Alternative to Cake for 1St Birthday

Since it is on Halloween, I thought of these snacks I made for a party last year...... Ritz Spiders.... with pb, raisins and pretzle stick legs. Cute! You could even buy low sugar peanut butter. See the recipe at www.kraftfoods.com

And I agree, she's one, don't go to much trouble. It's more of a party for the adults at that age and not for the child.

I had a specialty cake made - WITHOUT sugar and yeast - it was incredible - peanut butter and vegan chocalte. The lady makes all kinds in dallas area - email me directly for her info - N. ____@____.com

A friend of mine made organic muffins for her daughter's one-year birthday. Even had an organic, sugar-free icing. Not sure where she got the mix (maybe Whole Foods) anyway, they were yummy.

Hi P.,
I'm the same way about sugar and junk with my daughter. Weight issues run in the family and we wanted to give her a much better start than we felt we had as children. With that said, I did buy her her own little cake for her 1st birthday. But since she had never been exposed to sugar before, she maybe ate a bite full and that was it. She liked playing in it more than anything. To this day, she is almost 4 (another early Oct baby!)and doesn't care much for sweets. She only drinks milk and water and when offered sweets she takes a few bites and that's it. Once, when we went to visit my family, they tried to give her chocolate milk. I was out of the room and I heard everyone laughing. They told me she said "I don't drink that too well, sugar makes me too dangerous!". She did that twice when we were there, so it makes our efforts worth it, even at 3 she's making good choices when we're not with her. Anyway, if you're really concerned about the cake, bake her her own little healthy(carrot? zucchini? bran? spice?) muffin. Personally I would avoid adding honey as a sweetener for anything because of the risk to babies. Even though she'll be a year, it's not going to hurt her to wait until she's a little older. If you keep doing what you're doing (but not making a MAJOR issue out of it) your daughter will learn to make healthy choices and you won't have to worry to much about family members offering her bad things. I chose to give her the cake because I knew one sweet wasn't going to hurt her...and I was right! Good luck!

Here is a site with some you might want to look at:

http://www.wholesomebabyfood.com/tipFirstBDay.htm

For my oldest son's first birthday, I made the first cake on the list here (the carrot cake). I hated to give him a big 'ol sugary cake when he hadn't been exposed to half the stuff in there previously and I wasn't sure how he'd react, or if he'd get a tummy ache, etc. So I made his own little cake, and a regular one for the rest of us. Worked fine, and nobody seemed to think it was too weird.

I agree with alot of the advice you have recieved but I would stay away from the splenda. Don't take my word for it look up for yourself. There are hundreds of testimonies on the bad effects of splenda on the internet. I have my own but I promise you will not use it again if you read what I did. You are doing a great thing for your child! Keep up the good work!

Check places like Whole Foods or Sprouts, or even the "Nature's Market" section of your local Kroger. There are tons of whole wheat, organic, natural cake mixes (and icings). If they are sweetened at all, it's with fruit or organic, unprocessed cane sugar. I've bought a couple of different brands, but don't remember the names. Your daughter could have her own, healthy cupcakes while the rest of the family feasts on high fructose corn syrup.....

You could also just serve a fruit tray of some sort. You could hollow out half a watermelon to make a basket and fill it with fruit as a nice, edible center piece.

And just blow off your family's opinions on your health conscious choices for your kid. Last time I checked, high fructose corn syrup, red #40 and MSG weren't on the food pyramid....
When they all get Type 2 diabetes and start falling apart at the seams, they'll come running to you for dietary advice....

Isn't that the way it always is?! Just because you have chosen to feed your baby according to your veiws others feel offended or feel they have the right to comment on your choices. I would've been furious with anyone offering my child french fries...those are so bad for you...trans fats and all. So sad that that's the #1 veggie children eat on a regular basis. I offer my children baked "fries" that they love. Try baked sweet potato...my kids love it!

DH and I do the same with our children, we offer healthy and natural foods so they will have a good idea of what is best for them. For their first birthday my mother made them a beautiful rainbow gelatin dessert using the Knox gelatin and real fruit juices. It was great! We did have a cake for everyone else. On their second birthday they had homemade vanilla pudding while everyone else had cake. They were very happy.

You're doing a great thing for your child and as you said: they will be influenced by friends or television soon enough.

I would look into one of the cake or muffin options. My son had never had sugar and he didn't have anything to do with his cake either until I scraped the icing off and let him eat the cake. So don't put too much effort or expense into it - she'll just smoosh it up!!!!

I also understand about the in-laws. Mine were determined to give him a cookie one time - he wasn't even eating baby food yet! They thought I was wrong for not feeding him baby food until he was 6 months. (he was a preemie and didn't even eat baby food well until 7 months...) Try to stay away from them during eating times. Even now, a few years later - they'll make "assumptions" like - "ewwww, no kid eats broccoli" when my son will eat a ton of it. Sma

I made my son an applesauce bundt cake (from scratch with honey as a sweetener), with no frosting for his first birthday. I served that to everyone as I believe that your message will only be stronger if you're consistent with the view that eating lots of sugary stuff isn't good for anyone.

Others have suggested Whole Foods, but all those mixes or cakes will have as much sugar as Betty Crocker, although they don't have all the other additives, so they're slightly less toxic. I like the idea of a fruit based cake that someone suggested. There are also those fruit tortes/pizzas, where you have a thin crust, then a layer of cream cheese (or your favorite non-dairy alternative) topped with fruit. You could also get an angel food cake and top that with fruit.

Here's a good link on mercola.com that discusses a sugar free event for kids (you'll have lots better behavior overall):
http://www.mercola.com/2004/dec/4/sugar_free_birthday.htm

I will say that I have eased up on the sugar restriction over the years, as unfortunately, it is very difficult in our society. I just work on limiting the amounts. And, making sure that we always have lots of fresh fruit on hand as an alternative. My younger son, who has the big sweet tooth, is perfectly satisfied with a cup of mixed fruit in the evening as he is with his favorite chocolate chip cookies.

And, my kids are generally extremely good about not eating too much sugar (i.e., by allowing them a little, they don't feel deprived). They still have candy left from last halloween and Easter, which we just throw out before they go trick or treating this year.

It is possible to have cake at her party that is sugar free, and no one will ever even know the difference. Also, just a word of caution (I can give you this advice, because I have already been there, done that)....the keeping her away from ALL sugar and junk food ALL of the time can come back and bite you in the back side. MODERATION is the key!! I totally agree to try and keep her from processed and junk food as much as you possibly can...however, you can use this as a learning tool to teach her that food like cake can be a "special treat" for times like birthday parties and have a 1/2 piece instead of a huge portion topped with ice cream. If you completely prohibit and never allow for a little flexibility....as she grows up it could possibly become an issue for not only her, but also you haveing to constantly moniter her all the time. Teach her that a little bit of sugar or junk food on a "special occasion" is acceptable, but having it every day is not! This will also keep you from having to be the "watchful eye" with the family trying to sneak her the bad stuff, and they will eventually become better (hopefully) to respect your wishes about her not having it ALL of the time!! GOOD LUCK!!

My daught was born on the same day so let me know if you get any good ideas.

Just by giving your kids a little cake does not mean they will be on junk food forever. My two girls both had a little cake made for their first Birthdays and I loved the pictures of them digging in it! They are not junk food kids and know sweets are special treats they get. I think every child deserves a little piece of cake on their Birthday! Also just because it is Halloween limit your baby to a sweet, whoever overdosed on candy, cake, and cookies that is the parents fault for giving them too much.

Don't worry i now what ur going had to do it to my mom made the boys rice pudding and gave them mashed up bannas for their frist birthday while we adults got cake and icecream... just go with something simple...

Get this book: "Super Baby Food" by Ruth Yaron...if you are super health conscious this is the book for you, also has 350 healthy recipes including cake/muffins that uses fruit etc. to sweeten. I wouldn't worry too much about the 1st birthday though because from what I've seen the 1-yr old's just play with the cake.

When my daughter turned one, her father (a pastry chef) made a beautiful cake. We had the cameras and video cameras going on for her big moment to eat her first cake. She poked her finger in it and then that was it. She wanted her dinner plate back. So I wouldn't go all out making a special sugar free cake just for her. It wouldn't be worth your time. Even if she did have a small bite, she is not going to remember and grave the taste the next day - unlike the rest of us : )

I would keep in mind this birthday is about the birthday child and remind your family of the same. If you don't want to do a cake, I wouldn't. The baby is 1 and she will care less and if everyone else wants one they can buy their own on their birthday :) I personally would let her have whatever she considers a treat. My son's first birthday he could have cared less about the cake. He just made a huge mess with it. In fact, I have a video where I couldn't even get him to sit down and open gifts because he was too busy eating the puffy cheetos. If you want some kind of dessert there are many fresh fruit desserts that have sweet flavor without the artificial sugars and then you can always substitute sugar for Splenda or someother artificial sweetner and it gives you the control. Keep in mind it is your babies special day and that is the one you want to keep happy and everyone else is an adult and should have the same goal, Celebrating your baby!

I also have a Halloween baby (no longer a baby she will be 10 this Halloween). I just want to let you know that you are doing the right thing. When my daughter was one and two, it was not a big deal because she was not into the cake thing. We had one for everyone else, and on her first we had one just for her just for show, once she stuck her fingers in it she wasnt interested and we took it away.

Anyway, starting with her 3rd she was overdosed with the candy and cake and cookies on her bday. And every year she would get mildly sick right after her bday. She is a very healthy child, so it was unusual for her to get sick. Two years ago I put her on an all natural diet. She still got cake, but I made it and there were no artifical ingredients...and we went trick or treating, but her candy was used to refill out bowl for trick or treaters at home...she didn't mind because I do let her have chocolate as long as there was NO artifical food coloring with it!!!! The past two years since I have done this she has not gotten sick or run down after her birthday.

So, I totally agree with you! Dont let anyone change your mind. Halloween and Birthday combos can still be fun without too much sugar!!!!

*** A good substitute for sugar is applesauce in cooking! There is a store on North Beach Street called Diabetic Design. They sell low carb/sugar free cake, frosting, brownie, pancake mixes and tons of other foods. Check out their website, you can order from it even. www.diabeticdesign.com I personally like the muffin idea, put some fresh mint and lemon zest in it with sugar in the raw (it's healthier). Spice it, zuchinni it or pumpkin pie it and put on a little cream cheese frosting for the sake of cuteness and messiness! Or you could always make flan :( One thing we did for Halloween parties to minimize the candy craze was make fruit (apple, cherry, grape, pineapple) and cheese cube kabobs. We would then skewer the top of a pumpkin and paint a really cute face on him. It looked like he had crazy hair. People loved it (and thanked us for not having yet even more candy!)

Kids at that age have more fun playing in it than actually eating it...my daughter had about one or two bites and played w/ the rest. I didnt really want her to have sugars so young but it was a special event. We had the coolwhip icing (Krogers) and its not sweet. I figure you dip fruit in it and its good for ya so why not cake. You can also make your own and use Splenda or they may make a sugar free cake and use the frozen cool whip in the freezer section and then you dont have to do w/ out cake. have fun and good luck.

I had the small 1st birthday cake for my daughter! And, she did play with and make a mess out of that cake. Not sure she ate much of it. And, the pictures and video are so sweet to look back at. My daughter is 4 and I do try to watch what she eats, within reason. I don't want to be obsessed with what she eats---I think that could send a negative message when she is a little older. However, I do agree that now is the time we can monitor their food intake!

I thought of Edible Arrangements. They do the fruit arrangement designs. You could probably customize your arrangement with fruits that work for a 1 year old.

Good Luck!