The baby shower menu is arguably one of the most important aspects of the shower, but setting out the wrong foods can be a disaster for both the mom-to-be and the hostesses. It's tempting to want the entire process to be a surprise, right down to the menu.
But if you provide food that mom can't eat, everyone will feel bad, so start your planning after co-ordinating with mum. Gestational diabetes is a common problem during pregnancy and many women face the rigors of establishing and maintaining very strict diet requirements during those months.
The disease can harm both baby and mother so it's best not to tempt mom with sweets that she's not allowed to have during this time. Because a baby shower could very well be considered a special occasion, many pregnant women with gestational diabetes could be tempted to drop the diet requirements for the few hours, undoing weeks or months of careful maintenance.
Before you start planning your food menu, be sure that the traditional baby shower foods - including the cake -are going to meet your mom's diet requirements.
Not all diet issues are related to diabetes and your mom-to-be could very well have some food allergies. Nuts are one traditional menu item that is off limits to some people. While the mom-to-be can easily avoid a bowl of nuts set out for guests to snack on, it'll be more difficult to avoid the black walnuts in walnut ice cream.
Again, simply talking to the mom-to-be before choosing the baby shower foods can save the party.
There are some very traditional foods that are included in almost every shower. Cake, punch, ice cream, nuts and mints are often offered, but remember that baby showers are a time for the friends and family of the mom-to-be to gather for fun.
If there are other foods that will better suit the mood or the needs of the day, don't be afraid to be creative. If the mom has craved spicy food during the pregnancy, set up a Tex-Mex bar with all the fixings for tacos. Order pizza delivery or set up a cookie decorating area. The only rules when it comes to shower foods is that the baby shower menu should be set up with mom in mind. After that, your imagination and budget are the only limits.