10 Great Finger Foods for a First Birthday Party
Ever been to a first birthday party where there was hardly anything the birthday kid can or should eat? I decided to compile this list of 10 great finger foods so that you’ll have some ideas. Disclosure: this post contains affiliate links.
Don’t get me wrong. What each parent feeds his child is a personal decision. I know that personally I want to hold off on the junk food until peer pressure overtakes.
I mean, realistically, once my M starts school, I doubt there will be much I can do about the junk food situation. Until then, however, I’m trying to have control over it.
Meanwhile, while shopping for our party, I tried to focus on things that he can eat, but that would be great for adults as well. I will be throwing a little garbage into the mixture too, but there will still be plenty for him.
Please keep in mind that this is just for inspiration. Each person has his own standards. In addition, you should find out whether or not any of your guests (young or old) have food allergies.
10 Delicious Finger Foods Your One Year Old Can Eat:
1. Pretzels
I’d opt for salt free, or lightly salted ones. Make it even healthier with whole grain pretzels.
2. Sliced melon
Which baby doesn’t love melon? It’s a great party food, and popular among adults as well!
3. Israeli salad
This pita and falafel side dish is great for little ones, as the pieces are too small to choke on. My baby actually chews the little bits.
Make it by dicing very finely cucumbers, peppers, and tomatoes (pickles are optional) and dressing it lightly with olive oil, lemon juice, and salt. Here’s a yummy recipe if you prefer measurements.
4. Crackers and dips
Crackers are for baby; the dips spruce things up for the adults. I made some nice cream cheese and yogurt based dips that are great for baby too! Keep in mind that not all crackers are very healthy.
5. Bamba
This delicious Israeli peanut snack typically contains peanuts, corn, palm oil, and salt. They melt right in your mouth and are a great baby snack. Just make sure there are no allergies involved!
6. Healthy home baked muffins
If you’ve got the time, bake some muffins! (These first birthday cupcake wrappers are awesome!) Here are some delicious recipes.
7. Mini sandwiches
You may not think of sandwiches as a great party food, but if you cut ’em up small, stick in a fancy toothpick, and arrange them nicely, they will definitely be enjoyed! As a bonus, baby will have an easier time eating it (with the toothpick removed, of course!)
8. Crudités
Arrange some cut up some veggies in a sectional dish, and watch baby munch! Add a Russian dressing, or a dill mayo dip to turn it into an adult-friendly finger food.
9. Deviled eggs
My baby loves eating hard boiled eggs – they are so easy for him to grasp and chew. Make it party-ready by making deviled eggs. Serve it up on a pretty platter and it’ll be the star of the show (second only to the birthday boy!)
10. Fruit wedges
All the dieters at the party will love you for this! Take advantage of the plethora of fruit available and try for a colorful arrangement.
Remember: Every doctor will offer different guidelines regarding feeding your children. I wrote up this post with my pediatrician’s guidelines in mind.
What did you serve at your baby’s party? What are you planning on serving? Do you have any suggestions you’d like to add to the list?
Read further! Check out this post on Moms & Crafters with more great food ideas for your little ones:
These are some great suggestions! I’m planning my son’s first birthday party so it’s perfect timing!
I love these suggestions! So simple but so healthy too. Definitely going to be doing some if these.
I really like your ideas I am having a really hard time trying to figure out what to serve for my son’s 1st birthday. He is on a very strict diet he has a dairy allergy and was diagnosed with irritable vowel disease. So that leaves no dairy, no bread, sugars and he can’t have certain veggies like any potatoes. It has been very hard to find ideas for something to make as a replacement for the cake.
If he can eat fruits,why not make a watermeloncake?
Great idea! Not quite a finger food, but I think that a cake like that is a great solution for a healthy cake smash (with a healthy frosting, of course.) We did a cream cheese frosting on the cake we made for M.