Here are three baby shower menu ideas for 20 guests, one for each time of day: brunch for a late-morning shower, lunch at midday, afternoon tea between meals. Each comes with how much to buy, what it costs ($124 to $176 at grocery prices) and what to make the day before, and 38 more dishes and drinks to swap in.
In this guide
Baby shower menu ideas by time of day
Let the start time pick the menu: brunch for a 10 or 11 AM start, lunch for a start between 11:30 AM and 1 PM, afternoon tea for a 2 or 3 PM start. Each menu below feeds 20.
What each menu needs
- Brunch: the oven at 350°F for an hour that morning, fridge room for two pans overnight, a coffee maker
- Lunch: the oven at 375°F for an hour, then at 200°F to keep the pans warm, fridge room for two pans overnight
- Afternoon tea: no oven; the stove the day before for the eggs, fridge room for the sandwich trays, two kettles or a hot-water urn
- Away from home: ask whether the venue allows outside food, or has its own caterer
Prices are the regular ones at Hy-Vee, a Midwest grocery chain, on October 17, 2026, before tax. They leave out pantry staples like butter, salt and mustard, and the plates, cups and napkins: about $42 for 20 in our baby shower budget, where store-bought trays and sliders bring the food and drinks to about $290.
Three ways to spend less
- Cut your own fruit the day before: a pineapple, a cantaloupe, 2.4 lb of red grapes and a pound of strawberries cost $22.55, against $55 for the large tray
- Pour tap water from pitchers instead of buying the bottles
- Ask a co-host to bring one dish from the swaps below
Hosting at home? Our guide to hosting a baby shower at home covers how many people your space holds, and the route to the food. Whichever menu you choose, say on the invitation whether it’s a full meal, so nobody skips lunch for a plate of cookies.
A baby shower brunch menu for 20 guests
A baby shower brunch for 20 is two breakfast casseroles, a fruit tray, pastries with jam, a yogurt bar, and plenty of coffee, juice and water: about $172.
The brunch menu, per guest
- One square of breakfast casserole: two pans of 12, one with sausage, one with spinach
- Fruit from a large tray that serves 21 to 32
- One or two pastries: 18 scones and 12 mini croissants, with strawberry jam
- About ⅓ cup of vanilla Greek yogurt, with granola on the side: it has pecans
- A small glass of orange juice, and coffee, decaf or herbal tea
Each casserole fills a 9-by-13-inch pan, cut 3 by 4 into 12 squares.
Breakfast casserole, per pan
- 8 slices of white sandwich bread, cubed
- 12 eggs, whisked with 2 cups of milk
- 8 oz of shredded cheddar
- 1 lb of breakfast sausage, browned, or 10 oz of frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
Brunch make-ahead plan
- Two days before: shop, and thaw the spinach in the fridge
- The night before: brown the sausage to 160°F, the FDA’s number for ground meat
- The night before: layer bread, filling and cheese in both pans, pour the eggs over, cover and refrigerate
- The night before: set out the coffee maker, mugs and bowls
- The morning of: bake both pans at 350°F until the center reaches 160°F, about an hour
- The morning of: pick up the fruit tray and the pastries
- Before guests arrive: brew the first pot of coffee, and set the yogurt and juice on ice
Brunch for 20: $172.35
- Two dozen large eggs: $3.98
- A half gallon of 2% milk: $2.84
- A loaf of white sandwich bread: $2.69
- Two 8-oz bags of shredded cheddar: $4.96
- 1 lb of pork breakfast sausage: $5.77
- A 10-oz box of frozen chopped spinach: $1.49
- A large fresh fruit tray, serves 21 to 32: $55
- A tray of 18 assorted scones: $14.99
- 12 mini croissants: $6.99
- A 27-oz jar of strawberry spread: $4.79
- Two 32-oz tubs of vanilla Greek yogurt: $8.98
- A 12-oz bag of granola: $5.48
- A 9.6-oz can of ground coffee: $10.24
- A 9.6-oz can of decaf ground coffee: $10.24
- A quart of half-and-half: $3.49
- Two 46-oz bottles of orange juice: $9.96
- A box of 20 caffeine-free herbal tea bags: $4.49
- 24 bottles of water: $3.99
- 40 lb of ice, two 20-lb bags: $11.98
Who refills: one helper on coffee and water, with a second pot brewing before the first runs dry. Each can of coffee makes up to 90 six-ounce cups, its label says, so most of it keeps for another day.
A baby shower lunch menu for 20 guests
A baby shower lunch, or luncheon, for 20 is two pans of baked penne, one with sausage and one without, a big salad, garlic bread, 24 cupcakes and iced drinks: about $124.
The lunch menu, per guest
- One square of baked penne: two pans of 12, one of them meatless
- About 3 oz of salad, from five 13-oz Southwest salad kits
- A couple of slices of garlic bread, from four 8-oz French loaves
- One cupcake, with four to spare
- About 30 oz of iced tea, lemonade and water
Each pan is 9 by 13 inches, cut into 12 squares; only one gets the sausage.
Baked penne, per pan
- 1 lb of penne, boiled 2 minutes short of the box time
- Two 23-oz jars of marinara
- 15 oz of ricotta
- 16 oz of shredded mozzarella
- 4 oz of grated parmesan
- In one pan only: 1 lb of Italian sausage, browned to 160°F
Lunch make-ahead plan
- The day before: cook the pasta and the sausage, assemble both pans, cover and refrigerate
- The day before: mix butter and garlic powder for the bread
- The morning of: pick up the cupcakes and chill the drinks
- An hour and a half before: bake both pans at 375°F, about 45 minutes covered with foil, then about 15 uncovered, until the center reaches 165°F
- When the pans come out: split and butter the loaves, broil them 2 to 3 minutes, then set the oven to 200°F to hold the pans if lunch runs late
- Just before: toss the salads, and set out both pans together, labeled “with sausage” and “meatless”
Lunch for 20: $123.62
- Two 16-oz boxes of penne: $2.88
- Four 23-oz jars of marinara: $7.96
- Two 15-oz tubs of ricotta: $7.98
- A 32-oz bag of shredded mozzarella: $8.99
- An 8-oz shaker of grated parmesan: $3.99
- 1 lb of Italian pork sausage: $4.88
- Five 13-oz Southwest chopped salad kits: $22.45
- Two 2-packs of French loaves: $6.98
- 24 iced cupcakes, two 12-packs: $27.98
- A 59-oz bottle each of sweet and unsweetened iced tea: $5.98
- Two 52-oz bottles of lemonade: $7.58
- 24 bottles of water: $3.99
- 40 lb of ice, two 20-lb bags: $11.98
Who refills: the helper on the food, who brings out the bread in batches and keeps the drinks on ice. Just don’t make the guest of honor the caterer, even if they offer “just a dessert.”
A baby shower afternoon tea menu for 20 guests
A baby shower afternoon tea for 20 is 80 finger sandwiches, 40 deviled egg halves, scones with jam, mini cupcakes, a fruit tray and two teas: about $176, and light enough for a shower between meals.
The tea menu, per guest
- Four finger sandwiches: cucumber and cream cheese, egg salad, pimento cheese
- Two deviled egg halves
- A scone with jam, and one or two mini cupcakes
- Fruit from a large tray that serves 21 to 32
- Hot tea, black or caffeine-free, plus lemonade and sparkling water
Twenty sandwiches, crusts off and cut in four, make 80 fingers.
Finger sandwiches and deviled eggs
- 7 cucumber sandwiches: two 8-oz bricks of cream cheese, three thinly sliced cucumbers
- 7 egg salad sandwiches: 10 hard-boiled eggs, chopped, with about ⅔ cup of mayonnaise
- 6 pimento cheese sandwiches: a 12-oz tub
- 40 deviled egg halves: 20 hard-boiled eggs, the yolks mashed with about ½ cup of mayonnaise and 2 teaspoons of mustard
Tea make-ahead plan
- The day before: hard-boil 36 eggs (you need 30, and a few never peel cleanly), then mix the egg salad and the deviled-egg filling, and refrigerate
- The morning of: assemble the sandwiches, trim the crusts, cut each in four
- Until serving: keep the sandwiches in the fridge, under a damp paper towel
- An hour before: fill the deviled eggs and refrigerate them
- Before guests arrive: boil water in two kettles or fill a hot-water urn; set out the tea bags and jam, and the half-and-half on ice
Afternoon tea for 20: $176.06
- Three loaves of white sandwich bread: $8.07
- Three cucumbers: $3.87
- Two 8-oz bricks of cream cheese: $5.96
- 36 large eggs, two 18-packs: $4.94
- A 30-oz jar of mayonnaise: $3.98
- A 12-oz tub of pimento cheese: $5.99
- A tray of 18 assorted scones: $14.99
- 6 blueberry scones: $5.99
- A 27-oz jar of strawberry spread: $4.79
- 36 mini cupcakes, three dozen: $20.97
- A large fresh fruit tray, serves 21 to 32: $55
- A box of 20 English breakfast tea bags: $5.49
- A box of 20 caffeine-free herbal tea bags: $4.49
- A pint of half-and-half: $2.49
- Two 52-oz bottles of lemonade: $7.58
- A 12-pack of sparkling water: $5.49
- 24 bottles of water: $3.99
- 40 lb of ice, two 20-lb bags: $11.98
Tea works if guests know it isn’t a full meal, so say so on the invitation, with the end time:
“Join us from 2 to 3:30 PM for afternoon tea, with finger sandwiches and sweets. Expect light bites, not a full lunch.”
38 more baby shower menu ideas to swap in
Swap any dish for one of these: each gives an amount for 20, and most say what you can do ahead.
Savory
- Mini quiches: 40, two a guest. Bake frozen ones as the box says, just before serving; reheat homemade ones to 165°F.
- Ham and cheese sliders: 40 on Hawaiian rolls. Assemble the night before; bake until steaming hot, 165°F.
- Pulled chicken sliders: 5 lb of thawed chicken, cooked in a slow cooker the day before, for 40 rolls. Reheat it on the stove to 165°F, then keep it warm in the slow cooker.
- Slow-cooker meatballs: 80 frozen cooked meatballs, four a guest. Heat them in the sauce on the stove to 165°F, or as the bag directs, then keep them at 140°F.
- Pigs in a blanket: 60, three a guest. Bake frozen ones as the box says, or wrap cocktail franks in crescent dough the morning of; serve them steaming hot, 165°F.
- Caprese skewers: 40 of cherry tomato, mozzarella pearls and basil. Make them the morning of; keep cold.
- Veggie pinwheels: 10 large tortillas spread with herb cream cheese make 60. Roll the day before, slice the morning of.
- Vegetable tray and dip: one large tray, the kind that serves 21 to 32, picked up the morning of.
- Hummus and pita chips: two 17-oz tubs and two bags of chips, with cucumber and carrot sticks.
- Spinach-artichoke dip: a 2-quart baking dish, with two bags of tortilla chips. Mix it the day before; bake until it bubbles and the center reaches 165°F.
- Cowboy caviar: two 15-oz cans each of black beans, black-eyed peas and corn, drained, with two diced bell peppers, a red onion and Italian dressing, plus two bags of tortilla chips. Mix it the day before; keep it cold.
- Cheese board: 2 lb of hard cheeses made with pasteurized milk, like cheddar, Swiss and gouda, with crackers. Cut the day before.
- Pasta salad: 2 lb of dry pasta with vegetables and vinaigrette. Dress it the day before.
- Bagels and cream cheese: two dozen bagels, halved, and four 8-oz tubs of cream cheese, for a brunch. Buy them the morning of.
- Baked potato bar: 20 potatoes with cheese, sour cream and chili. Bake the morning of; hold at 140°F.
- Chili or soup: 5 quarts, a cup each. Make it the day before; bring it to a boil on the stove, then keep it at 140°F or warmer in a slow cooker.
- Chicken salad croissants: 24 mini croissants filled with chicken salad made the day before from two rotisserie chickens.
Sweet
- Sheet cake: one from a bakery. Ask how many it serves and how far ahead to order.
- Cake pops: 24, about one a guest with a few to spare. Make or buy them the day before.
- Mini cheesecakes: 24, baked in a muffin tin or bought. Make them the day before; keep them in the fridge until serving.
- Cinnamon rolls: 24, for a brunch. Bake them from refrigerated dough the morning of.
- Waffle bar: 40 frozen waffles, two a guest, toasted in batches by one helper, with berries, syrup and whipped cream on ice.
- Brownies or blondies: one 9-by-13 pan cut into 24. Bake the day before.
- Lemon bars: one 9-by-13 pan cut into 24. Make them the day before; keep cold.
- Chocolate-dipped strawberries: about 40, from 2 lb of berries. Dip the morning of.
- Fruit skewers: 40, two a guest. Thread them the morning of; refrigerate until serving.
- Cookies: 3 dozen, baked or bought the day before.
- Rice Krispies treats: one 9-by-13 pan cut into 24. Make them the day before.
- Mini donuts: 3 dozen, picked up the morning of.
- Macarons: 24 from a bakery, in the shower’s colors, picked up the day before.
Drinks
- Sherbet punch: 2 quarts of sherbet, 2 liters of ginger ale and 46 oz of pineapple juice, about 22 cups.
- Sparkling cider for a toast: three 25.4-oz bottles, about 20 small toasts.
- Infused water: 2 gallons with cucumber, citrus and mint. Slice the fruit the night before.
- Arnold Palmers: half iced tea, half lemonade, a gallon in all for 20. Chill both the night before.
- Hot cocoa bar: 20 packets of mix, a mug each, with marshmallows and whipped cream, for a winter shower.
- Iced coffee: brew a 12-cup pot the night before and chill it; served over ice with milk, it fills about 20 small glasses.
- Shirley Temples: three 2-liter bottles of lemon-lime soda and a bottle of grenadine make about 25 glasses, each with a cherry.
- Sparkling lemonade: two 52-oz bottles of lemonade and a 12-pack of sparkling water, about 20 glasses, with a few berries.
Planning around a theme? The food in our fall baby shower ideas, safari baby shower ideas and Japanese baby shower ideas comes with quantities for 20 too.
How much food for a baby shower? Plan per guest
Plan per confirmed guest: one serving of the main dish, two or three bites besides, one or two sweets, one or two drinks an hour and 2 pounds of ice. Here is what our three menus use.
Per guest, in our menus
- Main dish: one square, from a 9-by-13 pan cut into 12; two pans for 20
- At tea: four finger sandwiches and two deviled egg halves
- Salad: about 3 oz
- Fruit: a tray that serves your count
- Sweets: one or two
- Drinks: one or two an hour, of 8 oz for cold drinks and tea, 4 oz for coffee and punch
- Coffee: a 9.6-oz can makes up to 90 six-ounce cups
- Ice: 2 pounds, the top of the 1-to-2-pound range of Reddy Ice, a US ice maker, as the cold dishes sit on ice too
The drinks rule comes from Cooking For Crowds For Dummies. When bites replace a meal, it plans 12 to 15 pieces a guest; our tea, between meals, gives about nine, plus fruit.
For 30 guests, multiply everything by 1½: three pans instead of two. For 50, by 2½: five pans and two large fruit trays. For 10, halve it: one pan with sausage on half of it, and a medium tray, which serves 11 to 16 for $29. A large tray covers up to 32, and one can of coffee up to 90 cups.
Who to count
Plan from confirmed yeses, not from the invitation list. Leave the maybes and anyone who hasn’t answered out of your count until you’ve followed up. If a caterer or bakery makes the food, ask for its own serving guidance and its order deadline.
Ask about children and dietary needs in the same message as the invitation:
“When you RSVP, please add a note with how many in your party are children and any allergies or dietary needs.”
If your invitation is an InviteByLink baby shower website, guests RSVP on it with one number of people, from 1 to 12, and that note. Your dashboard adds up the people attending and lists every reply, newest first; when a guest replies again under the same name, only their newest reply counts.
Set the RSVP date before the food order
Pick an RSVP date before your caterer’s or bakery’s deadline, with a few days to spare. Our baby shower checklist plans the menu two to three weeks out. A late yes still counts if you can fit it in.
How to handle allergies and dietary needs
Ask early, label every dish accurately and promise nothing you can’t control. The brunch and the lunch each have a meatless pan, and the whole tea menu is meatless.
On each dish’s label
- Its name and main ingredients
- Any of the FDA’s nine major food allergens it contains: milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soybeans and sesame
Keep the box or label of anything store-bought, so a guest with an allergy can read the ingredient list. When you can, make one dish that suits a request, and give it its own spoon.
A label isn’t a guarantee
Toddlers at the table
If the guest of honor, or any guest, is pregnant
The FDA’s food safety advice for pregnancy flags a few party staples:
- Hot dogs and deli meats, like the ham in sliders, unless heated to 165°F, steaming hot
- Refrigerated smoked seafood like lox, unless in a cooked dish
- Soft cheeses like brie or feta, unless labeled as made with pasteurized milk
- Queso fresco, queso blanco and similar fresh cheeses, even when pasteurized
- Sushi and other raw fish, and raw sprouts
- Unpasteurized juice, including fresh-squeezed juice sold by the glass
- Homemade recipes with raw or lightly cooked eggs, like Caesar dressing or mousse
Nothing in our three menus is on that list: the eggs are hard-boiled or baked, the juice is pasteurized, and the cheeses are made with pasteurized milk. The fruit, salads and sandwiches are ready to eat, so keep them cold until you serve them.
Who sets up, refills and clears the food
Put two helpers on the food: one owns the setup, the other watches refills and water. Neither should be the guest of honor, or you: you’re keeping the clock.
Set up a table that runs itself
- A serving spoon or tongs in every dish, plus spares
- A clear path around the table, wide enough for a stroller or a wheelchair
- Trash and recycling bins where guests can see them
- Containers for leftovers, ready in the kitchen
Plan small platters with backups, as the FDA suggests for buffets: cold ones wait in the fridge, hot ones in an oven at 200 to 250°F. Swap a nearly empty dish for a full one rather than topping it off.
Watch the clock on perishables
Our baby shower agenda puts the food on the clock, with a helper on every block.
Questions
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