Being a parent is no easy task, and that’s even before the yearly birthday party comes around. How can you stick to your goal of only serving healthy food when your child probably already talks of all the treats he or she wants along with the birthday cake that alone can cause a sugar rush?
All you’ll need are innovative products on today’s market, such as a banana cake and vegan treats, along with the food you prefer serving your kids and some creative thinking. The end result will be the party the neighbourhood’s kids will be talking about for a long time, without loads of carbs and sugar.
Stick to a Theme
Much of the success of party food is the first impression it makes on partygoers and it’s not that different with kids. If they smile at the way you matched a snack to a theme, they’re already in a good mood just looking at it. They’ll also enthusiastically invite others to come look and if you got it right they’ll be curious about the taste.
Hide Unwanted Ingredients
You probably do it already when making dinner, so keep on hiding ingredients you know kids don’t like eating. Whether it’s inside a sandwich or brightly coloured smoothies, there are many ways to serve ‘healthy’ without letting them in on your plan.
Research Plant-Based Diets
If you’re stuck and need some inspiration, you’ll find helpful tips from plant-based diets and today’s market caters for these lifestyles, making it easy to source party food. For example, specialty stores, online vendors and even your local market may have gluten free treats for little ones.
The bonus of using recipes with a vegetarian, gluten-free of vegan approach is that you know your kid’s party will have scrumptious food for all friends’ dietary preferences.
Healthy Versions of All Time Favourites
Kids may come to a party with an expectation of getting party food. Keep them smiling by simply offering a different version of the food they love. Have you considered the following?
- Rye bread chicken burgers instead of traditional hamburgers
- Vegan banana ice cream that tastes just like the real thing
- Cupcakes containing apple or carrot
Add Colour
Here’s another way to make food aesthetically inviting: make it as colourful as possible. This is a tip for smaller kids’ parties mostly, since they’ll be charmed by vivid colours.
How exactly? You can turn an ordinary rice cake into something more alluring by drizzling chocolate and bright sprinkles on top. Or, use food colouring to give popcorn a new look.
Mimic What Kids Love
Consider all the senses when planning the party menu. Often, kids love a certain dish for its texture or the sound it makes, not just the taste. For example, instead of serving chicken strips fried in oil until they’re crispy, cover the strips in some coconut and bake them so they’re golden and crunchy.
Mix Healthy with Less-healthy
You may not be able to keep the party 100% healthy, but with minor compromises you can create delectable treats while still limiting kids’ sugar intake. Most children want some chocolate, so melt dark chocolate—healthier than milk chocolate—and dip strawberries or fruit pieces for a yummy but still nourishing snack.
Package it Party-like
To reinforce the aesthetic value of your party table, also get creative with the containers you serve the food in. This is another way you’ll catch kids’ attention and make them curious about your menu.
Once again you can use the party theme and look for bowls and plates supporting that image. However, for a more sustainable approach you can make your own eye-catching food packaging:
- Collect small glass bottles and use them to serve smoothies in, each with its own colour and straw. Give each smoothie a name that goes with the theme.
- Serve sweet potato chips in cones made from brightly coloured paper.
- Clean kids’ beach buckets and spades and serve nuts, popcorn or crackers in them.
DIY Meals are More Fun
Here’s our last tips that’s sure to make your kid’s party the most fun this year. If your kid is in the ‘I want to do it myself’ phase, make party snacks interactive experienced by allowing children to make their own version of the chosen party food:
- Pizzas on cauliflower bases
- Tacos with different (healthy) fillings
- Healthy cupcakes with different toppings (same goes for waffles or pancakes of a healthier version)
Final Thoughts
No need to let go of your values just to throw a kids party. Give you child and the guests what you know is best for them. These tips are likely to get you the respect of other parents—and a ‘thank you’ for not causing a sugar rush.
