Do It Better at a Birthday Party

I just recently finished what seems to be Scarlett’s birthday season–Every Spring is when the majority of her friends celebrate a birthday. Scarlett likes to make her cards and draw pictures on the plain white wrapping paper I have for gifts, so it does make for a lot of crafts. It also makes for a lot of cake. Not that I have anything against cake. In fact, cake and I go way back, all the way to my backend. I’m not one to refuse a piece, especially if it’s chocolate. If it’s a cupcake, then even better. However, when you have more than one birthday party in a weekend (some times three), then cake and the rest of the party menu is a nutritional land mine.

I decided this year I would try to manage the cake and the pizza. I find most birthday parties include pizza. After all, what kid doesn’t like it and pie doesn’t get much easier to prepare (Hi Mister Pizza man, please deliver now!). If you’re lucky, your kid is still at the stage where you don’t drop them off. Therefore, parents are always inclined to have nibbles for the parents. Those options, things like veggies or fruit, is what I tried to get Scarlett to fill herself up on before we even got to the meal portion of the event. This way she’d have less room for the other stuff. However, my friends with older kids told me there strategy is to send their kids to parties on a full belly.

Also, there’s the loot bag. Why is there candy in there? I suggest more stickers, tattoos, gift certificate for mom to get a manicure, or a set of pencils.

In the end, kids need to be kids. My goal is to just help manage the amount of sugary treats on the birthday party tour. After all, I’ve witnessed first hand what happens when too much sugar hits–I saw a kid vomit at one party. However, it’s not a party unless someone vomits, right? Oh, wait, that’s a high school party. Never mind.

Check out Ceri’s recipe for a healthier birthday cupcake option. These were Julian’s birthday treats:

Pumpkin Cupcakes

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 can (14 oz.) pumpkin puree
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ginger

Icing

1 package (4 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups icing sugar (I used about a half cup less and got a thinner, less sweet icing)