Chocolate fountains are really in this year. Parties I've attended have had everything imaginable on the table. One recent one was way over the top with:

Pineapple chunks, grapes, strawberries, melon, marshmellows, rice crispy treats, pretzels, oreo cookies, vanilla wafers, cherries.

There was probably more, but that's what I recall.

The main thing is to stay away from anything crumbly or that falls apart.

We don't have kids at our silent auction. It's basically a parent's night out. Is yours held during the day?

soda, items for punch, ice, cups, plates, utensils, fruit juice for the kids, kool aid mix, tea bags, coffee and coffee supplies if they have a deli what about chicken fingers, fried chicken, baked ham or a cooked turkey

YEAH! Thanks for the help - great ideas. My mind went blank when asked what we needed.

Hi,
Took my dog for a walk and had some more ideas.

For the chocolate fountain, items for "dipping":
marshmallows, Ritz crackers, strawberries, pretzel rods, etc

cake mixes, icing, brownie mixes - ask parents to bake these items

eggs - ask a parent to make deviled eggs

lunch meat, cheese, frozen bread dough - ask a parent to make stromboli

haluski ingredients (cabbage, noodles, butter, onions) - ask a parent to make

ground meat - ask a parent to make sloppy joes (wimpies)

snack items like chips, pretzels, M&Ms, prepackaged dips

Hope this helps.

Wow, that's really wonderful! What about hoagies/subs? They can be cut into smaller pieces that children could eat. Plus they will last longer as people will take less. Or perhaps a meat and cheese tray? Cheese and crackers? Our auctions are adults-only and are primarily appetizers/snacks and desserts so it's hard for me to think. Do they have hot food in their deli that you could ask for meatballs? Even if they donated blocks of cheese, you could cut them up yourself and make a tray with pepperoni. Fruit and vegetables - you could make trays of those after cutting them up.