Created by: Allison Kuhn, RD LD

Planning a birthday party for little ones can be stressful—especially with food allergies, gluten intolerances and concerns about added sugar becoming more common. But that doesn't mean you can't plan a party that will delight children with even the most stringent nutritional requirements. We have plenty of recipes to get your worry-free party started, including nut-free trail mix, gluten-free vanilla shortcake, banana party pops, and no-bake party snacks.

But first, consider these important tips:

It doesn't hurt to ask. Consider adding a line to your party invite that asks about allergies or other dietary concerns.

Label everything. Clearly mark each food item at serving stations. It's easy to work pretty labels into your party décor!

Don't throw away those boxes and bags. A bag of chips might not look as chic as chips in a pretty bowl, but make sure you keep all food packaging on hand so that concerned parents can read the ingredients list. Most parents (and even some kids!) know exactly what to look for on food labels.

Be mindful of your preparation methods. For example, if you have a party guest with a peanut allergy, always prepare those snacks last, and be sure to keep all food and utensils separate during prep, storage and serving. You might even want to use sticky notes as reminders during prep (for you) and serving (for others) to ensure no cross-contamination occurs. Allergic guests may also feel more comfortable when served first, when foods are still separate.

Created by: Glad

Ready to make your next event or party a one-bag affair? See if you can make it from start to finish on one bag of trash. Sound crazy? Not with smarter, greener planning.

BEFORE THE EVENT:

• Email the invitations. Use invitation or social networking sites to send paperless invites. Evite.com and Ping.com are two great options.
• Keep guests in the loop with your green theme. Give your guests ideas on how to be a green-friendly guest. Suggest reusing bags, reducing packaging, and giving experience gifts such as dance lessons or movie tickets.
• Keep it simple and delicious. Kids prefer fun over fancy. When hosting adults, opt for bite-sized party treats to eliminate excess waste.
• Check RSVPs. Try to get an accurate guest count and plan accordingly.
• Buy in bulk and be picky with packaging. From chips to wine, you can please your guests with bigger, boxed options.
• Go with glass, cloth, and plastic. Use glass dishware, linens, and reusable plastic containers to cut back on bag fillers.
• ...Or, choose compostable. If reusable dinnerware isn’t an option, choose compostable: sugar cane, palm leaves, and corn will do.
• Donate your leftovers. Contact churches, shelters, and other organizations.
• Don’t stress the mess. You can always use the money saved on disposables to hire a young helper in your neighborhood.
• Go natural. Choose flowers or other natural décor to make your party pop. You can also use anything that can be reused, repurposed, or recycled—such as ribbons, lace, beads, and glass jars.
• Skip common offenders. That means wrapping paper, tinsel, plastic utensils, plastic cups and anything styrofoam.
• Create a sorting system. Find a few different containers and label them glass, plastic, aluminum, compost and trash.
• Use reusable dishes to store food. Try to avoid foil or plastic wrap.
• Consider sustainable favors. Pass out potted plants or other gifts made from reused or re-purposed materials.

AFTER THE EVENT:

• Give parting guests leftover food in reusable containers. Less to clean up for you; more food for them.
• Re-sort your recycling. It takes a bit of practice to keep them separated.
• Visit FindAComposter.com to find a compost site. Contact your city’s solid waste or environmental services department for more info.
• Congratulate yourself. These small steps can help make the world a little cleaner for you and your children.

Created by: Glad

What’s a summer backyard party without a little slipping and sliding? Create a homemade slip ‘n slide in minutes by following these four simple steps.

1. Grab a big box of contractor bags. Heavy-duty bags are a must, as they'll guard against tearing.
2. Roll out your garbage bags and use duct tape to mend them together at the seams. To make the slide wider, tape the longer sides together. Put the tape on both sides and run it the width of the slide.
3. Put the slide on a grassy hill with a small decline. You can use a few tent stakes to hold the slide in place at the top.
4. Before you send the kids on the slide of their life, turn on the hose and give it a test run. If you want to add a little more slip to your slide, drizzle a bit of dishwasher detergent on the surface. Added bonus: Cleaner kids.

Created by: Clorox

Ready to sit back and enjoy cold drinks on the patio? Make sure your patio furniture is party-ready, too.

Quick Cleans and Wipe Downs

Have a few minor splatters and spills at your backyard birthday barbecue? For a quick clean, wipe your patio table and chairs with disinfecting wipes. To bring your umbrellas and patio furniture out of hibernation, give them a quick wipe down with household cleaner, bleach, and a paper towel.

Deep Clean

For a deeper clean, wash patio furniture with outdoor bleach. Here's how:

1. Mix 2 1/2 cups of outdoor bleach product with 1 gallon of water in a plastic bucket or container.
2. Scrub with a brush or push broom (soaked in the solution) until it's clean. Heavily soiled surfaces may require a little extra scrubbing.
3. Rinse treated and surrounding areas thoroughly with water.

Plastic, Wood, and Glass

Hard, nonporous patio furniture surfaces* like plastic, painted wood (Adirondack chairs), and glass (tabletops) can be cleaned with regular bleach.

Here's how:

1. Water any nearby plants that may come in contact with runoff from the bleach and water solution (driveway is a good place).
2. Mix 1/2 cup regular bleach per 1 gallon water in a plastic container or bucket.
3. Use a hose with a nozzle to rinse off each item.
4. Use a brush or sponge to apply the bleach solution, reapplying as necessary to keep the item wet for at least 5 minutes.**
5. Rinse the items and allow them to air dry.
6. Re-water plants as needed.

*Avoid using bleach on non-stainless steel, aluminum, or chipped enamel. Wear gloves to avoid irritation.

**Helpful hint: Try not to clean everything at once. You'll need to start rinsing your surfaces 5 minutes after you begin, so take your time. Then you can avoid leaving the bleach and water solution on too long.