You will definitely want to offer food and drink at any baby shower, but exactly what you want to offer will depend on time of day, any theme you may have, and your budget - not to mention the practicalities of serving food in your own home, if that's where the party is.

For most baby showers we recommend party food suitable for a finger or fork buffet. Make sure you have plenty of variety to cater for all tastes as well as any vegetarians. You should also try to avoid serving anything that contains foods that pregnant women are advised to avoid, so that the guest of honour doesn't have to worry about what she can and can't eat, such as:

• Soft cheese (such as brie or mould-ripened cheeses like stilton)
• Unpasteurized milk / cheese
• Pate
• Ready-prepared coleslaw
• Undercooked meat (so best avoid doing a BBQ, just in case)
• Raw or runny eggs
• Peanuts

In his section of the website, we have aimed to give you some ideas to get the creative juices flowing if you plan to do the food yourself, as well as reviews of the most widely available food-ordering services. We have also included a section featuring recommended caterers from around the country.

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