Birthday party tips?

[Mama2Xander]

Hi mamas, I'm just looking for some tips/reassurance about birthday parties!

We are attending a birthday party on Sunday, our first one since going gluten free and dairy free at the beginning of summer. I'm just taking DS1. He is pretty good about avoiding foods that he's not supposed to eat. I checked with the mom who is hosting it, and she is serving fruit, veggies, chips, pizza, cake, and ice cream.

I will bring rice milk or coconut milk ice cream along. Fruit and veggies are fine. I will bring something for DS to have instead of pizza (not sure what yet... any suggestions?)

We are trying him off of the nightshade family now too, as he seems to react to it... so no potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant, or peppers. I don't eat red meat or poultry either (I don't mind him eating it sometimes, but I don't prepare it myself).

What are your go-to snacks/meals to bring along to a party for your child? Preferably something easy

Argh. I'm just a bit nervous about him feeling left out or something, but I'm sure he'll be fine.

[elanorh]

My oldest is allergic to egg - outgrew allergies to dairy/wheat/legumes.

We bring safe cupcakes - enough to share with however many kids are at the party. I tell the hostess that we're bringing them, and why (not a big deal since the parties we've attended have all been close friends/relatives who were already well aware of her allergies). If you've got a good recipe for a gf/df cupcake, you might consider this. Or, you could do some other dessert/candy item. Usually kids are really excited about the cupcakes, and that makes the whole "cake" thing feel much less isolating for Ina.

Make sure your son is first in line for the other foods (or very near the front). Cross-contamination happens SO EASILY at parties like this -- get food before anyone has a chance to drizzle the ranch dressing over the veggies while they're spooning some onto their plate.

For a gf/df food to eat - maybe some rice pasta salad that can be eaten cold, not warmed up? Since we were able to eat gluten by the time Ina was going to parties, I didn't have to bring gf party foods ever - my go-to foods right now are crackers and string cheese, which wouldn't do you much good.

Good luck!

[tanyalynn]

This will become easier as you get more practice with it, it's become a routine for me. Like you, I ask what's being served, I usually make gfcf cupcakes for the kids (just ours, I don't make them for everyone) and when they were little, I'd make food that was as close to what was being served as possible. As they're getting older, sometimes I just provide something somewhat similar (food substantial enough for lunch if lunch is provided, for example, or a collection of substitute snack foods if that's what's there), so that's easier.

But we eat meat, so most of our portable foods are meaty.

I like the chocolate cupcake recipe here (uses lots of eggs)...
http://healthyindulgences.blogspot.c...th-secret.html

If you want to make pizza, this is the crust recipe I like....
http://www.livingwithout.com/recipes...za-1778-1.html

[babycarrier]

Hi! Wanted to say hello as ds1 avoids dairy ds2 avoids nightshades and I'm just now removing gluten for myself. It gets easier! Birthday parties take practice but now keep buttercream icing (earth balance and confectioner's sugar whipped with beaters) in the freezer and eventually will have some homemade cupcakes in the freezer as well. When I can, I do like the mom above and bring plenty of our cake to share. I like having the backup in the freezer for impromptu occasions where I don't have time/forget to make the cupcakes.

There is a gf/df pizza - want to say it was Amy's? Just saw it at the grocery. I like to substitute as closely as I can to what the hostess is serving to keep it "normal" for ds. Tinkyada rice pasta makes a great tuna pasta salad that travels well.
I just found Pamela's products and they make a Dark Chocolate Chocolate Chunk Cookie that I will stock for party situations when I can't bake.

I make sure to talk with my son about each party - I find as he is getting a little older (going on 8) that situational eating happens. Around friends and family he is all for me making up a big batch for everyone and around new friends he is happy to have one small treat when everybody else is having cake/pizza.