For MPI LOs, what do you do at someone elses birthday party?

[Rileysmum]

DS is MPI, so obviously, no milk products. We took him to our nieces birthday party about a month ago, and since it was a rushed day, I didn't plan ahead for food for him like I normally do (usually I take some safe snack options anywhere we go, in case there isn't anything he can have). It came time for the cake, and all of DHs family were asking him if he wanted cake. (They have been told many times that he can't have milk, but the only one who seems to remember is MIL.) Anyways, I ended up having to take him from that area, and offer some fruit instead.

Next week her sister is having a birthday, so I am sure it will be the same thing. I'm wondering, what kind of sweet treat do you take to offer instead? He did get some milk-free cake at his birthday, but that seems like a lot of work (and cake) to make it just for him.

Do you try in any way to distract your LO from the fact that everyone else is getting something different?

[~ Vik ~]

I make something for Dylan everywhere we go - but I make a big batch of muffins or cupcakes every few months and freeze them. For events it's just a matter of taking it out of the freezer the night before and icing it (if needed). He's getting to the age where he knows that sometimes he has to eat different thugs than others, but I think that it's important for him to understand why. I just explain to him (as simply as possible) that he gets his own special treat because some food makes him sick. As long as he gets a treat (rather than watching everyone else while he eats a rice cake or something) he's been quite good.
Hth

[MasynSpencerElliotte]

I also make something to take along that Spencer can have, but mostly she doesn't notice or can be swayed by something as mundane as a rice cookie!  If people don't ask or offer the food to her, she is even less likely to notice, but most people seem to feel bad or that I am depriving her or something and keep putting it in front of her. 

[clazzat]

I don't have an MPI lo, but I am very strict about cakes, sweets etc so we have often been in a position where everyone else is eating something that I don't want my dd to have.  I haven't found it to be an issue at all - until she was about 3 I would just take along something that she liked (like a fruit bar or rice cake), and then after that I would just tell her that she couldn't have cake and I would offer her some other thing from the birthday tea.  I am relaxing the rules a lot now that she is 4, but she still accepts that there are things that others can have that she can't and because it has always been this way it doesn't seem to be a problem.  I get a lot of people thinking that I am depriving her as well, but in my experience she really has been just as happy with the thing that she was given (particularly before she knew what she was missing) so I have been happy to stick to my guns.  Happily, dd2 doesn't like cake, biscuits, chocolate or ice cream, so I don't even have to think about it with her!

[deb]

We have friends with an outright dairy-allergic DD and they bring hemp milk ice cream (there's also coconut milk ice cream as well as rice milk) with them to parties. Oreos, oddly, apparently have no dairy either - they're enough of a non-food that they're OK for no-dairy, unless that's changed very recently. (We always get an Oreo or two when we visit their house. LOL) But they're not shy about bringing their own snacks for things like that. Makes it easy on the host as well.

[~*~Louisa~*~]

I would make some milk free cupcakes and plonk some icing on

[Jimbob]

I would either make some milk free cupcakes or take whatever is your ds's favourite treat. My ds is alergic to dairy, eggs, nuts and peanuts so we always have to take snacks for him he does not mind  as he understands why.

Kelly

[Rileysmum]

Thanks. DH and I don't really eat baked goods such as cakes, cookies, etc, so we don't have them in the house, and I have never really had to think about things like that for DS, except for his birthday. Anything I make is for other people, so milk is fine. I think I will search milk free recipe for cupcakes or muffins. I would be open to suggestions.... 

Vicki, what kind of milk do you use that you are able to freeze? We use rice and almond, and both say not to freeze them.

but most people seem to feel bad or that I am depriving her or something and keep putting it in front of her. 

Yes! This was exactly the problem. He didn't care that other people were getting cake, he was perfectly happy just snacking on veggies, until other people kept offering him cake. 
Then he got excited about having some, so I just took him to another room and gave him some apple, and all was fine.

(there's also coconut milk ice cream as well as rice milk)

I saw you talking about that somewhere else, so we were thinking about looking for some. DH feels that he is deprived because he has never had ice cream.  Thanks. 

[Canwi]

There is also soy ice creams, if that isn't an issue.

I get really annoyed at people who don't get that a child has an allergy or an intolerance, and continue to push treats on them like your son had done.
I mean it's no different than a person offering a recovering alcholic a "lite beer" and saying that it won't hurt because it's light!

Is Riley mature enough to tell people that he has to check with Mama before he eats stuff because some food makes him sick?  Might make the adults think twice.

[deb]

If you make cupcakes with rice milk, you can freeze the cupcakes just fine.

[deb]

Oh, puddle cake is vegan, so no eggs OR milk! I'll have to hunt for a recipe though, or you can Google "puddle cake" or "wacky cake."