Birthday Party

[stolly]

In the past we've just done family parties but we're planning a kids party for DD this year...she is turning 4 in August. I'll be making a princess cake (wish me luck!), but I'm looking for suggestions for other kid friendly gluten-free food to serve so I can have my daughter choose. My daughter said pancakes or eggs, which I'm not doing since it's an afternoon party. I know I don't need much because the kids might be too excited to eat too much, but I'd like to serve something, plus have something available for the parents who accompany their children. Thank you!

[mommyto6]

In the past we've just done family parties but we're planning a kids party for DD this year...she is turning 4 in August. I'll be making a princess cake (wish me luck!), but I'm looking for suggestions for other kid friendly gluten-free food to serve so I can have my daughter choose. My daughter said pancakes or eggs, which I'm not doing since it's an afternoon party. I know I don't need much because the kids might be too excited to eat too much, but I'd like to serve something, plus have something available for the parents who accompany their children. Thank you!

Anytime we have done a party, we have done a selection of fruits and fresh veggies. Also, we do a meat and cheese tray and supply both types for buns. My 8 yr old daughter and my 12 yr old son have Celiac so I have pretty much got this down to a science anymore.

[kbtoyssni]

Deviled eggs? Those are a good afternoon version of eggs.

[CeliacMom2008]

I say don't ditch the pancakes and eggs yet...I tend to go overboard on birthday parties, but I truly love it and really get into the whole theme. Pancakes and eggs are really easy, can be made ahead of time, and they are what your daughter wants...so now you just have to incorporate it into the princess theme. Which for me popped out immediately - Sleeping Beauty and Snow White had to eat something when their princes awoke them, right?? It stands to reason that it would've been breakfast!

If you don't like that idea, how about Mexican? You could do a taco and nacho bar. You can make it totally gluten free without any effort.

Good luck on the cake!!

[missy'smom]

The Hormel meat and cheese party trays are gluten-free. They often come with crackers-sealed in a bag-so we toss them and serve the tray's other contents-pepperoni and salami slices and two kinds of cheese cubes. We served that plus cake, icecream, fruit salad, veg. and dip and Lays Staxx. It went over well with the boys(7-10years). You can cut hard boiled eggs to look like flowers or bunnies Open Original Shared Link or make hearts and stars, etc. using egg molds Open Original Shared Link.

[mommida]

Kids really don't eat at birthday parties. They might eat some cake and ice cream.

I have made chicken or beef kabobs (marinate in gluten free italian dressing), side dish of rice.

Mexican taco bar.

You can use fruit kabobs to make a "flower" arrangement.

If you're nervous about the gluten free cake, just do a ice cream sundae bar.

Tinkyada Penne noodles fool most people for mostaccoli (I can't rmember how to spell that right now) Make up the meat sauce, pour over the noodles just before serving.

Enjoy your party it's going to be great! I was nervous the first few years, but now I've got a HUGE reputation for great food and cake. (I have to make at least four cakes, and I never have left overs!)

[dandelionmom]

Kids love fruit kabobs, a veggie tray, and a cheese tray. For my daughter's upcoming 3rd b-day we're taking the easy road and serving gluten-free rottissery (sp) chickens and a selection of salads. We've also grilled chicken kabobs served with hummus and veggies and greek salad. And we've done a taco bar.

[purple]

You have great answers...I was going to say kabobs too...fun to eat!

[Juliebove]

I would do a meat and cheese tray, fruit salad or fruit plate, veggie plate, maybe with a dip of some sort. Chips and dip.

[stolly]

Thank you for all of the suggestions!!! So many options!!! I will run these ideas by DD. Thank you!!

[Pattymom]

I just had 2 gluten free b-day parties, one this week for my 5 year old dd, one in June for 8 yr old ds. We served, several types of chips, watermelon, grapes, strawberries, carrots sticks, apple slices with melted carmel sauce. Hotodgs, buns on a different table, but most kids ate bun free. Cake, and we just got a snow cone machine--it was under $10 at K-mart, we also got the colored syrups, it is a huge hit, especially if you let them pour or choose their own syrup and allow flavor mixing. -also dairy free her so the snow cones subbed for ice cream on the hot afternoon. These were kid partes, but many moms stayed and nibbled and visited too.

Keep it simple, the kids just want to play.

Patty

[MaryannG]

We just had my daughters party and we only had gluten-free food. I served tostitos, cheese doodles, potato chips, fruit and a gluten-free cake and gluten-free choc chip cookies. People couldn't believe everything was gluten-free and it was great! I didn't do the meal thing but if you want to you could make a pasta salad using schar pasta (I find this to be the most like regular pasta) or hotdogs and hamburgers. You could also do icepops if you wanted for dessert. Honestly, the kids just wanted to play! Good luck!

[sixtytwo]

You could have a taco party with all the trimmings and also refried beans, spanish rice. That never ceases to be a popular one and it can all be gluten-free.