Last Updated on March 15, 2023 by Amanda P. Brown
Celebrating a baby’s 1st birthday is always memorable to the parents. As parents always try to give their best at their baby’s first birthday party, so they sometimes get confused to decide what kind of food they will arrange for their baby’s 1st birthday.
Celebrate your baby’s 1st birthday with the following food items. These 1st birthday food ideas (from cake to appetizers) will make the birthday special for both parents and children.
12-Best 1st Birthday Food Ideas:
First Birthday Cake:
- Unicorn Birthday Cake
Snacks or Finger Food Ideas
- Small Ham and Cheese Puff
- Cone Ice-cream Chocolate Cupcakes
- Rainbow Cupcakes
- Chocolate Chips Cookies
- Butter Corn
Drinks for the Birthday Party
- Pink Lemonade
- Vanilla Milkshake
Dinner or Lunch Item for 1st Birthday
- Cheese Pizza
- Mini Mac and Cheese Hot Dogs
- Taco Dip Platter
- Pasta with Meatballs
What Flavor Cake Is Best for 1st Birthday Party?
Chocolate cake, it is the most favorite item to anybody. From children to adults, everybody loves to eat it. Chocolate adds another level of taste to 1st birthday cake. Except for this chocolate cake, you can choose another flavor to make the first birthday cake, which also increases your cake taste. They are; cinnamon cake, coffee cake, cheesecake, vanilla cake, pineapple cake, etc.
1st Birthday Cake Ideas:
The cake is most important part for the birthday party. Children always have craving for cake.
1. Unicorn Birthday Cake
Ingredients
| For Cake | • All-purpose flour • Two 16 ounces white cake mix • Cooking spray • ¼-Cup rainbow sprinkle |
| For decorating | • 1 Strip rainbow-striped sour candy belt (24 inches long) • 2-Ounces cotton candy • 2-Cups sweetmeat sugar • Blue Food color (coloring for the horn and ear) • 2-Cups mini marshmallows • Blue and pink mix candies • 1 strand black licorice (must be thin 12 inches) |
| For buttercream | • 4-Tablespoons of milk • 1-Tablespoon vanilla extract • 1-Pound unsalted butter (at room temperature) • 8-Cups confectioners’ sugar • Pinch of salt |
Tools You Need:
- Round cake pans (8 inches)
- Lollipop sticks (8 inches with rice and dried beans)
Baking Process:
For the cake baking, first, you preheat the oven at 350 degrees. Grease the 8 inches pan with cooking spray and sprinkle some flour into it. Follow the package instructions to make the cake batter. After making the batter, put and divide the batter into 4- ready pans. Bake the cake; it takes 26 to 29 minutes to bake. After finishing the baking, let it be cool for 10 minutes. Now you can remove it from the pans.
Cake Decoration:
Create the ears and horn. Take a large microwave bowl; put the marshmallows into it with 2- teaspoon water. Microwave this nearing 1 minute, until it’s melted. Give half sugar on this mixture; after kneading, the mixture again gives remain sugar on it. Keep mixing to make it completely pliable and smooth.
Divide the marshmallows mixture into 3- portions, attach 1- drop of blue color, and mix it properly until combine. Use a sharp knife to take away one section of the blue combination and another ¼ inch roll out to the thickness.
For the unicorn ears, you have to cut 2 inches triangle inside of this. Take the remaining blue mixture and roll up in a thick size. Use water to brush the lollipop stick. You should start with the thickest division of this part in a pointed horn. Force down softly around to the stick. Pour the jar with dried rice and dried beans to dry.
Try to remove the remaining marshmallows with the help of a sharp knife. Again cut the outside 3 inches triangles for the unicorn ears. With a small amount of water, brush the large side of the ears. Fix on the smaller blue ears. And make the smaller face. Let keep them dry.
Buttercream:
Take a large bowl, beat the ingredients (salt, butter, sugar) until combined. After that, add 1- tablespoon vanilla and milk, then beat it again to make the frosting.
To Make a Cake Flat or Plain:
- Cut the top side of the cake.
- Give the frosting on the top of the cake layer.
- Follow this process again to frost another layer.
After finish, the process of frosting layers, wrap the cake with frosting. Let them set now; it takes 12 minutes to set. Then put the cake on the cake stand.
For making U shape on the cake, cut 3 inches from licorice and join with the cake.
To make eye for eyelashes, you have to cut down ½ inch licorice and stamp 5- along the bottom. Cover the strip of cakes with the remaining frosting. Join the candies on the cake and add ears and horns.
It takes time a total of 3 hours to make.
Snacks or Finger Food Ideas:
Snacks are one of the crucial parts of 1st birthday food ideas. Some snacks or finger food items are given below, which can be a good choice for the 1st birthday party.
2. Small Ham and Cheese Puff
This is a little tasty filling potluck that can be served at the first birthday party. Every child loves to bite this tasty and cheesy dish yet.
| Ingredients | Tube pre-rolled puff (8 ounces) ½-Cup shredded cheese (you can use grated cheddar cheese) 1-Cup thinly diced ham (120 g) Medium eggs or 1- large egg Chopped onion½ teaspoons Dijon mustard ½ teaspoon pepper |
| Nutrition facts: | 4g Protein 8g Carbohydrates 263 mg Sodium 6g Fat 25mg of Cholesterol |
Cooking Process:
Beat the egg in a large bowl; add all the ingredients together (ham, onion, cheese, Dijon mustard, pepper).
Cut the rolls into 24 portions and make round mini muffin cups, or you can also cut them into 7.5-9 cm square.
Fill 1- tablespoon ham mixture into the middle of each cup or square and bake it until it’s brown; it can take time 15-18 minutes.
Notes:
Before baking the puff pastry, preheat the oven to 375 degrees, and don’t press the puffs too much during baking.
3. Cone Ice Cream Chocolate Cupcakes
The full filling chocolate cone ice-cream looks so adorable and tasty that everyone loves to eat at the birthday party. And so this food item takes place in our 1st birthday food ideas.
| Ingredients | 20 Ice cream cake cones (should be 3 inches tall) A bunch of Yellow or French vanilla cake mix Colored sprinkle ¼-Cup shortening 4-Cups Chocolate chips 6-Cups of sweetmeat sugar 1-Cup softened butter¼ cup of milk ½-Cup shortening 1-Tablespoon of vanilla essence (can be used any essence by your taste) |
| Nutrition | 2.1g Protein 159.4 Calories 38.7mg Potassium 32.8mg of Cholesterol 24.7g Carbohydrate 87.0mg Sodium |
Baking Process:
Prepare the cupcake batter according to the package direction. Put the ice-cream cones in mini muffin cups. Take 1/8 or 2 tablespoon batter and fill the grease of muffin cups. Bake the cake at 350° in the oven
You have to bake it until the knife comes out clean. It may take time 15-20 minutes.
Frosting Process:
Shortening and beat the butter until it is fully blended. Beat the milk, vanilla, and sweetmeat sugar slowly till the form turn soft.
Put a little amount of frosting on each cupcake; fix it with the cone. Spread the ice-cream and the remaining frosting on the top. Freeze it for around 5-10 minutes.
Take a metal bowl of simmering water and melt the chocolate and shortening. Gradually stirring it till the mixture is smooth. Dive the cones in this mixture and put some sprinkles to decorate.
Notes:
Before taking out the cake from the pan, you have to cool it for a minimum of 5 minutes on the pan, or it will break so easily, and while serving, make sure it should be completely cool.
4. Rainbow Cupcakes
The colorful fluffy cupcake is the best snack for a toddler’s birthday party. These cupcakes are tasty and effortless to make.
| Ingredients | 3-Cups flour 1-Cup sour cream 1/3-Cup vegetable oil 1-Cup white cake mix ½-Cup milk 2- Eggs Food colors (for rainbow coloring, use 5- colors) 5- Tablespoon milk 6 -Cups powder sugar Pinch of salt 3- Sticks softened butter ½-Teaspoon coconut extract ½-Teaspoon vanilla extract |
| Nutrition (for 24 cupcakes) | 2g Protein 202mg Sodium 42mg of Cholesterol 363 Calories 56g Calcium 52g Carbohydrate 40g Sugar 121mg Potassium Chocolate chips cookies |
Baking Process:
Take a bowl, mix all ingredients well (flour, cream, vegetable oil, white cake mix). After ready the batter, divide the batter following your color choices. If you use 5- colors, then 1 cup worked for each color.
Here you can use a small spoon for baking. For color decision, I suggest you can start with orange, after that yellow, after that purple, after that green, after that blue, and lastly red. It takes time 18-20 minutes to baking.
Frosting process:
To make the frosting, add powder sugar and butter, beat it to make light and fluffy. Then add the vanilla essence, salt, coconut extract; mix it well. It would help if you gradually beat all of this to make it soft.
For frosting the cake, you can use a Ziploc bag; you have to cut the Ziploc bag’s corner; it is ready for decorating now. Now decorate your cupcakes with frosting.
Notes:
Cupcakes must be cool at the time of frosting
5. Chocolate Chips Cookies
| Ingredients | 2- Large eggs 1-Cup walnuts (chopped) 3-Cups flour 1-Cup softened butter 1-Cup brown sugar 1-Cup white sugar 2-Teaspoon hot water 2 Cups chocolate chips (semi-sweet) 2- Teaspoon vanilla essence ½-Teaspoon salt 1-Teaspoon baking soda |
| Nutrition | 3.6g Protein 165.8 mg Sodium 38.9g Carbohydrates 35.8mg of Cholesterol 15.6g Fat |
Cooking Process:
Preheat the oven to 175- degrees C. Mix well (brown sugar, butter, white sugar) until combined; beat eggs with it and add vanilla. After that, melt 1- teaspoon baking soda in 2 teaspoons hot water. When ready, the batter gives salt in it. Swirl in nuts, chocolate chips, and flour. Take a large pan and drop batter into it. It takes time 10 minutes to bake in the preheated oven. When the edges of the cookies look brown, then you have to understand that your cookies are now ready.
6. Butter Corn
This is one of the easiest snacks to make for a birthday party. You can make this quick, and Kids love to eat this tasty food.
| Ingredients | 2- Tablespoon butter 3- Tablespoon ground black pepper 2- Tablespoon grated cheese (it’s optional) 3- Cups sweet corn kernels 1-Tablespoon lemon juice ½-Teaspoon salt |
| Nutrition: | 3.4g Protein 67.4mg Sodium 150g Energy 6.2g Fat 23.8g Carbohydrates 2.5g Fiber 0 mg Cholesterol |
Cooking Process:
Take a non-stick pan, put it on the stove, melt the butter on it. When the butter is melted properly, add pepper, salt, cheese, corn, and cook it for 2 minutes on medium flame. After 2- minutes, take out the pan from the stove and add some lemon juice. It takes 13 minutes to cook.
Serve butter corn immediately after cook.
Drinks for the Birthday Party
Drinks are also an essential part of 1st birthday food ideas. To make your baby’s 1st birthday party special, here are 2- welcome drinks are given below.
7. Pink Lemonade
This non-alcoholic drink is the best for the kids at the birthday party.
| Ingredients | 4-Cups cold water ½-Cup cranberry juice 3-Cups lemon juice (20 lemons squeezed) 2-Thinly sliced lemons (for garnish) 4-Cups ice 2-Cups of sugar |
| Nutrition facts (for 1 can) | 0.5g Protein 1.5g Fat 8.7mg Sodium 106.5g Carbohydrates 165.7mg Potassium |
Preparing Process:
Take a large juice container, pour the lemon juice into it. Dissolved the sugar in this juice, give cranberry juice and 4 cups cold water into this container; stir it continuously to combine it. At last, add sliced lemon and ice for serving.
8. Vanilla Milkshake
This creamy and smooth milkshake will be the kids’ favorite one drink.
| Ingredients | 4- Drops of vanilla essence Cup vanilla ice cream 1-Teaspoon sugar (if needed) 4- Cup cold milk |
| Nutrition | 12g Protein 26g Fat 89g Carbohydrate |
Preparing Process:
Blend the ingredients all together with sugar, milk, and vanilla essence. After that, add ice cream and blend again to make it creamy. It takes 7 minutes to prepare.
Serve in the glass.
Dinner or Lunch Items
9. Cheese Pizza
This is a tasty pizza with a lot of cheese that everyone loves to bite. This pizza can be standard food for dinner time at the birthday party. A pizza is a kind of food that is everyone’s favorite.
| Ingredients | 1-cup lukewarm water 1-cup flour teaspoon olive oil 1-Tablespoon sugar ½-Teaspoon salt 1-Teaspoon dry yeast 1-Tablespoon tomato sauce or tomato paste 1-tablespoon chopped fresh basil 8- Beef strips, crumbled and cooked (you can also use chicken) 7- Sliced cheese 4 Cups fresh mozzarella cheese (also can be used cheddar cheese) ¼ -Teaspoon oregano (it’s optional) |
| Nutrition facts (for 1- slice) | 36g Protein 93 mg Cholesterol 50g Carbohydrate 685 Calories 1503mg Sodium |
Baking Process:
Take a plastic bowl; mix all the ingredients (sugar, lukewarm water, yeast) together. Keep it aside for 15 minutes to bloom.
After 15 minutes, add 1 cup of flour into it and make the pizza dough; Dab 1 teaspoon olive oil over the dough, and let rest for 40 minutes.
Spend 40 minutes, knead the dough, and spread it on the pizza pan. Spread the pizza sauce on prepared pizza dough. Distribute the mozzarella cheese with beef strips. Bake the pizza in the oven at 400°.
Bake it until the cheese is melted and the crust is golden brown. It took time 35-40 minutes.
Notes:
Before spread pizza on the pan, make sure that you spray the pan with olive oil or vegetable oil; this can help to avoid sticking of crust.
10. Mini Mac and Cheese Hot Dogs
This tasty dish can enjoy everyone as a dinner item at a birthday party.
| Ingredients | 12-Bun-length beef hot dogs 16-Ounces of frozen bread dough 2- Tablespoon chopped onion ¼-Teaspoon pepper Package cheese and macaroni dinner mix ½-Cup crumbs of bread Tablespoon olive or vegetable oil ¼-Teaspoon salt |
| Nutrition (1- appetizer) | 6-g Protein 446mg Sodium 12g Fat 18g Carbohydrate 198 Calories |
Baking Process:
Put the dough for 15-20 minutes at room temperature to make it soft. Make 3 inches long mini bun. Use greased plastic wrap to cover it, bake buns until it turns golden brown.
Take a baking pan mix the remainder of all ingredients onion, salt, pepper, oil with bread crumbs. Bake it in the oven at 350°. It took time 5-7 minutes to a golden brown.
Make macaroni following the package instructions and cook hot dogs. Before serving, cut the hot dogs into half; fill it with the cheese and macaroni. To decorate, sprinkle some toasted crumbs over it.
11. Taco Dip Platter
From our first birthday food ideas, this traditional colorful dish can be the best choice for dinner. This is a good dish with olives, tomatoes, lettuce, and cheese.
| Ingredients | 2-Cups hot cooked rice 15-Ounces beans 15-Ounces tomato paste 14-1/2-Ounces diced tomatoes 15-Ounces tomato puree Package corn chips Large chopped onion ½-Teaspoon garlic powder Tablespoon chili powder Teaspoon salt Teaspoon ground cumin 2-Pounds of ground beef For Toppings Medium shredded lettuce Medium chopped onion Medium chopped tomatoes ¼-Ounces olives 2-Cps cheddar cheese |
| Nutrition | 27g Protein 1200 mg Sodium 522 Calories 47g Carbohydrate 56mg Cholesterol 24g Fat (saturated fat 9g) |
Cooking Process:
Take a medium-sized bowl to mix 7- ingredients and cook the meat until the meat is ready. Add the ingredients with the prepared meat and cover for a maximum of 2 hours.
Heat the beans; take one plate, and put on the meat mixture, rice, corn chips, tomatoes, onion, and lettuce.
12. Pasta with Meatballs
This is the proper tasty food for the guest at the birthday party dinner. It is a simple and delicious dish.
| Ingredients | 2- eggs or 1- large egg 42-Heaped teaspoon Dijon mustard 12-Cream crackers 1-Tablespoon oregano 500g Minced beef Dried red chili 1-Teaspoon black pepper Spring’s chopped rosemary Bunch fresh basil Cloves of garlic Olive oil (based on your need) 1-Tablespoon vinegar Onion 400g Dried pasta (can be used spaghetti also) Italian cheese 2 x 400 g Tin of plum tomatoes |
| Nutrition (1000grams) | 4.5g Protein 11g Carbohydrate 315mg Sodium 7mg Cholesterol 201mg Potassium 4g Total fat |
Cooking Process:
Smash the crackers with a tea towel, then put them into a bowl. Add the ingredients into the bowl (chopped rosemary, minced meat, oregano, mustard, black pepper, egg, salt). Mix it well; to mix all the ingredients well, you can use a whisk here.
Make the meatballs with this mixture. Take place; put each meatball on it. To firm the balls, you have to keep the balls in the freeze.
Heat the frying pan with 2- tablespoons of oil; cook the onion on the frying pan until its golden brown. Then put garlic, basil leaves, chili, tomatoes, season, and balsamic vinegar. Stir it continuously to cook properly.
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil on a new frying pan. Cook the meatballs for around 10-12 minutes, until there is no longer pink in the meatball.
Cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Put the cooked pasta on the large plate, then spread half tomato sauce over it. Attach meatballs, reserved basil, and cheese on the top.
What Can I Serve at a Children’s Party?
Some parents are struggling to choose a menu for their children’s birthday, so previously we have mentioned some best 1st birthday food ideas that can be served at a first birthday party. Except for our mentioned food item, you can also serve – stuffed mushrooms, taco dip platter, hamburgers, cheese pizza, sweet butter corn, pasta salad, pinwheel pops, rainbow strawberries, chocolate dip cone ice cream, etc. at your baby’s first birthday party.
Final Verdict:
Birthday is always an important and special day for a person, but as a parent, when it comes to your child’s 1st birthday, it is the most important and remarkable day for the parents.
So, on the above, we try to make much effort to give the best 1st birthday food ideas for making your child’s first birthday more special and more unique.
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