When I plan parties, I love weaving the theme into every detail, including the menu! For our Hello Kitty and Sanrio-themed birthday party, I created a menu inspired by beloved characters like My Melody, Kuromi, and Keroppi.

Each food item had a fun, character-based name, and I made simple printable food labels to tie everything together. Here’s how I pulled off our Sanrio menu, along with ideas you can use for your own party.

Hello Hot Dogs
For the main course, I served classic hot dogs. I used my trusty hot dog steamer, which kept the hot dogs perfectly warm throughout the party.

Keroppi’s Krunchies
Sometimes simple works best! Keroppi’s menu item was a big bowl of classic potato chips for an easy, crunchy side.

Kuromi’s Mischievous Macaroni
I made a simple macaroni salad, but you can use any macaroni-based dish.

My Melody’s Medley of Fruit
To balance out the sweets, we served a fruit salad with strawberries, blueberries, and grapes. I included cute bow-topped fruit picks to make eating fruit more fun for kids.

Cinnamoroll’s Cinnamon Crisps
I bought cinnamon-flavored chips and paired them with a sweet dip made from cream cheese and whipped cream.

Chococat’s Chocolate Chip Cookies
I baked a batch of my favorite chocolate chip cookies.  These are a staple in my home.  Check the end of this post for the recipe.

Badtz’s Penguin Punch
For drinks, I served a classic party punch, rebranded with a fun Sanrio twist.

Pompompurin’s Ice Cream Truck
I filled a small Igloo cooler with individually wrapped ice cream novelties, just like what you’d find from a real ice cream truck. To make it feel special, I taped one of my DIY oversized signs (from my recent tutorial post) to the front of the cooler to transform it into Pompurin’s Ice Cream Truck.

The Cake
I kept the cake simple by using a basic Costco cake and adding themed toppers.  This trick is one of my favorite ways to keep things budget-friendly while still having a cake that matches the theme perfectly.

Why a Themed Menu Matters
Adding themed names to food might seem like a small detail, but it really helps tie the party together. Even the simplest foods feel special when they’re connected to a character kids love. It’s a fun, low-cost way to create a memorable experience that guests will talk about long after the party is over.