Birthday parties are great for celebrating your kid’s special day, and they are a great opportunity for your child to hang out with their mates while you have time with other moms. However, parties can be a nightmare for anybody trying to keep their kids healthy. Cakes, chocolate, sweets, pizzas, fizzy drinks… there is an endless list of foods and drinks that can disrupt any family with a healthy eating plan.
While you can’t control what goes on in other people’s homes, you can still make sure your child has a healthy birthday party, while making it fun and exciting at the same time.
Here are some ideas to help you plan your next party.
Party boxes
Rather than serve food on the table, make up a party box with grapes, carrot sticks, cheese strings and healthy sandwiches. Limiting your kid’s options, while giving them a few tasty but nutritious treats will stop your kids from being picky, and encourage them to eat from their box of goodies.
Sandwiches
No matter how many sandwiches you make, your kids are more inclined to reach for the snacks, such as crisps and chocolate fingers. Therefore, be creative. Cut the bread up into weird and wacky shapes with sandwich cutters. Alternatively, have open sandwiches and allow your kids to add their own ingredients, such as slices of ham, tomato, chopped grapes and pieces of cheese. There’s no harm in adding a few novelty items for your kid’s sarnies, so rainbow sprinkles or chocolate biscuit crumbs might make a tasty topping. You may not eat them, but as Mary Poppins once said, “ a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down.”
Make your own pizza
You can make your own pizza using whole wheat pitta bread and then add healthy toppings of your choice. This is a healthier option than buying a pizza from the store, as they contain loads of saturated fats, sugar, and salt, as well as processed meats. Your pizza can be topped with nutritious foods, including low-fat cheeses, grilled meats, pieces of fruit and vegetables.
Allowing your kids to help you in the kitchen will give you some great bonding moments with them, and they will have a sense of pride in having created something for their party guests.
Desserts
You will need to buy a birthday cake, so this is one area where you may need to forego the healthier options. Food Lion cakes are delicious and cost effective and can be decorated to your order while saving you the hassle of baking your own.
When it comes to the rest of the sweet table, you can balance out the sugary cakes with items such as fruit kebabs, melon balls, and low-calorie popcorn.
A chocolate fountain is messy, but they are a great addition to parties. Dark chocolate is healthier than the milk variety, but whatever you use, give your kids pieces of fruit to dip in, ensuring they are eating something that is good for them.
Finally, fruit smoothies are a delicious alternative to soda drinks, and are the perfect way to compliment your kid’s healthy eating.
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