Fun 'junk-free' party ideas please

flick1, May 6, 4:22am
Miss 6 has a birthday coming up, and her already limited amount of junk food has to be cut(due to health issues) so looking for fun healthy things that other kids will also enjoy. Thanks in advance

pollyh, May 6, 4:27am
Hi, not sure if this is what you are after, but when my Miss turned 6, I made a whole heap of gingerbread men and then they decorated them with writing icing that comes in little tubes (at the supermarket in baking section). You could also add dried fruit etc for decoration if lollies/sprinkles not an option. The icing is gluten and additive free and costs about $5 for 4 tubes which last for a while. We also had popcorn, watermelon, pineapple (you could make fruit kebabs) and instead of a whole lot of rubbish, I got some hot chips (not exactly healthy I know) which we ate at the park. I managed to feed 14 children for approx $50 (didn't do goody bags that's what the gingerbread men were for! ) and there were still a couple of bags of potato chips that I didn't open. They could make their own pizzas on pita bread too - good luck! !

cookessentials, May 6, 4:30am
Here is the link to a great site complete with recipes which you may find helpful. They wont need alot to eat, they seem to graze at that age so make servings small.
http://www.naturalparenting.com. au/flex/articles/7863/childr
ens-party-food-the-healthy-alternative. cfm

cookessentials, May 6, 4:32am
http://www.freshforkids.com. au/healthy_party/healthy_party. h
tml

flick1, May 6, 4:38am
Thank you guys, this is really helpful

ruby19, May 6, 4:39am
Platters of fruit or fruit & marshmallow kebabs perhaps with a drizzle of choc sauce, toffee apples, hummus with carrot, celery, cucumber sticks, sushi, home made pizza, Home made burgers with salad, wedges.

clare_mel, May 6, 5:32am
A pizza party always goes down well. You have the bases which could be anything you like eg. traditional bases, pita pockets, english muffins. And then you have all the toppings set out and the kids can put on whatever they like. You could have a competitions for the best pizza face!

gaspodetwd, May 6, 5:40am
We also like dips with vege sticks and pita chips. Party cake can be fat free sponge with fruit spread/ fresh fruit and fresh cream - a little white choccie over the top make it look fabulous.

duckmoon, May 6, 6:00am
Food at the party:
this is my girls birthday party menu:
popcorn (better for you than chips); cherrios (not really healthy, but not bad) served with tom sauce; fairy bread... And then the cake...

If you put a pot of water on to boil before the party (and then turn it off), it only takes a minute to bring it back to the boil and heat the cherrios for a few minutes -then ready to serve.

duckmoon, May 6, 6:01am
If your question is about the loot bags, these are two of the routes I have taken
1. don't have them - just say to kids "we don't do loot bags, we are pleased you had a fun time at the party" or
2. I have purchased books from the Whitcoulls sales table (around $3 each) and wrapped them in brown paper and said to the kids "don't open these until you get home".

flick1, May 6, 6:16am
Thanks duckmoon, hadn't got quite as far as thinking about loot bags, but was thinking IF I do them it will be a balloon and a piece of cake.

tixy, May 7, 4:49am
Cheerios are a breeze in the crockpot. Put them in with warm/hot water and turn on low for 2 hours. Done. No split skins! ! ! And you are not pressured for time.

Our favourite take-home treats are an icecream cone, with some pebbles (dried fruit? ) inside and a wine biscuit iced on to stop them coming out. You can ice a face on the biscuit and stick on sweets but I prefer to get wafer biscuits and stick them on to the pointy part of the cone, creating a windmill. Very cool.

Fruit on sticks will get polished off everytime - especially by girls Ive discovered (I have 3 boys... )

Good on you for giving a party for her, especially considering you need to move away from "usual" party fare. Have fun.

battgirl, May 7, 5:03am
Off topic maybe but I'm SOOO with you on 1. Have never done loot bags beyond a slice of cake to take home if they want. What nonsense.

prendy1, Apr 8, 8:03pm
Mini pikelets/blini with smoked salmon & cream cheese or jam, fruit platter, popcorn, fruity mini-muffins, mini sandwiches (cut into cool shapes with cookie cutters) rice crackers and dip, chicken wings, low-fat meatballs on toothpicks, little bowls of dried fruit and nuts (except if there are allergies! ) felafel balls, pita chips (very easy to make) are all faves in our house.