My daughter turned 5 last week, and while we have a small family celebration to mark her special day each year, this Saturday will be the first time we throwa big birthday bash with all of her school friends, and she is BEYOND excited. We’re hosting the partyat an indoor gym so the kids can run around and get some energy out, and as a surprise to the birthday girl, we’ve arranged to have 2 of her favorite Yo Gabba Gabba! characters come celebrate with us.
I can’t wait to see her reaction!
When we firststarted talking about organizing a big party, my daughter asked if we could have it at home so she could show her friends all of her toys, and even though I knowit would have been a much cheaper option,the idea of having 12 5-year-olds and their parents crammed into our 1,300-square-foot condo kind of scared me.I don’t handle stress very well, so the mere thought of coming up with food and game ideas to keep our guestsfed and happy made me hyperventilate, but the biggest concern I had about invitingher friends into our home is that 2 of them are allergic to nuts.
AndI eat a lot of peanut butter.
Now, I know I could haveeasily scrubbed down our kitchen counter and the inside of our fridge with bleach prior to the party, butsinceIdon’t limit mypeanut butter consumption just to our kitchen, I am far too worried there may be traces of peanuts throughout our home.
My husband thinks I’m much too paranoid, and often laughs when he sees how much effort I put into ensuringmy daughter’s lunch bag, and the sippy cup and tupperware containers within it, never touch our kitchen counters or the shelves of our fridge directly, but if I had a child with a deathly nut allergy, I would hope the other moms in my child’s class would do the same.
Wouldn’t you?
So we’re hosting my daughter’s 5th birthday at a nut-aware facility, and all food orders (including the Yo Gabba Gabba! cupcakes) are completely nut-free, whichhas really put my mind at ease. I love that all of her friendsand their parents can show up andhave a good time without worryingabout allergies, and hope it all goes as planned.
Irealize we won’t always be able to find nut-aware venues that are suitable for all of our daughter’s birthday parties, and once she starts public school next year,she will want to have her friends over for playdates as often as possible, regardless of what theirfood allergies entail. So I’m going to haveto revisit mypeanut butter and nut consumption policy, but before I do that, I’ve been collecting nutfree snacks for kids to ensure I have enough nut free recipes at my disposal to keep my little one and her friends fed and happywhile they play in our newbackyard this summer.
From a spectacular S’mores Tart to 100% Fruit Ice Cream, this collection of delicious nutfree snacks for kids isperfect for birthday parties, school lunches, bake sales, after school snacks, and class parties!
(UPDATE: The party was a HUGE success, and one of the mom’s shared a great cookbook with me that I couldn’t resist sharing. It’s called The Allergy-Free Pantry: Make Your Own Staples, Snacks, and More Without Wheat, Gluten, Dairy, Eggs, Soy or Nuts, and I think it’s going to be a lifesaver to me over the years when we entertain my daughter’s friends and their families!)
1. Banana Oat Bars (Happy Healthy Mama)
2. Allergy-Friendly Apple Cinnamon Mini Muffins (Baby-Led Weaning Ideas)
3. Carrot Cake Bites (Raw Manada)
4. 3-Layer Nut-Free Dream Cups (Oh She Glows)
5. No-Bake & Nut-free Powerbites (Lexy’s Clean Kitchen)
6. Banana Chocolate Energy Bites (My Whole Food Life)
7. 5-Ingredient Nut-Free Trail Mix (C it Nutritionally)
8. Chocolate Banana Oatmeal Smoothie (Must Have Mom!)
9. Soft Pretzel Bites (Super Healthy Kids)
10. Nut-Free Bars (Mommy Moment)
11. Homemade Honey Tiny Teddies (Southern In Law)
12. Nut Free Monster Cookies (Must Have Mom!)
13. Grain Free Lemon Cake Cookies (Real Food RN)
14. Banana Coconut Cream Popsicles (Spoonful of Flavor)
15. S’mores Tart (Real Food by Dad)
16. Allergy Friendly Fruit Pizza Recipe (ScratchMommy)
17. Allergy Friendly Brookies (Nutritionicity)
18. 100% Fruit Ice Cream (Paintbrushes & Popsicles)
19. Strawberry Banana Blender Muffins (Happy Healthy Mama)
20. Dairy Free Banana Ice Cream Sandwiches (Petite Allergy Treats)
In a day and age where nut allergiesare so prevalent, it is important that we, as parents, show compassion to our kids’ friends (and the parents of our kids’ friends) by going the extra mile to understand their situationso we can not only keep them safe, but enable them to enjoy the small things that other kids take for granted.
Like being able to eat a slice of birthday cake at a party, enjoying a post-soccer practice snack with theirfriends, or buying something delicious at a school bake sale.
It’s not a lot to ask, but if you truly feel you shouldn’t have to worry about another child’sfood allergies, I urge you to read this article on what it’slike to be the parent of a child with a nut allergy as it may change your mind.
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