Nut free party food

[GoldenMarmalade]

Hello.

My DS turns 6 next week and we have invited his school friends for a party.

One has a nut allergy and I am struggling to find party food that is completely nut free. I am calling upon the wise mumsneters for some nut free suggestions please.

Thanks in advance!

Anyone?

I tend to do buffet food or party boxes and keep it all nut free and veggie, just makes it easier then you don't have to remember who needs what. Keep it simple and quick to eat. So i would do:

Selection of cheese or jam sandwiches
Platter of fruit and veg - melon slices, berries, grapes, cherry tomatoes, cucumber rounds
Selection of biscuits - party rings, jammy dodgers, iced gems
Selection of crisps - pre Covid I'd have done big bowls but now probably a load of supermarket own brand packets for them to grab
Cheese and pineapple on sticks (novelty value and who doesn't like a hedgehog of cocktail sticks with stuff on)

They don't eat much at a party, they nibble or graze on few bits of junk food but they want to be playing not eating.

Just ask the child's parents. My dc had to be dairy free for several years. I used to ask the hosting parents what sort of food would be served and send my dc with a lunch box of similar food that would be safe for them. Unless the hosting parents had similar issues at home, I preferred not to rely on them reading labels and understanding about cross-contamination.

I don't think it would be very difficult to provide nut free food. Sandwiches, crisps, carrot and cucumber sticks, cherry tomatoes, melon slices, squares of cheese.

If you can I would make your own cake. You could just make a basic sponge cake, cover it with buttercream then stud it with Smarties (checking if they have been made in a nut free environment first).

Thank you so much, that's brilliant advice. For some reason I seem to have forgotten how to cater for other people's children - out of practice. My DS has never had a party before!

Do you know of any store bought nut free cakes at all?

Thanks again

Halfshrunk's suggestions are excellent. I could have done with those when DD was that age. Remember to check the labels for "may contain traces of ..." Some manufacturers are very specific -eg they might say made in a factory that uses nuts but produced on a separate line but others are more vague.

@Dilbertian

Just ask the child's parents. My dc had to be dairy free for several years. I used to ask the hosting parents what sort of food would be served and send my dc with a lunch box of similar food that would be safe for them. Unless the hosting parents had similar issues at home, I preferred not to rely on them reading labels and understanding about cross-contamination.

I tired asking his mum and she offered to send food. I didn't want her DS to feel left out though and so thought I would make the whole party nut free.

@Coatandhat

Halfshrunk's suggestions are excellent. I could have done with those when DD was that age. Remember to check the labels for "may contain traces of ..." Some manufacturers are very specific -eg they might say made in a factory that uses nuts but produced on a separate line but others are more vague.

... it's the 'May contain' message that's tripping me up. I must have read 50 labels today in 3 different shops

Hopefully these links work, sainsburys let's you filter by nut free

https://www.sainsburys.co.uk/shop/gb/groceries/bakery/birthday-and-party-cakes?fromMegaNav=1#langId=44&storeId=10151&catalogId=10241&categoryId=340928&parentcategoryyrn=12320&topcategory=12320&pageSize=60&orderBy=FAVOURITESSONLY%7CSEQUENCING%7CTOP_SELLERS&searchTerm=&beginIndex=0&hideFilters=true&facet=&facet=4294966258

@RampantIvy

I don't think it would be very difficult to provide nut free food. Sandwiches, crisps, carrot and cucumber sticks, cherry tomatoes, melon slices, squares of cheese.

If you can I would make your own cake. You could just make a basic sponge cake, cover it with buttercream then stud it with Smarties (checking if they have been made in a nut free environment first).

Thanks, that makes me feel better. Maybe I have been unduly flapping!

Parent of children with multiple allergies here. Lots of products say may contain nuts but not all are as high risk, but anything like cereal or chocolate is much higher risk than other cakes.
Can you chat to the parents of the child in question? Most likely they'll be expecting to being safe foods with them anyway. Just message them if you can saying what you're planning to offer and ask if there's anything specific they would like you to get. They will likely say "don't worry we'll bring things" but they'll be delighted to know that you've thought about it and also to know what's there so they can consider how much they actually need to bring along

Look for cakes from the Just Love Food Company.

Nut free but also free from other common allergens eg egg and dairy. Tastes lovely, my kids Hoover them

@HalfShrunkMoreToGo

Hopefully these links work, sainsburys let's you filter by nut free

https://www.sainsburys.co.uk/shop/gb/groceries/bakery/birthday-and-party-cakes?fromMegaNav=1#langId=44&storeId=10151&catalogId=10241&categoryId=340928&parentcategoryyrn=12320&topcategory=12320&pageSize=60&orderBy=FAVOURITESSONLY%7CSEQUENCING%7CTOP_SELLERS&searchTerm=&beginIndex=0&hideFilters=true&facet=&facet=4294966258

Wow! My new hero, thanks so much!!

groceries.asda.com/shelf/fresh-food-bakery/party-entertaining/party-cakes-desserts/birthday-party-cakes/1215135760597-1215685031916-1215685801110-1215275467513?nutritionValues=NoNuts

Oh now here you go, Asda let you filter the whole party food selection by no nuts, so you can see what sausage rolls etc are safe

groceries.asda.com/shelf/fresh-food-bakery/party-entertaining/party-food/party-food/1215135760597-1215685031916-1215685801109-1215684261428?nutritionValues=NoNuts

You are all amazing! Thanks so much for your help, I have been panicking that I would have to bake everything from scratch and mess it all up.What would I do without mumsnet

I would ask the child's parents. To be honest. i would be happier if they provided the food or atleast were responsible for what he ate.

My dad has a nut allergy. She eats things labelled "may contain traces of nuts", but not things labelled "may contain nuts". You may find the child you are inviting is similar. Worth a quick chat with the mum I would suggest.

Virtually all M & S food is unsuitable for nut allergy sufferers, but it's very easy to find nut free biscuits and crisps in most other supermarkets (eg Jaffa cakes, oreos). Just check the labels. If you are worried, as the mum to check the labels when she drops the child off.

My dd, not my dad! My dad can look after his own party food.

I tired asking his mum and she offered to send food. I didn't want her DS to feel left out though and so thought I would make the whole party nut free.

That is very kind of you. But there are so many pitfalls for someone who is not familiar with this way of living. And you may take caution too far or not far enough. Children with allergies have to learn to take responsibility for their own safety. AFAIK my dc enjoyed the parties they went to with their own party boxes. There would be chocolate, pizza, sticky cake, all sorts of party foods in their boxes, not just cherry toms and carrot sticks.

It's so kind of you to suggest making the whole party accessible but tbh there are so many ways to slip up that most parents probably wouldn't trust that unless it was from a family also living with allergies. But they'll be so happy that you've even offered or tried. Thank you for being so considerate to your child's friend. Little acts of kindness like this make such a difference

@YukoandHiro

It's so kind of you to suggest making the whole party accessible but tbh there are so many ways to slip up that most parents probably wouldn't trust that unless it was from a family also living with allergies. But they'll be so happy that you've even offered or tried. Thank you for being so considerate to your child's friend. Little acts of kindness like this make such a difference

Thanks YukoandHero, that's really nice of you. It's definitely a new territory for me and I think making the effort for one day is the least I can do for someone who has to live with an allergy full time. I think I have the food sorted now (due to the amazing support on this thread).

Thanks everyone