Gluten-free, dairy-free, fat-free, nut-free birthday treats

[Anonymous]

Cuties.

Too many restrictions

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:IDK. What's a birthday party without a real cake, and real ice cream, and real food? Have alternative food for the kids who can't have the traditional food. It's a shame everyone has to eat some crazy substitute because of food allergies in some of the kids. Or am I that out of touch with today's reality?

You are that out of touch with today’s reality. 30-40 years ago, less than 1% of Americans had a known food allergy. Today it’s 5%. In the next 30 years it could be 10%. When that happens, your family will have a child or two or more that have food allergies. Suddenly, it will be your problem to find egg free desserts, or dairy free milk. And you will have a different view about it “being a shame” when kind people try to be considerate of those allergies.

Fat free is a new one though. Completely made up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In the end, kids want sugar. They will take straight sugar over beautifully crafted meringue cups, homemade rainbow jello etc. I would get those giant pixie sticks and let them have the sugar high for their lives!

I am curious what's in your recipe for rainbow jello if you think it's not "straight sugar"?

[Anonymous]

Everything served doesn’t have to meet every restriction.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Everything served doesn’t have to meet every restriction.

But equity

[Anonymous]

Why not have a variety, with clear labels? Why does it have to be one thing? Get 3-4 options.

[Anonymous]

Rent a cotton candy machine
Love the gummies bar

Parents will scream about all the sugar. You literally can’t please everyone, so you’ll have to accept that something can’t be ideal.

[Anonymous]

Popsicles

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sorry, but this calls for fruit.

Any parent whose kid has this level of sensitivity isn't going to let the kid eat anything processed.

Exactly! Fruit skewers or frozen fruit pops you made yourself for ingredient control.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sorry, but this calls for fruit.

Any parent whose kid has this level of sensitivity isn't going to let the kid eat anything processed.

Exactly! Fruit skewers or frozen fruit pops you made yourself for ingredient control.

I'm the fat free parent with the kid with gastroparesis, and homemade or processed is fine by me, but many families with nut and gluten free issues are going to prefer something with an ingredient list, made in a safe facility. I think this is a situation where processed with labels makes sense.

I think that sundae with some fat free things on the toppings bar, no peanuts, and safe ice cream (with fat is fine) would work well. My kid would have been happy with an Italian Ice cup or some safe candy in a cup that looks like the other kids' cups. He wouldn't need it to be the same, but would have been grateful that someone thought to include him.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Cuties.

Too many restrictions

I love the idea of cuties (and my kid wouldn’t even eat them).

I’d do a bowl or cuties and a bowl of gummy candy. I think that would satisfy everyone including parents who are concerned about too much sugar.

This makes me wish I’d thought to do this when my kids were little- easy peasy.

[Anonymous]

I would not do food, but if I did, I would provide customized treats for each child according to their needs.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Thank you for all of the (serious) replies.

I have to admit that I'm leaning now towards no food treats because it's going to be challenging to accommodate every individual need. I completely hear the feedback of those parents of kids with food allergies that they would prefer something purchased/processed with a clear ingredient list than me making something at home even with good intentions. Plus I don't have the time to make multiple treats anyway.

For those still questioning it, the fat-free issue is real. Not just a "preference". These are young kids.

[Anonymous]

Is fat free for a visiting grandparent? Maybe they could have fruit served separately. Other wise fruit with sugar free fat free cool whip

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP again. Thanks for the additional replies.

Clarifying that it's not a single child that all of these food restrictions, it's across several kids invited to the party. Thus, while I'm possibly willing, it's hard to just have a treat that doesn't consider allergies for most kids and just have a single "special" treat for one kid. It's multiple kids all with different needs, like one is nut-free but OK with the rest, one is gluten-free but OK with the rest, etc.

I think you have to give up one treat for everyone. Get a variety that includes everyone’s food requirements .