The World Health Organisation recommends that children under the age of two consume no or minimal sugar, hence parents should consider a baby smash cake or first birthday cake that are baby friendly and baby safe for their littles ones.
The recommendations advise no cake for children under age 2
One of the most photographed moments at a child's first birthday party is the little cherub face covered in cake and icing. This may change now that new U.S. dietary guidelines recommend children do not eat cake or candy until they turn two years old.
Parents now have an extra reason to say no to candy, cake and ice cream for children before their second birthday. The first U.S. government dietary guidelines for infants and toddlers, released Tuesday, recommend feeding only breast milk for at least six months and no added sugar for children under age 2.
In case you're unfamiliar, a smash cake is basically a tiny cake meant to be relished by your kiddo on her first birthday. And since 1-year-olds are pretty much lawless, that means she'll likely dig in by using her fingers, or “smashing” her face into it the second it's placed in front of her.
Yes, your baby can safely enjoy cake (healthy or nonhealthy) on their first birthday. Babies are encouraged to start eating solid foods starting at around 6 months of age and by the time that they turn a year old they should have some mobility and idea of how to feed themselves with their own hands.
The best cakes to smash are plain old vanilla sponge cakes. They're soft and crumbly and easy for little hands to break up. Buttercream icing will create the perfect messy fun you're after, but pick your colour carefully - red icing can leave your baby looking like a vampire and brown can look like...
The World Health Organisation recommends that children under the age of two consume NO ADDED SUGAR. For this reason, many parents avoid feeding their baby added sugars and when it comes to their baby's first birthday they may feel uncomfortable serving a sugar-laden cake.
Introducing baby to some added sugar on their first birthday will not ruin their taste for healthy food, I promise. Most babies who go to town on their cakes act no differently afterwards either (according to the thousands of parents we've asked!).
It's best to wait until your toddler is at least two years old before offering her sweets, puddings, cakes, biscuits, confectionery, chocolate or savoury snacks such as crisps. Keep sweets and crisps as special treats and aim to offer them no more than once a week.
You could even let them have melting candies as early as two. However, candies like caramel, jelly beans, lollipops and peppermints shouldn't be given to your child until they are at least four. Not only are sticky candies and hard candies worse for teeth, but they can also be choking hazards.
The latest recommendations from the American Heart Association (AHA) say babies and young toddlers should not receive any sweets in the first 2 years of life.
Although chocolate is delicious, it is not recommended for babies under two years of age as it contains refined sugars and caffeine, which could have negative effects on your baby (1).
Foods with added sugars can include muffins, flavored yogurts, or cookies. Children younger than 24 months old should avoid added sugars. Check the Nutrition Facts Label to find foods with no added sugars.
Foods and beverages high in added sugars provide a lot of calories - referred to as "empty calories" - but not a lot of nutrients. Offering foods with added sugars to children from birth to 24 months is problematic because they eat relatively small amounts of food at this stage.
A 4" round cake is more than enough for your Birthday Boy or Girl. This cake pictured below is a 4" round small cake with 2 cake layers. We recommend this size if you are looking for the perfect proportion for a highchair-style smash cake.
When can babies have sugar? While it is considered safe to add sugar to baby's food after 12 months of age, it can be beneficial to wait until closer to the 2nd birthday to introduce sugar and sweeteners (even natural ones like agave, date syrup, honey, maple syrup, and stevia).
Un-iced: If you don't need to ice your cake until the day, you can bake your cake at least 2-3 days ahead of time. But you will need to store it carefully. Ensure that you wrap the cake and have it stored in an airtight container so it doesn't lose moisture.
Make sure you also tell the bakery that it's a smash cake so they don't put anything inside the cake to stabilize it, like a stick which can be dangerous. I also recommend that you don't get a cake with fondant because this can present a choking hazard.
Ice cream may seem like a fun food choice, but added sugar makes it unhealthy for your growing tot. While it is safe for your baby to consume ice cream after six months of age, the CDC recommends waiting until 24 months to include added sugars in your baby's diet.
A cake smash session is held around a baby's first birthday. Babies are given a cake and the freedom to eat/destroy it however they please.
When Can Babies Have Chocolate? The AAP does not recommend that children under the age of 2 have foods containing caffeine or added sugar—both of which are found in chocolate. 4 So while food allergies are not a reason to delay giving your young child chocolate, the added sugar and caffeine are.