There are more and more men showing up at baby showers nowadays. Both parents are now really recognized as being equals so it's more important now than ever to make everyone feel welcome at the celebration. To be honest, men don't pay as much attention to the décor or how well-coordinated everything is but they do notice the food.
If you're planning a baby shower with couples, then the food should really be your primary concern. No cutesy stuff here, anything dainty and smaller than two bites are liable to be tossed into male mouths like peanuts. This is time for more hearty food, and I'm sure the expectant mom is going to appreciate that, too. You don't need to include hunks of barbecued ribs and mountains of potato salad (unless the new mom poses no objections) but like with all couples, come to a compromise.
The types of food that would be great to serve at a couples baby shower would be either Italian or Tex-Mex type food. It's delicate enough to look at but it's heavy enough to fill you up. Both can be served with some light beer, a good red wine, or fresh fruit juices. Again, what's important is to give people a choice. Let's take a look at some menu suggestions:
For the Italian menu, mini pizzas are a good bet. A selection of raw vegetable sticks and bread sticks paired with a warm spinach-cheese dip would please both men and women. A simple pasta dish of spaghetti and meatballs, with Chicken Parmigiano, and mixed fresh fruit and gelato for dessert, and you're all set. Simple, right? But you're full, and that's the point.
The Tex-Mex menu gives you even more choices. To start off, a layered bean dip or warm chili dip served with tortilla chips warms the tummy and prepares you for more. Add to that a hearty grilled chicken Caesar Salad, oven-baked ribs, a taco bar with all the fixings, and a simple flan for dessert makes everybody happy. Not much more than what you'd prepare for a dinner party but it will definitely make your baby shower stand out from the crowd.
If everyone's in the mood for something different, the food can be the main activity of the baby shower. A baby shower with a difference can have an Asian-themed menu. If you've got a tabletop cooker, then one of the main parts of the menu is already taken care of. Some thinly sliced beef, pork, and chicken fillets, Napa cabbage, carrots, black mushrooms, and green onions can be cooked in simmering broth – something like a low-calorie fondue. After each piece is cooked, it's fished out and dipped in either soy sauce, ginger sauce, or a plum sauce purchased from the oriental food section of the supermarket. If you're not averse to mixing cuisines, sticks of chicken teriyaki or pork sate can be served with bowls of white rice. A simple dessert of fresh fruit and possibly ginger ice cream rounds out this meal. It's easy, since you do just the preparing of the main dish and the guests cook for themselves.
If these menus sound too difficult, there's nothing wrong with
asking a guest to bring one part of the dinner. You can even assign
the drinks out. Or cook part of the menu and order the difficult
ones from your favorite restaurant. Don't be ashamed of not being
able to cook everything. The party is what's most important and
if the food helps people enjoy it that much more, all the success
goes back to you.