As we all know, there tend to be seasons in our lives. Seasons when there seem to be a lot of brides in your life. Oddly enough, this is often followed by a whirlwind of baby showers. While it’s lovely to celebrate new life, it can be tough to plan a shower that hasn’t been done before. After all, how many times can you sip sherbet punch and nibble at crudité.

Thankfully, you can choose to serve something memorable at the baby shower for your favorite mom. You can move past tired mini quiches and serve tasty little tidbits that will tickle your guest’s fancy as well as their taste buds. Simply, choose the menu tht will go along with your favorite baby shower theme.

Loony Spoons

Looking for a fun twist on a baby shower brunch? Why not bring your guests back to their childhoods. Who doesn’t remember those cherished moments, eating sugary cereal and watching cartoons? Instead of typical brunch fare of eggs, bacon, and hash browns, lay out a buffest of cereal for your guests. Place some of the fruity favorites in silver serving dishes next to a pitcher of milk. Use elegant serving spoons and china bowls to contradict the childish tone of the cereal. Don’t forget to have plenty of cut up fruit for toppings. You can play with the theme even more by creating place cards with your favorite cereal characters and propping them up against toy surprises that they might find in a box.

Waffle Bar

Another fun twist on a brunch menu is to offer a waffle bar. Simply rent, borrow or purchase six or seven waffle irons. Make up plenty of batter and pour it into pre-measured cups. When the time comes to eat, invite your guests to pour the batter onto the waffle iron and cook their own waffle. After the food is cooked, the guest then moves to a buffet with a variety of toppings such as fruit, chocolate chips, nuts and a variety of syrups.

If you really feel like changing things up, try offering a wider variety of waffle batters. Add mini chips to the batter for chocolate chip waffles. Pour brownie batter into the cups for a delicious brownie waffle. Canned pumpkin and spice make a lovey spicy treat. Finally, try crushing Oreo cookie and scooping it into batter for a cookies and cream option.

Finally, if you want to serve something a little more filling, consider placing a mini waffle on either side of a chicken nugget and holding the pieces in place with a large skewer. Place several dozen “chicken and waffles” on a serving platter and drizzle the tray with maple syrup.

Fair Fare

If you have ever enjoyed carnival food, this might be the menu for you. It works especially well at a shower that caters to whole families. In fact, it works best for outdoor showers, since all of these foods are designed to be eaten while walking around. Spilling food on the patio or the grass is much easier to deal with food on the carpet. Don’t limit yourself to simple hot dogs or sausage hoagies. There is so much more that you can offer your shower guests. Kettle corn in a carnival staple. You can always make it ahead and have bags of popcorn ready for your guests. But why not make it more portable? Kettle corn popcorn balls fit neatly on a stick and can go anywhere.

While pies aren’t the kind of things that many people think of as portable, you can create simple and fun “pies-on-a-stick.” Simply cut small circles of pie crust with a drinking glass. Place a dollop of preserves, or your favorite pie filling in the center. Place a strong wooden stick, closer to a tongue depressor than a popsicle stick, so that one end is securely in the pie filling. Wet around the edges and place a second pie crust on top of the first. Crimp the edges with a fork and bake. Voila, walkable pie. Another option is to cut a cream pie such as chocolate silk or key lime into individual slices. Push a strong stick into the widest part of the wedge and lay each piece on a cookie sheet. Freeze the slices with the sticks. After they are completely frozen, dip each slice in melted chocolate and put it back in the refrigerator. This allows the treat to be firm, but not frozen. Remove just before serving.

For more of a main dish, consider “Walking Tacos.” This is a favorite at fairs and campsites everywhere. Simply purchase individual bags of corn chips. You can get a variety if you wish. Prepare meat and place it in a bowl on the serving table. Add other toppings such as cheese, shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes and avocadoes, salsa and jalapenos. Show your guests how to open the bag and fill the empty space with the toppings of their choice. They can then find a comfortable spot to enjoy their taco.

Ice Cream Social

We may all scream for ice cream, but you can do more than just serve the frozen treat with this menu.

For a savory serving, try scooping flavored cream cheese with a melon baller, so that your guests can spread the “scooped” cheese on bagels. Don’t ignore the opportunity that ice cream cones provide. You can use them to serve popcorn, fruit salad, or tiny candies. For “ice cream” cones that won’t melt in the sun, bake them first. Start by placing cake ice cream cones, the kind with flat bottoms, in muffin tins. Fill each cone halfway with cake batter and bake. After the cupcakes have completely cooled, top each with a swirl of frosting to resemble a soft-serve cone. You can use the cone cakes as a fun gender reveal if you inject either pick or blue batter into the center of the cupcake before baking. You can also inject pink or blue frosting into the cupcake after baking aand cover the hole with a neutral colored icing.

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