Hosting a baby shower is such an important job to support a mother-to-be. I will never forget my baby shower and all the work my mom put into it to host it for me. I am forever grateful!
Planning a baby shower is a lot of work, from the guest list to the décor, the baby shower games, and most importantly, the food. There is a lot of thought and effort that goes into a shower.
What to Consider When Planning the Baby Shower Food
When planning the menu, you want to consider the preferences of the mother-to-be and serve some of her favorite foods, along with considering the baby shower’s theme.
My shower theme was “Fiesta, Baby,” and we had a taco and nacho bar—some of my favorite things and on theme! You will also want to consider your guests’ dietary needs and ensure you have some gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian, and vegan offerings mixed in. That way, there is a little something for everyone in the spread. Of course, make sure to have plenty of bottles of hand sanitizer available to your guests as they prepare to make their way through the food offering. This will help keep everyone healthy.
Baby Shower Food Ideas
Baby Shower Appetizers
Finger foods are excellent to serve at baby showers, and anything “mini” is always a charming option for the food table. I love going to a baby shower where many different appetizers are served. Bonus points if they are on a toothpick or in a single-serving cup! Serving many appetizers is a great way to have lots of options for your guests that meet the needs of even the pickiest of attendees. Here are some delicious ideas for appetizers:
- Pimento cheese crostini
- Charcuterie board
- Individual cups of cut veggies and dressing
- Tea sandwiches
- Fruit kebabs
- Sandwich pinwheels
- Meatballs
- Pigs in a blanket
- Stuffed mushrooms
- Mini crab cakes
- Shrimp cocktail
- Spanakopita
Baby Shower Buffet
Buffets of entrée foods are a great, inclusive baby shower food idea for your guests. They can choose exactly how they want to customize their meal according to their preferences and dietary needs. I have shared some fun buffet ideas and examples of items to put on that buffet that will give your guests many options.
- Taco/nacho bar (taco meat, chicken, refried beans, sour cream, salsa, taco shells, tortillas, corn chips)
- Baked potato bar (cheese, chili, sour cream, chives, butter, bacon, ham, black olives, scallions, chicken)
- BBQ and fixins (pulled chicken, pulled pork, brisket, coleslaw, macaroni and cheese, baked beans, potato salad, cornbread)
- Bagels (various cream cheese flavors, lox, capers, pickled onions, dill)
Baby Shower Brunch
A common time for baby showers is a brunch shower! I have often been to showers late Sunday morning, and I love a good brunch shower. Here are some yummy options for baby shower food ideas during brunch:
- Mini quiches
- Breakfast casserole(s), both with meat and vegetarian
- Deviled eggs
- Baked French toast
- Chicken salad on Hawaiian rolls
- Croissants
- Scones
- Muffins
- Fruit salad
Baby Shower Desserts
The options for baby shower desserts are endless and the center of a shower’s celebration. Traditionally, you can serve a beautiful cake decorated like the shower’s theme. A trendy idea is to have a dessert bar with many different options for your guests. Here are some other more non-traditional dessert ideas:
- Decorate your own cookie station
- Cinnamon buns (cute for a “bun in the oven” theme)
- Cake pops
- Cookies
- Chocolate covered pretzels
- Petit fours
- Cupcakes
- Fun-sized candy bars
- Hershey’s Kisses
- Personalized M&M’s
- Caramel popcorn
- Chocolate covered strawberries
- Rice Krispie Treats
- Chex Muddy Buddies
Baby Shower Drinks
The drinks you offer at a baby shower depend heavily on the theme! One cute theme that I have seen is “Something’s Brewing.” You would serve beer and coffee at that shower. At a brunch shower, you’ll probably have a mimosa bar with many different juice offerings. Depending on the time of day and audience, a signature cocktail inspired by the mother-to-be is also a cute idea! Of course, a nice offering to have is mini bottles of water. I find that at events where the mini bottles are served, it cuts down on the half-empty bottles of water being found everywhere when the event is over!
- Mimosa bar (various fruit juices such as mango, pineapple, and orange)
- Coffee or hot cocoa station
- Iced tea
- Hot tea
- Infused water
- Signature cocktail
- Bottled water
I hope this inspires you as you plan for baby shower hosting responsibilities. You can mix and match from this list of food ideas and pull off a flawless shower! The guests and mother-to-be will love what you put together, no matter what you choose to do.
