Baby 1st birthday party food

35 Recipes for a Baby's First Birthday Party

Celebrate your baby's first birthday in style with these adorable party recipes! From cakes to appetizers, you can't go wrong with these crowd favorites.

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This magical unicorn cake tastes as good as it looks. Baking in smaller pans creates impressive height, and a few simple decorating tricks turn it into a showstopping dessert. —Lauren Knoelke, Des Moines, Iowa

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I'm all grown-up, but I still love to play with my food. Garbanzo beans in the guacamole add taste, texture and nutrition. The croc part is just plain fun. —Kallee Krong-Mccreery, Escondido, California

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These tasty little bites go over well with kids. They're also delicious with soups or as party appetizers. —Mrs. Marvin Buffington, Burlington, Iowa

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4 / 35

Rhubarb grows abundantly in our large farm garden. I'll make this punch for summertime gatherings or for special occasions with our extended family. —Ina Frey, St. Clemens, Ontario

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5 / 35

It's impossible to stop nibbling on warm pieces of this cheesy, oniony bread. The sliced loaf fans out for a fun presentation. It's one of the best savory appetizers I've found. —Kay Daly, Raleigh, North Carolina

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I took these slow-cooked wings to work, and they vanished before I even got a bite! The tangy sauce is lip-smacking good. —Sherry Pitzer, Troy, Missouri

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7 / 35

My mom used to make pinwheels every Christmas, and I still love them. They are so colorful, and perfect for sharing in gift boxes.—Jill Heatwole, Pittsville, Maryland

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8 / 35

Here is a fast appetizer recipe that goes over well at my house. Each bite has gooey melted cheese and real pizza flavor. Try serving them with pizza sauce for dipping. —Debra Purcell, Safford, Arizona

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The simple ingredients and family-friendly flavor of these little sausage cups make them a go-to dinner favorite. And everyone gets their own pies—which makes them even better! —Kerry Dingwall, Ponte Vedra, Florida

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Dip fresh strawberries in melted candy-coated discs to create a rainbow of color. Or get adventurous and make a unicorn. The creative possibilities are endless. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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I was looking for ways to spice up traditional chicken nuggets and came up with this recipe. The chips add a crunchy texture and flavor, while the meat is tender on the inside. —Kristina Segarra, Yonkers, New York

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When I'm entertaining, this colorful dish is my top menu choice. My friends can't resist the hearty appetizer topped with cheese, lettuce, tomatoes and olives. —Kathy Young, Weatherford, Texas

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I created this recipe based on our family's love of chocolate-dipped ice cream cones. Red heart-shaped sprinkles make them fun for Valentine's Day. Vary the color to match the occasion. —Jennifer Gilbert, Brighton, Michigan

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This pretty fruit punch has just the right amount of sweetness. The ice ring keeps it cool for hours without diluting the flavor. —Marci Carl, Northern Cambria, Pennsylvania

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These cute little sausage and bacon bites are finger-licking good. They have a sweet and salty taste that's fun for breakfast or as an appetizer. —Cara Flora, Kokomo, Indiana

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We love to entertain at home and the office. Ham and cheese rolled in tortillas make a quick and easy appetizer that's easy to transport. —Susan Zugehoer, Hebron, Kentucky

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For ages, my brother's family and I have gotten together on Christmas Eve, and always eat snacks while we open our presents. This Tex-Mex spin on classic appetizer pizza is one we have again and again. —Laurie Pester, Colstrip, Montana

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We have a large family, so we go through beverages quickly at our house. This thirst-quenching tea is simple to mix together and has a sparkling citrus flavor we all enjoy. —K. Kitell, Lenexa, Kansas

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Cream cheese is the secret ingredient in this simple pound cake recipe. It makes the cake firm for cutting—and easy to frost, too. This cake can be baked ahead and frozen, then thawed before the party and decorated, leaving you with plenty of time for other preparations. — Ethel Ledbetter, Canton, North Carolina

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These quick, versatile wontons are great for a savory snack or paired with a bowl of soothing soup on a cold day. I usually make a large batch, freeze half on a floured baking sheet, then store in an airtight container. —Brianna Shade, Beaverton, Oregon

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I love pizza, and I love macaroni and cheese. After lots of experimenting, I figured out a wonderful way to combine the two. The pizza is a big hit among my colleagues, friends and family! —Martha Muellenberg, Vermillion, South Dakota

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I created this giant peanut butter cookie cake for my husband, adding light and low-fat products to the cookie dough. It was so fantastic that I fixed it with conventional ingredients for guests. Since it can be made ahead of time and frozen, it cuts stress for busy hostesses. And really, who doesn't love peanut butter ice cream? —Joann Belack, Bradenton, Florida

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This is a super fun way to serve lasagna for make-ahead lunches, potlucks or other fun get-togethers. My daughter took some of these to work and by noon was emailing me for the recipe. —Sally Kilkenny, Granger, Iowa

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Here's a simple recipe to create a colorful and fun breakfast—or snack! For the glaze, use any type of juice you like. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen

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It's hard to resist a crescent roll, bacon and cream cheese in one bite! Kids, friends, everyone will scarf these cream cheese pinwheels down. Now I bake a double batch whenever we have a get-together. —Krista Munson, Sharpsburg, Kentucky

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The recipe for these filled and frosted cupcakes was handed down by my mother-in-law, who taught this fledgling cook what to do in the kitchen. She's no longer with us, but baking these treats reminds me of our good times together. —Judie Heiderscheit, Holy Cross, Iowa

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My friend Mary served these lovely appetizers at a summer gathering several years ago, and I adapted it a bit to my taste. It's a great August recipe when tomatoes and herbs are at their freshest! —Susan Wilson, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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Want to sink your teeth into s’mores all year long? Here’s the answer! Just combine marshmallow creme, chocolate and graham crackers for an awesome bite. —Stephanie Tewell, Elizabeth, Illinois

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I was born and raised in Australia, but moved to the U.S. when I got married. When I long for some Australian recipes, I bake up a batch of this sausage roll recipe and share them with neighbors or co-workers. —Melissa Landon, Port Charlotte, Florida

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I'm on a gluten-restricted diet. I came up with this snack mix one day when I wanted something fast and easy that tasted like lemon bars. It makes a great gift, and folks love the light and fresh citrus flavor. —Patricia Sensenich, Olanthe, Kansas

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We wanted to get creative with hot dogs, so we made a mac-and-cheesy one. Pile on the extra cheese, relish and even bacon. —Julie Peterson, Crofton, Maryland

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If you're looking for a fantastic make-ahead snack, try these miniature grilled cheese sandwiches. They're nice to have in the freezer for lunch with soup or a salad. My family loves to nibble on them anytime. —Anita Curtis, Camarillo, California

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Impress guests by making an adorable and delicious cake. It is actually easy to put together.—Bonnie Jost, Manitowoc, Wisconsin

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Everyone needs a fun, friendly way for kids to play with food. These rich bites are nutty and yummy. Just coat bananas in chocolate and dip them into peanuts, sprinkles or coconut. —Susan Hein, Burlington, Wisconsin

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Ravioli on a stick is a tasty appetizer everyone talks about. They’re simple and fun to make and eat. Use packaged dipping sauces, or make your own. Get my recipes on my blog, thehopelesshousewife. com. —Erika Monroe-Williams, Scottsdale, Arizona

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Up Next: How to Throw an Amazing Dinosaur-Themed Birthday Party

Originally Published: May 10, 2019

Camille Berry

Part of the third generation in a family of restaurateurs, Camille was born with a passion for cooking and food. She embarked on a career in hospitality where she excelled as a sommelier and wine director. This hospitality experience has given her a wealth of first-hand knowledge about how to pair all manner of drinks with food—plus some serious kitchen skills. These days, she's hung up her wine key in favor of a pen and covers all aspects of food and drink.

65 First Birthday Party Food Ideas And Planning Tips

The best party food ideas that will be loved by kids and grown ups alike.

You may be super excited about your baby turning one, and you want to host the best party to celebrate their first birthday. Tiny tots are your most important guests, and so your baby’s first birthday party food ideas must include exciting, colorful, and fancy options on the table. You need to do many things, including selecting a party theme, deciding on the guest list, buying gifts, and planning the food. If you are confused about the food, we can help you with the planning process by providing delicious snack and dessert ideas in this post. These creative ideas are sure to impress children and their parents alike.

What Kind Of First Birthday Party Are You Planning?

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You can come up with the food menu only when you have the basic idea of the birthday party.

Decide if it is going to be a small snack or high tea party, or you want to host a lavish lunch or dinner.
If you are planning for a simplistic evening party, then you can make a handful of items at home. Your family members or close friends could help you prepare some delectable recipes.
If it is going to be a big party, you may have to hire a caterer and plan a mixed menu. Make sure you find a well-known catering agency that specializes in making the best quality kid-friendly food items.

Related: 25 Crazy 1st Birthday Cake Smash Ideas For Your Little One

Who Are The Guests?

Having a guest list ready would make it easier to figure out the quantity and type of food to have at your baby’s first birthday party.

Will it be a small party with only family or friends?
Will you invite your close relatives and neighbors?
How many babies and toddlers would be attending the party?
How many teenagers or parents or adults would attend?

When you have the answers to these questions, you can plan the food ideas and serving size.

Point to consider

Keep the guest list short and invite only those important to you and your family. An extravagant party can make it difficult for you to make arrangements and welcome all the guests, besides burning a hole in your pocket.

What Food To Include In The Menu?

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You need to think about the food categories based on the guest list. If it is a large party, then you may have to categorize the menu.

You need to include vegetarian and non-vegetarian items to fit the needs of all the guests.
In case you are inviting vegan friends, make sure you have vegan items on the menu.
You should also have a few types of desserts and drinks. Have colorful and delicious food items that please everyone attending the birthday party.
If there is a theme party, make sure that the food reflects the theme. For instance, if the party theme is “Frozen,” then try to have more blue food items and pictures of “Frozen” movie characters all around.

Related: 20 Best First Birthday Party Games Ideas

First Birthday Party Food Ideas

We have some mouth-watering food choices in every category to delight your guests, including the adorable children and the grown-ups.

Finger food and appetizer ideas

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Appetizers or starters are the first course of a meal. They should be tempting and light to give an excellent start to the party meal. Toddlers and children fill their tummies with starters as they are fond of them. Having a variety of options would be a good idea. We have a few palatable suggestions here.

Fruits on skewers or fruit salad
Vegetable and chicken nuggets
Baby breadsticks with cheese
French fries or potato smileys or potato wedges
Cookies with cream or crackers
Muffins and bagels
Devilled eggs
Egg mini muffins
Roasted or steamed vegetables and dip
Small sandwiches
Cheesy garlic bread
Chips and dips
Cheerios
Puffed snacks
Wafers and pretzel
Mini pancakes

Savory foods

The savory foods or main meal of the party should be delightfully flavorsome. The main items in the party menu should be filling and appealing to all the guests. There should be items for every guest, be it a vegan, vegetarian, non-vegetarian, or a health-conscious person.

Pizza – vegetarian and non-vegetarian
Cheesy macaroni with different toppings such as chicken bites, bacon, and veggies
Vegetarian and chicken burger
Quesadilla
Grilled cheese sandwiches
Barbecue sandwiches
Crustless sandwiches
Pasta with cheese and salad options or meatballs
Vegetable noodles
Taco pinwheels
Casserole
Small squared pizza bites
Chicken tenders
Chicken sliders
Nachos filled with cheese
Pizza rolls
Cheese and garlic bread
Stuffed or toasted kebabs
Beef rolls with cheddar cheese
Stromboli

Related: 6 Easy Summer Recipes For Kids They Would Love To Try

Desserts

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No party is complete without desserts. Your baby’s first birthday party should have desserts that become the talk of the party. Children and adults love trying out different kinds of sweet items, so we have covered a few delicious dessert ideas for you.

Birthday cake (your baby’s favorite shape and flavor)

Quick tip

Buy a cake that matches the theme of the birthday party. You may also bake a sugar-free and gluten-free birthday cake as a healthy option.

Fruit salad or yogurt
Ice cream of different flavors
Jelly and custard
Cupcakes
Pops and candies
Mini pies
Ice cream cone cupcakes
Ice cream sandwich
Doughnut holes or baked doughnuts
Mini s’mores
Frozen treats or popsicles
Assorted cookies
Cheesecake pastries
Frozen pops
Honey waffles
Marshmallow pops
Fruit pies
Macarons or ice cream sandwiches
Fried ice cream

Drinks and beverages

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It’s your baby’s first birthday celebration, so make sure you are not having alcoholic drinks. There are some healthy and fruity options you can try and impress your guests. Remember, the party is more for the children than the parents.

Lemonade or fruit smoothies
Hot chocolate
Vanilla milkshake
Fruity cocktails
Citrus punch
Iced tea with fruit flavors
Hawaiian drink
Rose milk
Yogurt smoothies

Related: 25 Easy And Delicious Baking Recipes For Kids

Tips For Planning Your Baby’s First Birthday Food Menu

The first birthday is a big deal for parents, thus planning would make your job easier. We have some general tips for you here.

Get child-friendly glasses, plates, and cups made of eco-friendly and high-quality food-grade material.
Keep fresh, high-quality, and hygienic food only. If you are ordering food, then go with the best caterer or restaurant.
You can ask the parents if their children have any food intolerances or food allergies.
Do keep in mind your guest’s preferences, like those related to religious or other food choices.
Don’t keep choking hazards, including nuts, grapes, hard lollies, popcorn, or hard candies on the table.
Keep an eye on what the children are sipping and munching on. See that toddlers and babies are not consuming fizzy drinks or caffeinated beverages.
Choose a cake flavor that is liked by both children and their parents. Try to have an eggless cake so that most of the guests can relish it.
Make tempting and colorful foods so that children enjoy them.

1. How much should I spend on a first birthday party?

It entirely depends on you. If you want an extravagant party with all your friends and family, you may spend around $1000 or more. If you want a quiet and intimate affair with only your near and dear ones, you can cut the expenses and spend less than $300.

2. What time should a first birthday start?

Consider your baby’s sleeping time and active hours before hosting a birthday party. Depending on that, you can throw a party in the morning, afternoon, or evening. Make sure to pick a time convenient for you and your guests.

3. Can I feed my baby cake on their first birthday?

Yes, a small piece of cake would not harm your baby. However, chop the cake into tiny bits before feeding it to your baby to avoid choking hazards. Also, if you love baking, you can make a homemade cake using healthy ingredients to introduce to your baby.

For every new parent, their baby’s first birthday is one of the most awaited events. While you could be excited to organize a grand party for your little one, it would help if you plan for the event, follow a schedule, and keep things systematized. The variety of food and a delectable menu is a must-have for the party to be enjoyable and remembered. Take cues from these first birthday party food ideas to include the most delicious and exciting food items on the menu. Also, do not miss out on clicking adorable pictures of your munchkin and the event to relish the memories later.

Key Pointers

Decide on the first birthday party theme, followed by the guest list and the menu.
You can plan appetizers, main course, beverages, and desserts for a large party.
You may have different options for your guests’ preferences for vegan, vegetarian, or non-vegetarian food.

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best tips and recipes

Behind the first year - the most important, the most eventful in the life of the crumbs and his parents! And although there are still many sleepless nights ahead, knocked down knees, snotty noses, all the same, most often moms, dads, grandparents will remember this first difficult and happy year.

For many mothers, the question of what to cook for the first birthday of their child is of great interest. The festive menu will largely depend on the composition of the guests - how many adults and children will be.

If you are planning to invite several of your friends with babies of about the same age, it is better to organize a separate area for children. It should be understood that it is unlikely that they will all sit quietly at the table - rather, they will like to crawl somewhere, play, gnaw something. Therefore, it makes sense for them to prepare a separate table covered with festive delicacies and small dishes.

How to make a menu for a baby's first birthday?
What to cook for a year?
Tips for organizing a festive table
Cake for a one-year-old baby
Delicious cake recipes

How to make a menu for the first birthday of a baby?

For kids under three years old, it is not worth overloading the menu with an abundance of products. Children of this age do not tolerate the abundance of food and various combinations of foods. This can cause them an attack of tummy pain, increase gas and colic, and cause indigestion.

For kids, the holiday itself will become more important than what dishes are on the festive table. Most likely, in many years he will not even remember how the celebration went. Just try to give your baby more joyful emotions on this day.

Call close relatives or friends with babies around the same age. This will greatly simplify the preparation of the menu for children.

Include in the menu:

a couple of snacks;
hot dish;
dessert.

Even a simple carrot salad can be served as an appetizer, but it is better to supplement it with chopped dried apricots and season with sour cream. For older kids, crackers with chicken or fish pate, garnished with slices of thinly sliced cucumber, are perfect.

Babies aged 2-3 love to eat canapes, sandwiches. Choose fresh and soft breads. It is better to give preference to white wheat bread, as it is easier to digest. Top the canapes with boiled chicken pieces and fresh vegetables. Put on skewers all the ingredients for canapes one by one, put the food on a beautiful plate. Kids will love the original design of the dish.

For hot dishes at this age, it is better to use familiar products, but with an unusual method of preparation. Instead of soup with turkey and boiled rice, prepare baked minced turkey rolls stuffed with vegetables, serve boiled rice as a side dish. Such new combinations of familiar products will not harm the child's body after a feast.

For desserts, opt for light milk-based soufflés or puddings. They are easy to prepare at home too. To do this, boil milk, add sugar and pre-swollen gelatin. Pour into molds and refrigerate until completely cool. These milk puddings can be garnished with chopped fruit or strawberries. Insert a candle into the dessert for the birthday man and light it. This is sure to please the baby.

Download our list for a festive table for a children's birthday:

Download "Children's Birthday Menu" JPG

Download "Children's Birthday Menu" PDF

What to cook for a year?

When preparing a festive treat, you will have to combine adult dishes and the children's menu of a one-year-old baby and his friends. There can be many options for such a table:

a beautifully set tea table with a cake or mini-cakes;
small buffet (sandwiches, meat rolls).

Two cakes can be prepared: one for adults for guests, the second for a child according to a special children's recipe, for example, from porridge with yogurt filling.

When organizing a menu for a children's party, choose an appetizer, main course and dessert. If your child loves fruits and berries, prepare a fruit bowl with chopped fruits.

As a snack for a one year old child, crackers with cottage cheese and chicken filling are perfect. To do this, grind the boiled chicken fillet to the state of minced meat, mix it with cottage cheese rubbed through a sieve. Spread the paste on regular crackers. Garnish with small cracker crumbs.

For main course you can cook roasted turkey meat balls with complex garnish. To do this, prepare meat balls from minced turkey and bake in a heat-resistant form in the oven with a creamy sauce. As a side dish, prepare mashed cauliflower and potatoes. To make mashed potatoes of a beautiful color, you can add boiled egg yolks to it and grind it.

For dessert you can make milk-rice pudding with raisins. For babies 2-3 years old, if desired, you can add a little vanilla or cinnamon, as well as citrus zest.

As a drink , kids can be offered any berry juice or compote (better prepared at home). Purchased carbonated drinks should be discarded, they contain too much sugar and dyes. A wonderful choice would be blackcurrant or strawberry juice.

Tips for organizing a festive table

Organizing a children's holiday table for babies causes a lot of trouble and questions for mothers.

To make it easier to prepare for an important family celebration, use the following tips:

Try to plan and prepare the menu for the children's party in advance. Consider in which supermarkets and stores you will buy food for the holiday table. Write down the meals and necessary products in the diary. So you can not only create a menu, but also calculate in advance the approximate costs of organizing a holiday.
Buy only the freshest products. Never buy food months in advance! Check the expiration dates, especially carefully monitor the shelf life of fermented milk products.
Cook at home. For children under the age of three, try not to buy ready-made salads and hot dishes. So you protect your kids from possible food poisoning after the holiday.
Don't include new foods or ingredients on your holiday menu. If your baby has never tried fish or seafood before the holiday, you should not include them in the menu. The result may be a trip to the hospital with a severe allergic reaction, rather than blowing out candles on a birthday cake. Use only those products that your baby has been familiar with for a long time.
For babies in their first year of life, try to cook familiar meals on their birthday. You can cook a daily dish, but in a new version. This will avoid the appearance of indigestion or colic in the baby after the holiday.
It is better to plan the celebration for lunch time. Focus on normal times. For one-year-olds, be sure to consider the regimen. If your little one usually sleeps in the afternoon, he will almost certainly want to rest on his birthday too.
Do not overload the menu with an abundance of dishes. It is better to prepare a good table for relatives, relatives and friends who will come to congratulate the baby on his birthday. For crumbs, a couple of types of snacks, hot and light dessert are more suitable. You can supplement the menu with fruits.
Observe portion sizes. Do not offer a birthday person a double serving in honor of his birthday. This will only harm the baby and can cause abdominal pain, impaired stool. Stick to your normal diet even on your birthday. For kids under the age of three, this is very important.

Cake for a one-year-old baby

A birthday treat should include those products that he has already “mastered”, just the dish needs to be festively decorated. Put 1 candle on the cake (note that the baby will blow it out with your help).

The cake can be baked in the form of a unit or an animal.

You can make charlotte or modify carrot or rice cake recipes to keep ingredients to a minimum. You can make “cakes” from fruits: cut a melon, an apple, a kiwi into circles, fasten them with a skewer, up - a candle.

Delicious recipes for cakes

The base of the cake is “Nizhenka” biscuits or any other children's muffin. The cookies are dipped in the milk mixture, laid out on a plate, then cottage cheese or fruit puree is put (what your baby already eats), then fruits (bananas, kiwi, tangerines - again, what the child eats and what is not allergic), then cookie. It all depends on your imagination.

Sometimes cottage cheese and fruits give a lot of juice, then each cookie does not need to be soaked or dipped!

You can cook apple marmalade for the cake:

Squeeze juice without pulp from 500 grams of green peeled apples. Cook without sugar over a fairly low heat for 40-50 minutes, until a good brown color appears (to drip down a spoon). Pour the resulting marmalade cake.

The cake is ready!

Important! Don't forget to put one candle on the cake!

Designing a children's table is easy: all dishes can be arranged in a convenient order. The menu of one-year-old children is not very diverse: juices in sachets; baby cookies; pieces of fruit; fruit curds with different fillings.

Kids will not come to the holiday to eat: they will be fed at home by their mothers. However, it is necessary to create a festive atmosphere and decorate the table! Let the menu be modest, but the kids will have fun this birthday. The main thing is that the food is not hypoallergenic: this is the main condition.

There is no better idea for a buffet table for this day. Please note that guests are unlikely to sit in one place on their birthday: everyone will be on the move. Therefore, the table must be set so that any dish can be taken on the go with your hands.

Festive menu: what to cook for a child's birthday - Parents.ru

Entertainment parents of invited children. What can be done and how?

Getting Started

Thinking through the menu for a children's table, you need to understand that food for kids should be different from what is usually prepared for an adult holiday. First of all, food should be pleasing to the eye and be healthy.

Also:

Do not use exotic products.
dishes should not be spicy, fatty, too salty or sweet, smoked.
ingredients should be familiar to children of this age.
avoid foods that are considered to be allergens. Or find out in advance from all parents if the invited kids have any allergies to any products.
do not serve foods with bones or hard skins for young children (grapes, fish, berries, etc. )
avoid harmful carbonated or colored drinks.
Avoid harmful sauces (ketchup, mayonnaise, mustard, etc.)

Decoration

The appearance of the festive table is just as important as the rest of the decoration of the space. True, it is not necessary to try to embody complex ideas, it is enough to use bright colors.

So, for the children's feast it may be needed:

RPEC
Napkins
tubes (can be decorated with Mishura and Ave.)
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Dining devices
plates (it is better to use paper)
sticks for canapes
Dishes on the table
Fondu

9000

0 not worthwhile thinking over the menu - children often do not like or remain indifferent to the combination of many components. A simple cake with condensed milk cream is dearer to them than a complex work of culinary art with nuts, dried apricots, prunes and layers of a dozen types of creams.

But at the same time, the simplest cake can be interestingly decorated, which will delight the baby and his guests.

Photo: kali9/Getty Images/E+

Light snack

A children's party buffet is a good option, especially for the first half of the event. It all depends on whether you plan to serve hot dishes or just appetizers and dessert. As for snacks, they should be in the form of small portions that would be easy to take and eat between games. For example:

Sandwiches. Even the most ordinary sandwiches can be served in their original form. To do this, it is enough to cut figures out of all its constituent ingredients using cookie cutters. And then you just need to fold and pierce with a canapé stick or wooden skewers. Products that can be used: bread (you can dry it a little in advance, but not to have a very hard crust), cucumbers, boiled meat, cheese, tomatoes, green salad, egg, sweet pepper, cottage cheese with herbs, potatoes, carrots, beets.
Fruit. They, like sandwiches, can be served on canapé sticks. There are two options: either just plant pieces of fruit or pre-cut figures from them. Fruits on sticks can simply be laid out on a plate, forming a circle, or sticking them into a piece of watermelon, melon, pear, etc. So, you can make a fruit hedgehog from a pear-shaped base. It is enough just to peel the “muzzle” (where the sharp end is) from the skin, insert a carnation instead of an eye, and black grapes instead of a nose. Where the peel is not peeled, stick a fruit canape (these will be needles). You can also arrange them in multi-colored plastic cups (or paper). A more complex option is a fruit figurine made on a plate. It will be easy to make a beautiful butterfly, for example. True, in this case, it will be more difficult for children to eat it. 9Salad. For convenience, it is better to put salads in edible baskets, which you can make yourself from dough or buy in any supermarket. You can also use cucumbers instead of tartlets. You need to take a large cucumber, cut it lengthwise into two parts, and then clean out the pulp. Put salad in it. And from above, in order to turn all this into a ship, you need to stick a stick on which, as a sail, the same cucumber will be planted. To do this, cut the cucumber into thin long slices and put it on a skewer from two edges. Like fruits, salad can be served in transparent glasses, laying them out in layers, so it will be more effective. Ingredients that can be used: cucumber, sour cream, meat, potatoes, lettuce, greens, eggs, tomatoes, corn, green peas, beans, rice, sweet peppers, beets, carrots, cheese, shrimp.

Starters can be prepared ahead of time or made part of the party with a cooking game competition.

Warm meals

If you still decide to feed your little guests with warm food, it can also be served, like snacks, without cutlery.

Patties. All children love pies, especially puff pastries. They are quite easy to prepare, and besides, they are also satisfying. They can be molded into figurines or animals using special cookie cutters. Only for children you need to make smaller pies than for adults. What can be put in them: cheese, meat, potatoes, eggs, onions, salted cottage cheese with herbs, cabbage.
Baskets. Dough tartlets are ideal for serving both cold and hot appetizers. Warm dishes are best cooked at the same time together in a basket. To do this, it is better to take cupcake molds, lay out a circle of rolled dough in it and put your preferred products there. Ingredients that can be put: potatoes, tomatoes, meat, shrimp, zucchini, corn, beans, cheese, onions, sweet peppers, eggs.
Pizza. A good dish for a children's party will be a mini-pizza, which children can also cook themselves, as part of a holiday and competition. To do this, it is not necessary to make the dough yourself, you can buy ready-made and cut out circles from it using any cup. Also, funny faces can be laid out from the products, and baked on each of them. Ingredients that can be put on pizza: meat, tomatoes, mushrooms, meat, cheese, sweet peppers, beans, corn, green peas.
Barbecue. This is the conventional name for pieces of meat that, after cooking (steamed, baked, fried), must be planted on a small wooden skewer. You can also make them with vegetables. Ingredients: meat, tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, zucchini.
Pasta pizza. If you want something original, then we offer you to cook pizza from pasta, in the form of "nests". First you need to gently boil them so that they retain their shape. Then you need to put them on a baking sheet, put the ingredients (vegetables, meat, etc.) on top, and sprinkle grated cheese on top. You can also fill it with an egg, then such a “nest” will better retain its shape.
Pancakes. A Russian dish that can be served not only with sour cream, jam or honey, but also with stuffing. For kids, it is better to serve them in the form of bags in which you can put meat, vegetables, cottage cheese, etc.
Figures. You can make funny animal figurines out of rice or buckwheat. Meat (small meatballs) and vegetables can also participate in this. So you can sculpt animal figures or depict the whole picture. However, in this case, you will have to lay out an edible image on each plate, for each baby separately.

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And compote?

No holiday is complete without drinks. The only question is what would be so interesting and useful to bring to the table.

For younger children, it is better to stock up on small packaged juices. For older children, you can make a mix of freshly squeezed juice. And also make homemade lemonade or compote, serving them in a beautiful decanter or glasses. If you are worried that children might spill the drink, then buy special plastic transparent glasses with a rounded lid where a straw is inserted. You can paint them or stick stickers on them.

Milkshakes with fruits are just as popular at children's birthday parties as juices. But jelly may have gone out of fashion, but it will also be appropriate, although not everyone may like it. Dessert is best served with warm tea rather than cold drinks. Many will also prefer warm cocoa with milk.

Sweet moment

Where there are children, there is always a sea of sweets. This is especially true for children's celebrations. In addition to the birthday cake, there are always other goodies at such events. Since purchased sweets do not have useful properties, we suggest that you cook them yourself. The main thing is that they are tasty and beautiful.

Homemade "candies". It is necessary to soften a bar of dark chocolate in a water bath, and then mix it with nuts, dried fruits and 1/3 can of condensed milk, you still need to add a small piece of butter. Then pour the resulting mass into a small mold and place in the refrigerator for 10 minutes, and then in the freezer for an hour. After that, you just need to cut into pieces and you can serve.
Ice cream. All children will appreciate this dessert. However, you can not take the ice cream itself, but take frozen yogurt. It will be much more useful, and the taste is not particularly different. So that each guest can make his own version of dessert for himself, you need to buy waffle cones and cups, or just creamers. And also spread out “fillers” in various cups or decorative jars, which everyone will then add to their cup of ice cream. It can be: cookies, chocolate, coconut, fruit pieces, marmalade, nuts, berries. Alternatively, you can simply layer each cup with yogurt, fruit, liver, cereal, marmalade, and chocolate.

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Jelly mousse. Children will definitely like this dessert. It is quite light and useful. It can be done with different layers. For example: Boil 200 ml of milk, pour into a deep cup, add 1 tbsp. powdered sugar and 2 tbsp. instant gelatin. Then you need to beat everything until foam is formed. Take a banana and grate it. Pour milk into 2 cups. Add a banana to one of them and beat. In the second, put the strawberries and beat. Take 2 bowls and fill the middle of the banana and strawberry mass in different bowls. Place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to set the jelly. Remove the bowls from the refrigerator and top up with the remaining half. Only from above it is necessary to fill in layers of a different taste and color. And put it back in the fridge. When the jelly hardens, you can decorate it with berries, whipped cream, etc.
Cookies. All children love cookies, and making them is a pleasure. It is enough to make the dough, roll it out, cut out figures from it and bake. And then melt the chocolate in a water bath and dip the cookies there. With the help of adults, children will be able to make their own dessert during the holiday. To make cookies you will need: 250 g flour, 100 g sugar and butter, 10 g baking powder for dough, 3-4 tbsp. warm water, a pinch of salt. Put the softened butter and sugar in a bowl, add warm water (3-4 tablespoons for soft dough kneading). Then mix everything and leave for 10 minutes, covering it with a towel. Form a flat pancake from the dough and cut out figures from it using cookie cutters. Lay on a baking sheet covered with parchment (you can grease a little with sunflower oil), leave for 10-15 minutes in an oven preheated to 180 degrees, until browning.
Chocolate Holiday. Many children love chocolate. Therefore, if no one from the parents is against it, you can make a chocolate holiday. To do this, you need a chocolate fountain. But if your budget does not include such expenses, then just put fondue on the table. Thanks to this invention of mankind, chocolate can be kept liquid and warm throughout the celebration. Plus, we advise you to also arrange the sprinkles, which the children can sprinkle on their chocolate dessert. What can be dipped in chocolate: kiwi, bananas, apples, pears, pineapples, marshmallows, cookies, etc. What can serve as sprinkles: air flakes, crushed cookies, pastry sprinkles.
Wafers. If you have a waffle iron at home, then you don't have to rack your brains with a dessert for a children's birthday. Homemade waffles always taste better than store-bought ones. You only need to prepare the dough and arrange bowls with yogurt, chocolate, condensed milk, sweet cottage cheese or jam to spread them on waffles. Waffle dough: Take 5 eggs, 1 cup sugar, 200 g butter and 1 cup flour.
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