Sleepovers bring to mind a lot of fun and memorable activities. Some of these activities differ depending on the age of the attendees and the theme of the sleepover, however there is one element of a sleepover that is universal—food! Girls love to get together and chow down on yummy snacks while playing games, chatting, and partaking in other common sleepover shenanigans. Coming up with new and fun food ideas can definitely be a challenge for the sleepover hostess, especially with the pressure of preventing her guests from becoming bored. Take a look at the following food activities that are sure to impress and entertain your guests at your next sleepover.

Indoor Picnic

An indoor picnic is a great food activity that won’t be spoiled by bad weather and can easily be done at night without disturbing neighbors. For this activity, you may want to check with your guests ahead of time to find out about any foods that they dislike. You can stick to traditional foods like sandwiches and chips or you can serve made-ahead foods like chicken and coleslaw, potato salad, or chilled pasta. For younger groups, try something a bit more hands-on, such as the fixings for “ants on a log” (celery sticks loaded with peanut butter and raisins), chopped fruit, and cheese squares and deli meat on crackers. When you prepare the picnic setting you can be as fun or traditional as you like. Throw a checkered blanket on the living room or dining room floor or challenge the girls to create a princess castle using a sheet, brooms, and other furniture pieces. For teenage slumber party guests you can create a more comfortable and trendy picnic area using a fluffy blanket, pillows, or bean bags—the perfect setting to watch chick flicks or gossip about the latest goings-on.

Do-It-Yourself Pizzas

Do-it-yourself pizzas are a major hit no matter what age your guests are. Not only does it discourage arguments about pizza toppings but it can be a real laugh to see how awkward the girls’ pizzas come out! You can jazz it up by creating a contest to see who can get the most air while tossing their pizza dough (pizzeria-style). This can get messy but it is also A LOT of fun! If you like, you can make the pizza dough in advance from scratch and refrigerate it until you are ready to start cooking. You can also get packets of instant pizza dough in which you just add water and knead until a dough forms. The easiest but most expensive way would be to buy ready-made pizza crust that you just top with sauce and other foods. Be sure to ask your guests in advance what pizza toppings they like, and then you can set them all out in individual bowls—everything from cheese and meats to pineapple and olives. This way everyone gets what they like and can experience the fun of putting a pizza together!

Breakfast at Night

What better way to space out the fun activities of a slumber party than to have breakfast for supper? Breakfast foods can be really fun and comforting at the same time. Plus, it can let kids feel a bit “naughty” at having breakfast at night time—especially if you serve a sweet dish like French toast, pancakes, or waffles. If your guests have different tastes, you can always offer an ala carte type of setup, such as blueberry compote, chopped strawberries and bananas, powdered sugar, chocolate chips, and anything else that you feel your guests might enjoy! The beauty of having a sweeter breakfast dish is that the basic component—such as French toast, waffles, or pancakes—can be made earlier in the day and frozen or refrigerated to retain freshness. When you’re ready to eat just pop them in the microwave and heat them until they are piping hot. Voila! You’ve got a tasty and impressive sleepover meal that will win smiles all around!