Edible Return Gifts for Kids' Parties in Bangalore

Return gifts at a Bengaluru kids' party have become a small industry of their own. Most of them are plastic, and most of them are lost under a sofa within a week. An edible return gift has one big advantage: it gets finished.

Here's how to choose, count and keep them, whether you order from us or not.

What works as an edible return gift

A good return gift survives the car ride, can be eaten later, and doesn't need a knife. Three things from our menu fit well.

• Dessert jar shots. Our dessert jars come as 100ml shots at ₹100 each, in flavours like Oreo, Red Velvet, Fresh Strawberry and Kesar Pista. There's also a set of four assorted Dessert Shots for ₹400. A shot is exactly the right size for a child who has already eaten cake.
• Cupcake boxes. Our cupcakes come in boxes of four, from ₹180 for Classic Vanilla to ₹300 for Chocolate Truffle. Four is a lot for one child, so a box works best per family, especially when siblings come together.
• Cookies. Butter cookies are ₹200 for 200g, and chocolate chip cookies are ₹250 for 200g. Cookies are the easiest of the three, because they don't need a fridge.

Counting and portioning

Start from the RSVP list, then adjust for reality.

• Count the siblings. Younger brothers and sisters who weren't invited often come along, and they'll notice if there's nothing for them.
• Decide: per child or per family. A shot or a small bag of cookies works per child. A box of four cupcakes works per family.
• Add a few spare. Three or four extra covers the late RSVP, the dropped jar and the child who takes two.

A worked example: 22 children from 16 families. Per child, that's 25 dessert shots with spares, or ₹2,500. Per family, it's 18 boxes of cupcakes, which is ₹4,500 at ₹250 a box.

For cookies in bulk, our chocolate chip cookies also come in 500g and 1kg. A kilo, split into 50g bags, makes twenty small return gifts. You'll need to bag and tie them yourself, which is a pleasant half-hour job for an older child who wants to help.

Keeping them fresh until pick-up

Return gifts are handed over at the very end, often two or three hours after they arrive. That's the part people forget to plan for.

• Dessert jars and cupcakes go in the fridge. They're made with cream, and a warm room isn't kind to cream. Keep them cold until the first parent arrives at the door.
• Cookies stay out. Keep them sealed and away from the sun. Humid air softens them, so don't open the bags early.
• Clear the space beforehand. Twenty-five jars take up a whole fridge shelf. Empty one the night before.
• Hand them over at the door. Put the fridge items out only as children leave, not on a table by the entrance at 4 PM.

Menu orders placed before 12 noon arrive the same evening, between 4 and 5 PM. That suits an evening party. For a morning or lunchtime party, cookies are the easiest choice, since they're happy to sit overnight in a sealed bag. For jars or cupcakes at an earlier party, talk to us about timing before you order, or collect them yourself from Kasavanahalli.

Mixed dietary needs

A class birthday brings together a lot of families, and a lot of kitchens.

• Egg. Most of our cupcakes, dessert jars and cookies carry the green veg mark, meaning they're baked without egg. The exception to watch is the Salted Caramel Brownie jar, which contains egg. Our eggless page lists everything.
• Gluten. Our cupcakes, dessert jars and cookies don't come in a gluten-free version on the menu. If a child can't have gluten, ask us what we can do, or plan a separate gift for them.
• Nuts. Some of our bakes contain nuts. The Kesar Pista jar has pistachios, and the Whole Wheat Almond cookies have almonds. Nuts are part of our regular baking, so for a child with a nut allergy, call or WhatsApp us before you order.
• Sugar. Some parents prefer less refined sugar. The Ragi Jaggery cookies are an option there, but jaggery is still sugar, so treat them as a cookie.

The simplest approach is to ask parents about allergies on the invitation, the same way you'd ask about food at the party.

Ordering ahead for quantity

Twenty-five of anything is a proper order for a small bakehouse. Give it the same notice you'd give the cake.

• Tell us the count early. For large quantities, get in touch a few days before through the contact page or WhatsApp. We'll tell you honestly whether the date works.
• Remember Mondays. We're closed on Mondays.
• Weekends fill first. Most kids' parties are on Saturdays and Sundays. Order earlier for a weekend date.
• Order with the cake. It saves a second delivery, and everything arrives together.

A short checklist

• Count children, siblings and a few spares.
• Decide per child or per family.
• Check for egg, gluten and nut needs.
• Clear a fridge shelf the night before.
• Keep jars and cupcakes cold until the goodbyes.
• Keep a stack of small spoons and a few bags by the door.

A return gift that gets eaten on the drive home has done its job.