Discover What Quality Foods Can Replace Birthday Cake & Pizza

ARTICLE AT A GLANCE:

• Eating healthy at birthday parties can be challenging, but it is possible!
• Paleo recipes can be used to make more gut-friendly cupcakes and pizzas.
• Choosing vegan cookies or gluten-free pizzas from a bakery, restaurant, or grocery store can help lessen the damage of inflammation from sugar and dairy.

Birthday celebrations are one of those classic childhood experiences. Presents, balloons, piñatas, and games can be loads of fun, but the foods often served at these parties can be a challenge. For families trying to eat in ways that support gut and brain health, sugar-laden foods and preservatives can take a toll, and that’s not worth it. Thankfully, choices are available that mean you and your kiddo can eat healthy without missing out on the birthday fun.

Cakes

You have a few options for cakes: first, get to know your local bakeries and purchase healthier options like gluten-free or vegan cake/cupcake. Yes, these options may still have sugar or dairy, but these are still much better options than the full sugar, full flour options of a birthday cake. You can also look into quality products like “KNOW Foods” for healthier alternatives that still taste delicious.

Another option is to make your own! A simple google search of paleo recipes brings up a LOT of choices. Venturing into the world of cooking may seem a little intimidating at first, but you may be surprised at how much you enjoy it with a bit of practice. Whereas a regular store-bought cake may contain chemicals and harmful food dyes, making your food from scratch ensures you know exactly what you are putting into your body.

Pizza 

For pizzas, you also have a few different choices. Some restaurants these days serve gluten-free pizzas that you can buy beforehand and bring with you to a birthday party. Making pizza from scratch can also be a fun family activity to try. Opt for organic tomatoes and a low-sugar marinara sauce.  Find a gluten-free or cauliflower pre-made crust at the grocery store. If possible, head to a natural foods store to pick up some organic raw cheese. And whichever way you choose to make your pizza a little bit healthier, taking digestive enzymes can help lessen any gut inflammation.

Eating healthier isn’t always convenient, so if you forget before a party to buy or make a more gut-friendly treat, do what you can to minimize the damage. Maybe you and your child eat just the frosting of the cupcake. No one is perfect, but do what you can to stick to your health commitments, even at birthday parties.

*This website is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for the advice provided by a healthcare professional.

    References

1. Remove These 4 Unhealthy Foods (2R Protocol: Part 1)
2. Why Food Dyes Are Toxic For Your Health