candy buffet idea help!

My girls are having a Toy Story themed party for their upcoming 5th birthday. We decided a while ago that we are going to do a candy buffet at the party. So now that we have our theme, I need to think about candy and names for different items. For example, I was thinking gumballs could be "alien eyeballs". I was trying to think of something that could be "Buz's laser", like string licorice or something like that. I'm stumped right now!!

Anyone out there creative enough to help me think of different candies and Toy Story names that might go along with them?

 

Oh! I just found a suggestion in a blog to use Hershey Kisses as Buzz's Moon Rocks. Love it!! :Clap:

 

Are you going to have a cotton candy machine? Because you could totally call it stuffing from the bear. . .

Jellybeans can be Rex Eggs. I'd use the string licorice for Jessie's Hair. Candy bracelets/necklaces can be Barbie Jewelry.

I'd mix Reese's peanut butter cups in with the Kisses for moon rocks. That way they're not all the same shape.


What candies are you planning on having?

 

LOVE your ideas!! :clapping:

I have no clue what candy. I made the girls give me a final answer on a theme last week so we're just getting started with the prep. I definitely want to do preschool friendly candy since it will be mostly 5 year olds at this party. I wouldn't be opposed to using other foods too. I intend to have cellophane bags for them to fill up and we're buying cowgirl/boy hats from Oriental Trading. So those will be their favors.

 

Nerds could be space rocks too, Pez could be playroom building blocks, gummy worms for "snakes in your boots" ?? :unsure:

 

I am not very creative when it comes to naming these kinds of things, but I did find these examples of Toy Story candy buffets. They don't have names for the things, but they look fantastic & might give you some ideas if you haven't seen them already...
Candy 1
Candy 2
One More!


ETA I wanted to add.. :bow2: you are so ahead of me, I haven't even started thinking about L&L's birthday yet, I guess I better get busy!

 

I have seen actual candy rocks, first at our candy store. then again at our walmart on the candy isle.

 

Michele, love those ideas!! :yahoo:

Tina, awesome links!! I did see one of them (Candy 2) but not the others. I have to say in the "One More" link, WOW. That person has some talent for sure!!

Kim, oh yeah! I've seen those too!!

 

This made me laugh because in my eyes I'm SO behind!! I've usually figured everything out by now!!

 

you can get these for Buzz's laser
http://www.amazon.com/Kidsmania-Laser-Pop-Projector-Lollipop/dp/B002HZUJCA

 

Those are cool!

 

I told dh we should use tootsie rolls and call it Bullseye's poop!!

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

 

you're brave doing a candy buffet - I wouldn't want to have that many kids with that much sugar at a party!!!

 

The buffet is for them to make goody bags before they leave. That's their favor.

 

Lol, so you're sending the sugar home.

Sounds like a fun idea though, those links looked pretty cool. I had no idea there were people you could hire to come set up a candy buffet, lol.

 

I don't know if you remember, but for L&L's second birthday I ordered personalized M&M's with their pictures on them for favors. That might be something really cute to include in your candy buffet. They are kind of expensive but, if I were going to do it again, I would get a smaller amount & just mix them in with regular M&M's so that some would have the kids picture on them & some would not. Much more affordable that way.

 

Oooh yeah. We'll see how many are friends with me. :laughing:
My nieces (12 and 10) will be here and I was thinking about asking a neighbor (12) to come over and help us "man" the table. I am hoping the mom's will help the kids serve themselves but in case they are sent to do it themselves, the older girls can sort of keep an eye on things.

I sure do remember that! :good: I did consider personalized ones but changed my mind because of the cost. BUT...mixing them in with regular is a great idea. The girls love pink and purple, so those would totally stand out in a bag of regular ones. :good:
Now...I need to think of what the M&M's could be...


I went shopping today to look at candy. To keep cost low, I'm going to go with everyday stuff that I can get at Wal-Mart. And...I decided to go with a lot of your suggestions above!! :bow2:

 

Are you a Costco member? Because that is a good place to get a great price on tons of different types of candy.

 

Nopers. I don't even know if they have any around here. We have Sam's and BJ's mostly. But...hmmm...maybe I should check there. Good call smartypants.

My niece suggested I go to the "candy store", like one of those serve yourself places. :rofl: If only she knew how expensive that would be!! :faint:

 

Speaking of which... I had a friend who, I believe, wanted to save money on her son's christening favors. So she went to a said "candy store" and bought M&M's. Three lbs of them I believe...four tops. And she walked out spending $90 on M&M's! Talk about fainting!!!!! I nearly did! And then she had to wrap them up in tulle with a ribbon. I bought 125 candle favors from a website, personalized, for the boy's christening and spent LESS than that!

FYI-we have a Costco 15 minutes away....

 

That is NUTS Meaghan!! Sooo...you're going to shop for me? Seriously, if I had the time I would run out and have you take me!!

 

Certainly! I could pencil you in, if you penciled me in! We could do lunch and Costco. Now tell me that is not enticing?!?! :laughing:

 

It most definitely is!!! But..... all of my days off between now and their party are booked! Nuts, huh?!

 

:faint:

I've got to start planning my boys party... I'm going to do pirates. And looked into hiring one.

But not to the tune of ....... $300. :faint:

 

$300?!?! How about get an adult sized costume and have a friend dress like it for the day? Much cheaper! I remember you saying you wanted to do the pirate thing...remember our goldabloom (sp?) conversation? :laughing:

 

Pop Rocks!!

 

The party was today!! :woo:

The buffet worked out SO well!! I used mason jars and then put fabric and ribbon over the top so they would be closed. Someone I know has an Etsy shop so she made the labels for the jars.

We had the girls' party with their friend's first, so we kept the jars shut but stuffed snack sized ziploc bags with the candy buffet candy and then put it in the pinata. That way, everyone would have a taste of it but we didn't have to worry about kids taking much more than the mom's might want them to.

After the kids' party we had the girls' party with our family. After we ate, we opened up the jars and let the kids that were at that party (all older than my girls) make their own goody bags. When they were done, the adults munched on the leftovers. LOVED how it turned out! :yahoo:


This is what I ended up using and what I named it:
Jessie's Braid - red string licorice
Bullseyes Eyes - caramel cremes (couldn't think of a better word for this one!)
Buzz's Moon Rocks - Hershey Kisses
Snake in Woody's Boot - gummi worms
Hamm's Loot - chocolate coins
Rex's Eggs - gumballs



So thank you to all of you who helped with the suggestions!! :bow2:

 

:woo: Glad everything went well! LOVE the photos!!! And do you have a link for the etsy shop? I may be needing some pirate stuff...

 

Tea Party Designs. She also has a FB page...Tea Party Designs. She can do whatever you request, and I did see some pirate stuff recently. :good: