It is, after all, your child's special day. But letting her completely decide what food will be served at the after-baptism family gathering might lead to mac and cheese and hot dogs on the menu.
On the other hand, it also might not be a great idea for a parent to totally take over that task. It's a baptism, so we don't want to end up with California sushi rolls and escargot.
Finding the middle ground applies to giving everyone a say in the decision-making process, and what ultimately ends up on the buffet table.
There are not, of course, hard and fast rules for such get-togethers, but here are some (hopefully) helpful tips:
Little or big?
It's nice to have some cold cuts and cheeses, along with vegetables and fruits, so people can make their own sandwiches and plates. But that works best with a small group.
When you're expecting a bigger crowd, pre-made finger sandwiches to go along with the vegetables and fruits, dips, chocolates and dried fruit.
Their favorite food
What do a lot of kids say when asked their favorite food? There's a good chance the answer is pizza. But you probably don't want the day remembered for square delivery boxes.
Instead, how about making homemade pizza using sourdough bread or English Muffins? Or if the person being baptized insists on mac and cheese, another idea is to serve different types of pasta with cheese and other sauces.
Get ethnic
Be creative by highlighting the ancestry of the person's family. Wherever your roots hail from, choose some foods that represent that area. This also provides a good opportunity for a potluck, as family members can be encouraged or assigned to bring dishes from their grandparents or great-grandparents' recipes in that particular region.
We all scream …
A cooler option, especially during the summer months, is ice cream. It might take a little more preparation, but homemade churned ice cream is always a hit. And the person being baptized and the other kids present can have fun dipping in for their own scoop.
There are no right or wrong answers to this question, so any option is a good one, and quite honestly, any food is going to taste just fine when coupled with this sacred and meaningful day.
e-mail: cpeterson@desnews.com