up hundreds of cookies without having to lift a finger! You can then focus on other aspects of party planning for your teen.
Use These Sweet 16 Food Ideas for Your Teen’s Party
With these sweet 16 food ideas, no teen will be hungry at this event. And because you’re so attuned to what their taste buds desire, all your guests will be impressed with the food choices and won’t leave anything untouched.
Just make sure you combine the right amount of savory and sweet foods, as the teenagers will want to satisfy their sweet tooth after chowing down. And what better way to do it than with some irresistible cookies?
If you’re ready to get some scrumptious cookies for your teen’s sweet 16, then visit our store today. You can also place a phone or online order!