I had this terrible realization the other day, that I had never shared about Corice’s first birthday party. I feel like such a slacker mom (you’d probably think so if you’ve seen my nearly-abandoned family blog).
Throwing a gluten-free party is not hard. No one will even miss the gluten.
While a cake is generally the standard at a birthday party, it is not necessary. You could have cupcakes, brownies, cookies, or even an ice cream sundae bar. If you choose to have a cake or cupcakes, decide if you want a theme and how much time and effort you want to put into decorating. There are now many bakeries that are creating gluten-free cakes and cupcakes, and you may be closer to one than you think.
Corice’s room is decorated with ladybugs, and my sister-in-law found this pan nearly a year ago. We decided it was a must for the first birthday. I wanted to do pink and brown, instead of the regular red and black (quite frankly, I don’t like trying to make red icing). I also wanted the icing to be flavored – strawberry and chocolate. When it came time to make the cake, I just did not have the energy or desire to do the 10 million stars, so what you see is my easy-way-out of decorating.
At your next party, do you want to serve food? Do you want finger food or a meal? There are many easy ways to serve gluten-free food at a party (and many that are complicated, too, if that is what you are looking for). We decided on a nacho bar. I had pre-cookedand frozen some ground beef, so when it was party time, all I had to do was defrost the meat and place it in a crockpot with the appropriate seasonings. A large can of Rico’s cheese sauce in another crockpot (and shredded cheddar for my dad, who does not like cheese sauce), a bowl of diced tomatoes, a bowl of shredded lettuce, and a bowl of diced chives, evens out the offerings over some tortilla chips. It could be a taco bar, too, but I find that nachos can be easier to eat with less mess.
Other serve-yourself-bars could include a potato bar with all the fixings (served in margarita glasses for a fancy touch), or a make-your-own pizza bar. Prebaked individual-sized crusts and bowls of toppings makes for a fun and tasty activity for children (and adults).
GF taquitos, little smokies, deviled eggs, and fruit and vegetable trays are finger foods that are easy to prepare. A little more work can give you pigs in a blanket, a tasty treat for anytime.
Don’t be afraid when it is time to throw a gluten-free party. It is a safe and great way to celebrate, and it does not have to be hard. So don’t stress, and have fun.
It took me an aggravatingly long time to figure out that the Crunchy Vanilla Sunrise reminds me a bit of vanilla Tootsie Rolls (I knew the flavor was familiar the moment I first put some in my mouth…). I actually really like vanilla Tootsie Rolls. 
