Easy Dinosaur Themed Birthday Party Food Ideas for Kids

If you’re one of those moms who are obsessed with having a perfectly coordinated and cohesive birthday party– you’re not alone! I have an obsessive compulsive disorder about that and just so you know you’ve just landed in the perfect place. And btw if you're looking for a full guide to planning the most SPECTACULAR dinosaur birthday party including decor, games and photobooth-- check my post on that here!

First thing’s first, go over your color palette. Just in case you’re wondering why that has anything to do with the menu that has EVERYTHING to do with it. There are two main things that go into this so that your dino menu actually looks like it’s a part of the Jurassic theme– the colors and the names. 

For the classic dinosaur look, try to make as many of the food choices on your food table these colors– green (all shades), brown, beige / tan, gray, orange, and dark red. Now it’s okay to have a few items which aren’t but then place them in serving ware that matches. 

Make sure you label everything with fun names by placing a matching sign in front of each dish. And that’s how you achieve the look and the wild dinosaur vibes from your food station so that everyone is raving about it! 

Main Course

These are my favorite kids party menu ideas because they are always a hit with kids. There’s a good mix of protein and carb options which is excellent if you’re looking for a filling menu that satisfies. To minimize waste and allow for easy handling by little kids, make things bite-sized by sticking to small portions so kids can come for seconds and thirds. I love labeling the food with these fun dinosaur names to get kids super excited about the menu. Honestly, with kids it’s much more about how you present the food than the actual food itself. 

• Volcano Lava Pizza: Pepperoni Pizza
• Dino Cheesy Swamp: Mac & Cheese
• Raptor Bites: Chicken Nuggets / tenders 
• T-Rex Mini Burgers: Sliders
• Dino Chompwiches: Sandwiches

Fun Party Snack Ideas

Here is a list of fun party snacks turned into wild dinosaur treats. You’ll love these because they’re super easy options to put together or to outsource from the store if that’s what you prefer– no pressure! What really matters is how you style these snacks and display them– and of course give them these super fun dino names that kids will go wild for.

• Fossil Cookies: Cookies pressed with dinosaur footprints or dino shaped cookies
• Volcano Pop Rocks: Popcorn
• Dino Bones: Pretzels
• Dino Snap Squares: Rice krispies 
• Dino Egg Pops: Cake pops
• Dino Dig Cups: Crushed oreo cookies with treats hidden inside

Healthy Snack Ideas

Parties don’t have to mean sugar over-load and junk! I always like to include healthy options to my party menu because it only makes sense as a conscious parent. Here’s how I add a fun dino twist to these easy to put together healthy dino snacks. 

• Dino Eggs: Serve green grapes as dinosaur eggs.
• Herbivore Cups: Serve assorted veggie sticks in cute cups. The most popular vegetables include carrot, cucumber and celery sticks served with ranch or hummus.
• Dino Berry Patch: For a fruit alternative, serve strawberries, blueberries and blackberries.
• Dino Snack Stack: Kids love cheese and what better way to serve it than everyone’s beloved cheese and crackers

Desert Ideas

No birthday is complete without a slice of cake. So that’s definitely made it to the dino desserts list along with easy no-bake dessert ideas to fill your dessert station with irresistible treats that are going to look as good as they taste.

• Volcano Cake or Dino Dig Cake: Birthday cakes come in all shapes and sizes. Whether it’s a slab cake or a custom-designed dino cake. Choose what best suits your budget. Even simple cakes look great with a simple frosting that matches the theme.
• Eruption Cups: Cupcakes are an excellent alternative to cake especially for younger kids. It’s also a no-hassle option for when you want to free up your time and don’t have to worry about everyone getting an equal slice of cake.
• Swamp Cups: Make dessert cups with green Jello.
• Dino Dirt Cups: Chocolate pudding with crushed cookies.

Candy Bar Ideas

If you want your party to look extra elaborate you can’t go past a candy bar. This is what will make your party look aesthetic and of course make every kid’s dream come true– a station full of candies! To make it dinosaur themed, create color based candy sections– green, orange, brown and red. Don’t forget to give the station a captivating name like “T-Rex Treats”, and display the treats in clear candy jars that come in different shapes and sizes.  

Jungle Zone (Green Candy Ideas):

• Green M&Ms
• Sour apple gummies
• Green licorice

Magma Zone (Orange Candy Ideas): 

• Orange skittles
• Orange flavored starburst
• Orange gummy bears

Lava Zone (Red candy Ideas):

• Red gummy bears
• Cherry gummies
• Red licorice twists
• Red jelly beans

Dirt Zone (Brown Candy Ideas): 

• Chocolate balls– chocolate coated candy like Whoppers
• Oreos

Drinks

For your thirst quenchers here are some fun dino-themed drinks. Drinks don’t need to be complicated. All you need to do is decide what color drinks you want on the table. Then make your own blend or get store-bought drinks. I personally love serving my themed-drinks in clear dispensers. Choose one or both. Think green for a swampy drink or orange and red colors for a lava effect. Don’t forget to label the drinks with the dino-themed names. 

• Swamp Juice: To make green juice make lemonade using lemonade mix and add a drop of green food coloring.
• Lava Blast Punch: Mix fruit punch or strawberry juice to make a red drink. Add lemon-lime soda for a fizzy effect (optional).
• Volcano Fizz: Combine lime sherbet with lemon-lime soda. Add a drop of red or orange food color for a fizzy-bubbly drink. Add the sherbet powder just before you serve so kids can see it fizz up. 

I hope this curated list helps you create and style a show-stopper menu that kids love and parents can’t stop raving about.

Don't forget to name your food station with a fun name like "Dino Feast Station". Here's a fun dino sign to complement your food station! 

Do you need dinosaur birthday party game ideas? I have a full post on that right here. 

 

Which part of your dinosaur party do you find hardest—food, games, or decorations? Tell me in the comments!