Looking for 1 year old birthday party food ideas?
What foods to include in a first birthday party menu ?
How to plan a healthy and yummy menu that can blow your little guests mind?
What all to keep in mind when choosing food for a first birthday party with toddlers and kids as the main guests? Can a carefully chosen menu help both kids and grown up happy?
Although a one-year-old doesn’t tend to get excited about birthday parties, the first birthday of your little one is always a very special occasion. It is about the parents as well as the baby. Your newborn baby has become a toddler and this comes for a celebration. As a new parent, this will be your first experience in organising a party for your little one.
Generally, parents are involved more in invitations, themes and clothes and very less planning is done in deciding the menu. For a first birthday party, food is important as that is what your baby and his friends are going to enjoy at this age.
Read:
- 10 Step Guide for Planning your Baby’s First Birthday Party
- 14 Fun and Unique Birthday Party Themes for Kids of All Ages
Things To Consider While Planning For The First Birthday Party Menu
Good planning is the key to any successful birthday party. Food is an important element in the celebrations and thus should be very well planned and organised. This will ultimately reduce your stress and you can also enjoy the birthday celebrations of your baby.
There are some important points also to be taken care while planning for first birthday party food.
- How big is the party?
The first thing to consider is how big your party is. Will it be a kids only party or a full family and friends affair? The menu you choose should depend on the number of guests, their preferences, and their age group.
- Venue for the party
The next thing to consider is the place where you are planning – at your home or at a restaurant/party hall.
If the party is at home then you need to decide the food that will be served so you have two options to choose from- either preparing homemade food or hiring a caterer. Party food for your baby and his or her friends need to be simple and non-spicy.
If it is at home you can stock up some homemade baby food too for your toddler guests.
- Time of the party
Select food according to the party time. Like if it’s tea time party, stick to a few varieties of healthy snacks and drinks. If it is lunch or dinner time make it a little elaborate with starters, main course, dessert and drinks.
Your one year old will not like long parties, so try to keep the party for a short duration. One to two hours is sufficient for the party and it will be better if it is after your baby’s afternoon nap.
- Less quantity for the little ones
One thing to remember is that the little guests eat very less, so keep the quantity of baby food to a minimum. For a first birthday party, you need not have a very big menu for the kids, only a few items with a variety of shapes, colors and textures which babies and toddlers enjoy needs to be included in the menu.
- Healthy, Fresh and Kid-Friendly Food
If you are using a caterer or ordering food from a restaurant, you need to make sure the food is fresh and suitable for babies.It should be less spicy and well cooked. Also, food has to be timely served so as to avoid panic during the party.
You also need to have a balance between sweet and savoury food. And of course, the food menu should include healthy choices.
- Finger foods are best
As the VIP in the party is your child and his or her friends, finger food makes a great option. Include safe finger foods for kids.
- Avoid foods that can cause choking
You need to be careful with foods that cause choking in little ones. Popcorn, nuts, marshmallows, hard candies etc should not be included in the party menu.
Also, if you are serving grapes or cherries in a fruit salad, it should be cut into small pieces to avoid choking.
- No packed juices
Do not serve any packaged juices or caffeinated drinks to babies. Go for freshly squeezed ones.
- Food allergies
Check with parents for food allergies. You can enquire before the party if any baby or toddler has food allergies and plan menu accordingly or prepare food separately.
- Don’t introduce anything new
It would be safe to not introduce the baby to any new food items/ingredients on the party that he has not been introduced earlier. For example, if the baby is not introduced to milk, nuts or non-veg food, please don’t introduce it during the party.
Choose food items that your baby has already started eating. This way you can be sure that no food allergy or other issues are there on the day of the party.
- Safe temperature
You also need to make sure that the food is at a safe temperature while serving to babies and toddlers. At home, you can easily reheat the food if it has gone cold.
- Presentation matters
Have fun with food as babies love different and attractive shaped food. You can use cookie cutters and moulds for sandwiches, biscuits, pizzas etc. Present the food in an attractive manner.
- Don’t forget the adults
Include foods for your adult guests too. I think we don’t have to discuss on that as you must be already having an idea on what your grown up guests will prefer.
57 Creative and Healthy 1 Year Old Birthday Party Food Ideas
You need to remember that the food is more likely to be enjoyed by adults as the food for babies and toddler mostly end up on the floor. But still as it is your kid’s first birthday party, he or she and his or her friends are the VIP guests and you need to treat them well. Thus, it is very important to plan the 1st birthday party food menu carefully, keeping a perfect balance between kid friendly food and food for adults.
Some of the party friendly food ideas that are suitable for your one-year-old and his friends as well as adults are given below. I have put them under starters, main course, dessert and drinks to make it easy for you.
Choose from the below 1st birthday party food list according to your preferences to make a healthy party treat.
Healthy starters to kick start the party.
You can keep any two or three items from the below list.
#1. Fruit kebabs (chopped kiwi, strawberries, apples etc on skewers ) with yogurt dip
#2. Mini egg muffins
#3. Mini vegetable/paneer cutlets
#4. Wafers
#5. Vegetable sticks with dips
#6. Baked sweet potato chips with dips
#7. Potato wedges with dips
#8. Baked Garlic Bread
#9. Mixed Vegetable pakoras
#10. Cheese/meat balls
#11. Sabudana Vada
#12. Mini Aloo Tikki/ Sweet Potato Tikki
#13. Mini Dhoklas
#14. Potato, fruit or paneer canapés
#15. Bread sticks with dips
#16. Chicken kebabs
#17. Mini Spanish omelette cut into half
#18. Devilled eggs
#19. Chicken Nuggets
#21. Potato Smiley
#22. Mini pizzas or pizza pops with a topping of onion, cheese, capsicum, corn, tomatoes
Main course to fill up the little tummies and the big ones too
You can choose any one or two from the below list for the kids. The options provided are suitable for adults too.
#23. Colourful Mini idlis/dosas with chutneys
You can puree vegetables and add to the batter to make colourful mini idlis and dosas which the kids and even adults won’t resist. Here in pic I have shown beetroot and carrot idli with less spicy coconut chutney.
You can make tomato dosa and moong dosa too with a variety of chutneys.
#24. Sevai or rice noodles
Click here to get the recipes to 6 Homemade Rice Noodles or Sevai Recipes – No MSG, No Preservatives
#25. Pasta with sauce
#26. Choley Bhature with fewer spices
#27. Colourful sandwiches with different fillings
Fillings can be anything from peanut butter, vegetable slices, cheese to minced egg or meat depending on your guest’s preferences.
#28. Mini burgers with veggies/ non-veg
#29. Vegetable/chicken spring rolls
#30. Vegetable Pulao with raita
#31. Chicken/Egg/Veg Noodles
#33. Chappatti with different fillings
Read: 14 Delicious Chapati Recipes for Toddlers and Kids and adults too
#34. Variety rice recipes
You can go for a curd rice or lemon rice as most kids are ok with these simple recipes.
#35. Paneer butter masala
#36. Less Spicy Chicken curry to go with rice/ chapati
#37. Fried Chicken
#38. Veg kurma / paneer curry
Desserts for the sweet tooth
#40. Fruit salad topped with fresh cream
#41. Fruit flavoured yoghurt
#42. Gajar halwa or moong dal halwa
#43. Fruit custard with jelly/jam
#44. Phirni/ rice pudding in small earthen cups
#45. Fruit cream
#46. Besan Barfi, rasmalai or rasgulla
#48. Cake pops
#49. Banana/strawberry pops
Party Drinks with a healthy twist
Water is a must. Plus add any other option depending on the preference.
#50. Plenty of drinking water, pre-boiled and cooled
#51. Fresh apple or orange juice diluted in water
#53. Milkshakes (chocolate/strawberry/almond)
#55. Fresh Lemonade
#56.Fresh carrot juice(diluted for kids)
#57. Tea/coffee for adults
Read: 6 Valid Reasons Why Your Child Should NOT be Drinking Tea and Coffee
Birthday Cake- The Center Piece Of Your Kid’s First Birthday Party Menu
Birthday cake is a must when it comes to birthdays. It’s something that all kids love and adults too. Kids nowadays prefer theme cakes. Choose a theme which your one-year-old will surely love. Babies love looking at creative cakes as well as eating them. A birthday cake is the highlight of the 1st birthday party food menu and you need to make it special.
You can also order a cake featuring your baby’s photo or a cake shaped as number 1. Try some creative ideas for the cake like instead of writing one, “Just turned one” can also be written on the cake.
You can also choose a very small cake for cutting and then cup cakes for the guests. If you are planning for a cake smash go for a very small cake to be given for the baby to lessen wastage.
You can opt for cupcakes too with Happy Birthday and your baby’s name written on it. Try choosing a healthier option for the cake. Go for whole wheat versions. Carrot and pineapple cake or banana and blueberry cake are some healthy options. Mango Cake Using Wheat Flour, Chocolate Semolina Cake and Ragi cake make good healthy options.
If your baby has not been introduced to eggs, then you need to make sure that the cake is eggless as some babies are allergic to eggs. I would also recommend avoiding artificial colours as far as possible for the cakes.
It is also safe to avoid sparkler candles on cakes as they are toxic. Keep it simple with a normal candle.
How to arrange the food?
You can arrange the food on a table so that elders can choose and serve their children. Or else you can make little boxes for each little one where there is no need to cater. Many babies and toddlers just wander away while eating; it is advisable not to have a sit-down meal rather a buffet system will work best.
Always supervise the kids whenever they are eating food. Check with your little guest’s parents before serving them any food.
You need to be careful with forks and knives. Keep them away from the reach of small babies. Also, during the party, make sure there are no easily swallowed objects near the babies.
Also along with disposable plates and cups, you also need to buy a lot of tissues. Buy spare disposable paper plates and cups as babies enjoy playing with them. Also, disposable bibs can be used to prevent all that mess from sticking to their party clothes.
Lastly, ask help from your family whenever required during the party. It is not possible to attend to every guest and at the same time manage your baby who is the star of the party.
Hope you have got an idea of to make a yummylicious 1 year old birthday party food ideas that can be enjoyed both by kids and adults. Have fun and enjoy your little one’s first birthday celebrations.
What was the menu for first birthday party celebration of your kid?
Do share with me in the comments.
