Food Free Birthday Celebrations!

Your little one has been diagnosed with FPIES (or other food allergies), their birthday is approaching and you don’t have enough safe ingredients to make a cake.  What can you do?  There are so many fun options!! We wanted to share a few of the ideas that parents have done to help inspire you. 

Gift Box Surprise Cake

This is a cake your little one can really ‘tear" into!

Supplies needed:

• Stacking size boxes- almost anything will do, shoebox, Kleenex boxes, gift wrap boxes, or you can find at craft stores that sell plain hat/treasure boxes that work great!  You can get circle or square/rectangle!  (note- rectangle is easier to wrap!)
• Tissue or wrapping paper – this will allow them to rip into their cake, but be careful that your child does not eat the paper!  If you are concerned that your child may eat the paper- you can substitute for fabric.
• Tape or ribbons- to secure paper or fabric to boxes.
• Decorations: stickers, toys, puffy letters, etc…
• Small tokens/treasures for inside the boxes *optional

Directions:  Fill boxes with token, if desired.  Then, wrap boxes (empty or with a token/treasure/gift) with wrapping/tissue paper, or fabric.  Secure with tape and/or or ribbons.  Next, decorate paper if desired with stickers (spelling out their name, writing happy birthday, etc), stack toys on top or around towers of cake (these can match your theme or be something special to save for years to come).  Stack boxes to give look of a tiered cake!  Have fun with it!

Fabric Quilt Cake

The fabric from this cake can be made into a special blanket for a new tradition!

Supplies needed:

• Fabric
• Stacking size boxes- almost anything will do, shoebox, Kleenex boxes, gift wrap boxes, or you can find at craft stores that sell plain hat/treasure boxes that work great!  You can get circle or square/rectangle!  (note- rectangle is easier to wrap!)
• Ribbons /fabric tape or fun tak – to secure fabric to boxes.
• Decorations: *optional
• Small tokens/gifts for inside the boxes! *optional but this can be a fun way of presenting the presents!

Directions:  Fill boxes with gifts or tokens/prizes.  Then, wrap fabric around boxes, secure with ribbons, or fabric (or strong) tape.  Stack boxes and decorate with toys around, or ribbons on fabric, etc.  Stack boxes to give the look of a tiered cake.  Have fun with it!

Surprise Party Cake Slices

This cake can be ordered and is realistic and fun!

Supplies needed:

• This cake can be ordered from:  The Oriental Trading Company (Birthday Cake Slices Treat Boxes).  Be sure to allow time for shipping!
• Tokens or small gifts/surprises for insides boxes.

Toy cakes

(can purchase in store/order online)

For a first birthday:

• Laugh and learn singing scoops ice cream cone
• Alex Jr Patty Cake (nesting cupcake, plush)
• Fisher price servin' surprise birthday set 
• leapfrog counting candles birthday cake
• Gund first birthday plush playset 
• Alex jr Stack a Cake Set 
• Haba soft toys Set of 6 Piece cake

For toddler and preschool kids:

• Smart Snacks Stack and count layer cake 
• Lego Creative cake duplo set 
• Plan Toys Planactivity Decorate a cake set 
• Small world birthday cake set  
• Melissa and Doug birthday party cake 
• Melissa and Doug "bake" and decorate cupcake toy set 
• Melissa and Doug layer party cake 
• K's Kids My Singing Birthday Cake

For three and up:

• Squinkie Girl Birthday Cake 
• Birthday wooden rings (with decoration accessories)-- many different themes

Please visit our website for additional resources on Cooking and Nutrition and Food Free Festivities!

Thank you to parents Joy Meyer, Jill Terwey, and Heather Hughes for sharing their birthday cake pictures pictured in this post. 

This post was written by the Executive Board of The FPIES Foundation