Brunch Baby Shower Ideas: Menu Amounts for 12, 20, or 30 Guests
Part of our guide: Baby Shower Ideas: The Complete Guide
A brunch baby shower is relaxed, daytime, and easy on the budget, because brunch food is simple. The part that trips up hosts is the amounts: how many eggs, pastries, and drinks you need so the table is full but you do not throw food away. This guide gives you a menu with exact numbers for 12, 20, or 30 guests, then the drinks, decor, and games.
Quick facts:
- Time: 10:00 am to 12:30 pm works well. That is 2.5 hours.
- Menu: 3 savory dishes, 2 sweet dishes, fruit, and a drinks bar.
- Drinks: plan 3 cups of 8 ounces per guest of coffee, juice, and water, plus 1.5 flutes of sparkling cider per guest.
- Decor budget: about $50 for 20 guests, a planning estimate. It excludes food and tax.
- Safety note: cook eggs fully, and serve pasteurized juice and cider.
Top Decor Picks for this Setup
Curated essentials on Amazon to help you recreate this setup easily.
Sage Cream Peach Balloon Garland Kit
Balloons for the entrance.
Baby Shower Banner Neutral Greenery
The banner behind the food table.
Glass Drink Dispenser 2 Gallon
For the mocktail bar.
Tiered Tray Stand 3 Tier
Muffins and pastries.
The brunch menu, with amounts
| Item | 12 guests | 20 guests | 30 guests |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eggs for a frittata or scramble (1.5 per guest) | 18 eggs | 30 eggs | 45 eggs |
| Mini quiches (2 per guest) | 24 | 40 | 60 |
| Bagels, halved, with spreads (1 per guest) | 12 | 20 | 30 |
| Mini muffins or pastries (2 per guest) | 24 | 40 | 60 |
| Fruit salad (1/2 cup per guest) | 6 cups | 10 cups | 15 cups |
| Sparkling cider for mocktails (5 flutes per 750 ml bottle, 1.5 flutes per guest) | 4 bottles | 6 bottles | 9 bottles |
| Coffee, juice, and water (3 cups of 8 oz per guest, not counting the cider) | 36 cups | 60 cups | 90 cups |
| Cake | 9 by 13 inch sheet | 12 by 18 inch sheet | 12 by 18 inch sheet plus 12 cupcakes |
These are planning estimates. Plan about 10% more if guests will stay a long time, and a little less if you serve a full meal later.
A frittata, mini quiches, bagels, fruit, and muffins on one table.
Make ahead, step by step
- The day before: bake the mini quiches and refrigerate them. Cut the hard fruit, such as melon. Make the cake or order it.
- The morning: bake the frittata and reheat the quiches to 165°F. Cut the soft fruit and halve the bagels.
- 30 minutes before: brew the coffee, set out the drinks, and put the food on the table.
- After 2 hours: put the perishable food back in the refrigerator.
Ask about diets and allergies on the invitation. Make at least 1 in 4 dishes vegetarian, offer a gluten-free option such as fruit and a crustless quiche, and label the food for nuts, dairy, and eggs.
How the table works
Set the food in the order people pick it up, from left to right:
- Plates, napkins, and forks at the start
- Eggs and quiches, kept warm in a covered dish or a slow cooker
- Bagels and spreads
- Fruit and sweets
- The drinks on a second small table, so the food line does not block it
Keep hot food at 140°F or higher, and cold food at 40°F or lower. Do not leave perishable food out for more than 2 hours.
A drinks bar for everyone
The mom-to-be cannot have alcohol, so make the main drink one that everyone can enjoy.
- Mocktail bar: sparkling cider or sparkling water, with orange juice, peach juice, and a bowl of berries. Guests mix their own.
- Coffee and tea: a pot of coffee, a pot of decaf, and an assortment of tea.
- Water: a jug with lemon and cucumber slices.
- Optional: if you serve champagne for the guests, keep it on a separate table and serve only guests who are of age.
Use pasteurized juice and cider. See our baby shower food ideas for more.
Sparkling cider with juice and berries, mixed by the guests.
Easy decor
Pick a soft palette, such as sage green, cream, and peach.
- Flowers: 3 small arrangements, or grocery store flowers in jars, on the food and drinks tables.
- A banner or sign: one banner behind the food table.
- Balloons: 30 for 20 guests, in a cluster at the entrance and one behind the table.
- A runner or tablecloth: one for each table.
- A guest book or advice cards: a small basket of cards and a pen on a side table.
For ideas see our floral baby shower ideas and budget baby shower decorations.
Two games for a brunch
- Baby word scramble. Print 15 baby words with their letters mixed up. Guests have 5 minutes to unscramble them. It takes about 10 minutes.
- Guess the baby food. Cover the labels on 8 jars and let guests guess the flavors. Make it optional. It takes about 10 minutes.
See our baby shower games for more.
Three jars of flowers, a small banner, and a basket of advice cards.
Decor budget for 20 guests
This is a planning estimate for U.S. stores. It excludes food, drinks, cake, plates, napkins, cups, ice, and tax, and prices vary by store and region.
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| 30 balloons | $10 |
| One banner | $8 |
| Tablecloth and a runner | $14 |
| 3 flower arrangements | $18 |
| Total | $50 |
Mistakes to avoid
- Too little food. Use the table above, and add 10% if guests stay long.
- Only alcoholic drinks. Offer a mocktail bar first.
- Runny eggs. Cook eggs fully, since the mom-to-be should avoid undercooked eggs.
- All the food on one table. Put the drinks on a second table.
- Cold food left out. Keep it on ice or in the refrigerator until serving.
Helpful safety sources
- USDA: keeping food out of the danger zone: Why perishable food should not sit out for more than 2 hours.
- FDA: food safety for pregnant women: Foods the mom-to-be should avoid, useful when you plan the menu.
FAQ
What do you serve at a brunch baby shower?
Serve 3 savory dishes, such as a frittata, mini quiches, and bagels with spreads, plus 2 sweet items like muffins and a cake, fruit salad, and a drinks bar with coffee, juice, and a sparkling mocktail.
How much food do I need for a brunch baby shower?
For 20 guests plan 30 eggs, 40 mini quiches, 20 bagels, 40 mini muffins, 10 cups of fruit salad, and a 12 by 18 inch sheet cake. These are planning estimates. Add about 10% if guests will stay for a long time.
How many drinks do I need?
Plan 3 cups of 8 ounces per guest of coffee, juice, and water, so 60 cups for 20 guests. Add sparkling cider on top: a 750 ml bottle fills about 5 flutes, so 6 bottles give 30 flutes for 20 guests.
What time should a brunch baby shower be?
Start at 10:00 am and end at 12:30 pm, which is 2.5 hours. That is after breakfast and before lunch, so guests expect brunch food.
Can I make brunch food ahead?
Yes. Bake the mini quiches the day before and refrigerate them, then reheat them to 165°F on the morning of the party. Bake the frittata that morning, and cut soft fruit just before serving. Put perishable food back in the refrigerator after 2 hours.
What drinks are safe for the mom-to-be?
Serve sparkling cider, sparkling water, pasteurized juice, decaf coffee, and tea. Put any alcohol on a separate table for guests who are of age.
How much does decor for a brunch baby shower cost?
Decor for 20 guests costs about $50: 30 balloons $10, a banner $8, a tablecloth and runner $14, and 3 flower arrangements $18. This is a planning estimate and excludes food, drinks, cake, plates, napkins, cups, ice, and tax.
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Recreate This Look: Complete Supply Checklist
Every prop, decor item, and material identified in our styled photos, linked directly to top-rated supplies on Amazon.
Flutes for the sparkling cider.
The mocktail base.
Flower jars.
Flowers for the tables.
Runner for the food table.
Cloth for the tables.
Bake mini quiches.
Keeps eggs warm.
Keeps food hot.
Plates.
Napkins.
Cups at 3 per guest.
Coffee for the crowd.
Cards for the basket.
Pencils for the word scramble.
For the guess the food game.
