7 healthy kids’ party food ideas.
Photo by Ron Lach
Many kids struggle to eat their fruits and vegetables. Most of this struggle stems from the idea that healthy foods are boring or unpleasant.
By incorporating healthy options at your kid’s party, you can incorporate healthy foods that are still fun to eat. If the kids’ snack on these healthy treats during a party, they’re more likely to associate with these healthy foods positively.
Additionally, if you include too many sickly or sugary foods on your kid’s party menu, you risk having hyper and sugar-fuelled kids on your hands – or even some kids with poorly tummies.
What you need to consider before planning your party food ideas
Before you begin gathering your party food ideas and browsing the internet, you must have a list of all the children attending the party, along with their parents’ mobile numbers.
Before you begin planning, reach out to the parents of kids attending the party and ask about any allergies their children might have and whether they need or use an epi-pen.
If you prepare foods without this knowledge, you could end up providing foods that cause an allergic reaction – a rush to the emergency room will be stressful and could put a child’s life in danger. To be safe, it’s best to avoid preparing foods containing common allergens like nuts, as there may be some allergies the parents are unaware of.
How to make the party food appealing to kids (even though it is healthy)
Getting the kids to eat the party food shouldn’t be a struggle, so long as you make it look fun! So, the most important thing when preparing healthy foods for your kid’s party is to make it look delicious, fun, and creative. Place a lot of emphasis on how the food looks, and the kids are bound to try it!
7 healthy kids party food ideas
Here are some of the best healthy kids’ food ideas to provide you with some inspiration!
Birthday cake-flavored popcorn
Although popcorn is a tasty treat, it’s not unhealthy. Of course, smothering it in butter might make it a little too fat-heavy, but choosing a healthy popcorn brand will make it a healthy and enjoyable snack.
Why not try birthday cake-flavored popcorn? It’s the perfect alternative to a birthday cake if you’re looking to avoid sugar, and is a fun snack for kids – it even has sprinkles!
Watermelon water
The last thing you need is a sugar rush when you have a group of youngsters to look after. Avoiding sugar-filled sodas and opting for a healthier alternative will help to keep the little ones calm, and they can be just as delicious.
Watermelon water is a fun and new fizzy drink for the kids to try, and it keeps them hydrated throughout the day! Plus, it doesn’t have a high sugar content that could drive the kids loopy!
Vegetable skewers
Vegetable skewers are simple, easy, and versatile to include in your healthy kid’s party recipe book. A simple mozzarella and tomato skewer or halloumi and pepper skewer are bound to entice the kids to give healthy eating a go.
Including cheese on your vegetable skewers will make them more enjoyable for the children and encourage them to have a taste. Additionally, the skewer format makes the food look more fun to eat, and the kids will be drawn into a colorful array of vegetables.
Hummus boats
Hummus is an excellent source of protein and contains chickpeas – and the flavor is quite bland, making it a perfect choice for children.
One of the most fun and unique ways to serve hummus is in a pepper ‘boat’. Halve a pepper, and fill it with hummus. You can even put a carrot or celery stick inside the boat as the ‘mast’.
Chocolate-covered fruit
Creating fruit treats covered in a layer of chocolate is a great way to encourage healthy eating at your child’s party. You can add brightly colored sprinkles to the chocolate to make it more appealing and fun-looking.
Or, if you want to create a more interactive dining experience, you can get a fondue pot or chocolate fountain to let the kids dip the fruit in themselves. However, you’ll be cleaning up a lot of chocolate-covered chins if you take this route!
Fruit cones
Ice cream is a thing of the past – why not try giving the youngsters fruit cones instead? Fruit cones are like ice cream cones; only you place the fruit inside rather than ice cream. Fruit cones are a straightforward dessert idea to make and are visually appealing. You can use different fruits to create a beautiful array of colors.
Smoothie bowls
Smoothie bowls in mason jars are the perfect snack for your party. You can add cereals or oats to your smoothie bowls and encourage the children to make their smoothie bowls with a buffet-style spread of healthy toppings!
Summary
When planning your kid’s birthday party, you must first know of any allergies their little friends might have. You can start browsing for fun, colorful, and yummy recipes to keep the little ones happy. Avoiding sugary foods will make the kids more manageable during the party, and you can take the opportunity to introduce some new and healthy foods to your child’s diet!