Continuing our Local Business Spotlight feature, this month we were delighted to catch up with Kate, founder of the Harpenden-based business Feeding Time.
Feeding Time provides award-winning, delicious and home-cooked party food for a whole range of occasions. Using high-quality ingredients and a big dollop of imagination, their goodies include fun-filled individual party bags, beautiful, bespoke iced biscuits, movie night boxes and their now infamous treasure trays.
So, if you’re looking for a way to take the stress out of party planning, while simultaneously delighting your party guests, big and small, find out more about how Kate and her business could be the perfect fit for you:
When was Feeding Time founded?
I initially set up the party catering business in 2016, never imagining for a second where it would take me!
What is your background? Tell us a bit about yourself.
I haven’t always been in this industry! I was a senior employment lawyer in the City until I had my second son. The difficulties my husband and I faced completing our family led me to the realisation that I wanted to take my working life into my own hands and spend more time at home with our children. What started out as a part-time “hobby job” swiftly turned into a full-time business, but working from home and being in charge of my own hours gives me the flexibility I craved and the precious time I need with my family.
What inspired you to start the business?
First of all, I love cooking and entertaining! I’m also a keen photographer (I take all the product photographs for my website and social media) and am quite creative, so all these things rolled into one dream job for me.
I’m also really passionate about creating lovely experiences and memories for children. Growing up, my mum and dad would spend ages making fun, tasty party teas for our birthdays and I have really fond memories of homemade cakes, animal-shaped jellies, sandwiches cut into fun shapes and lots of other colourful treats. I firmly believe that children eat with their eyes, just as we do, and that a party tea should be just as big a part of a celebration as the entertainment or activity itself.
And so, I set up Feeding Time! The name comes from the notion of kids flocking to the party tea, a bit like feeding time at the zoo. My food is homemade, presented beautifully and always has the added fun factor. Party food bags come with hats and jokes as standard, and my googly-eyed fruit is now legendary locally!
Although the business started out focusing solely on party catering, it quickly evolved. I now spend a big proportion of my time making and decorating bespoke biscuits and gift boxes (under the more grown-up banner of Crumbs at Feeding Time).
You’ve created some beautiful bespoke biscuits for clients in the past. Have there been any particular favourites of yours?
I have done hundreds of different iced biscuit themes! And I honestly love every design I’ve done. If I had to choose a favourite, I’d probably go for the Mr Men cookies. When I was about five or six, I was gifted a Salter Mr Men cookie cutter set, and it is my earliest baking memory. I recently found the exact same set - complete with retro instruction sheet - on eBay and had it shipped over from Canada! I love the boldness of Roger Hargreaves’ illustrations and it makes me smile every time I make those biscuits.
I also loved the “Home School Hero” edible medals I made once the lockdown was finally coming to an end. It felt like half of Harpenden was wearing them! They provided smiles after what had been a very tricky time for lots of us.
Party food bags and bespoke biscuits aside, is there anything else on offer for your customers?
Absolutely! My Movie Night Boxes continue to be super-popular. They’re a bit like a party in a box - personalised biscuits, brownies, rocky road bars, truffles, sweeties and popcorn are all packaged up in a beautiful, ribbon-tied box which is perfect for a family night in or a sleepover party.
I also offer Treasure Trays as an alternative to a traditional birthday cake. They’re a full slab of my decadent triple chocolate brownie, topped with more chocolate, a personalised iced centrepiece and loaded with sweet treats in various themes. They feed 16-20 people and are really popular!
And for parties, I offer a cup and jug hire service for those who choose not to order drinks from me. I even do the washing up!
Can you cater for themed birthday parties?
I love catering parties with a theme. Obviously, themed iced biscuits can be offered as party favours, but I can also theme the bags, jokes and some of the edible contents.
If you were to describe your Feeding Time party food bags in three words, what would they be?
Fun, colourful, delicious and always made with love. (Can I have four?!)
Finally, what does Feeding Time have in store for 2022?
I’m super-excited to have been asked to work with the brand new Lazy Bear cafe in Harpenden (Theo and Anna Michaels’ new venture), stocking my brownies and other bakes. It’s wonderful to see my creations being sold locally, and my customers are delighted to be able to walk in and get their salted caramel brownie fix on demand!
As the preferred caterer for parties at The Little Gym, I continue to work with the lovely team there to ensure that parents can sit back and enjoy their child’s party rather than worrying about the catering, favours, entertainment, and so on. We provide the full package!
And after six years, I’m finally this year getting my own room in our house, dedicated to the business and I can’t wait!
Is anyone else now craving an iced biscuit? You can find out more about Feeding Time and their fantastic offerings on their website: www.feedingtimeparties.com. You can also follow them on Instagram and Facebook.
