Planning for Gluten Free Foods for Kids
If your child is gluten intolerant, favourite foods – such as pizza, hamburgers and hot dog buns, cakes and cookies or biscuits – can cause problems.
Luckily though, gluten free foods for kids are easier to find now than ever before.
Your child can still enjoy their favourite foods, just in gluten free versions.
This does mean a little extra effort on your part, but it’s well worth it, and soon it will be a habit that’s easy to maintain.
Your 2 main options for finding gluten free foods for kids are:
- Find gluten free versions of your usual foods at the supermarket
- Make some yourself (it’s easier than it seems at first!).
Supermarkets and Stores
Because food allergies have become more common, many manufacturers are creating gluten-free versions of foods.
Gluten free pasta is widely available, and you can frequently find gluten free pizza dough at the store and in restaurants.
These are easy and convenient.
The down side is that you can’t control the ingredients. Of course they will be gluten free foods, but what about the other ingredients?
For more control, you might consider the home-cooked route.
DIY
If there isn’t a commercial substitute, you can make one yourself.
For example, you can make homemade nuggets with fresh chicken breasts that are breaded with gluten-free flour and spices instead of the traditional wheat flour coating – get the recipe here.
They’re healthier than many of the frozen nuggets available at the store, so the whole family can enjoy them.
There are many gluten free flour mixes that are that are great for cookies, cakes, and other items.
Away From Home
What can be a bigger challenge is sending your child to a friend’s house, summer camp, or extracurricular activity when he or she has a gluten intolerance.
It’s important to talk to parents, leaders, and administrators about your child’s food sensitivities and allergies.
For example, if your child goes to a birthday party, you need to let the parents know he can’t have the cake if it’s not gluten-free.
You can also make sure to send appropriate snacks and meals if your child is going to an activity or sports practice, or in any situation where food might be served that he or she can’t eat.
It helps to be prepared, and to educate those involved about gluten free foods for kids.
Make It Fun!
It can be hard to think that your little ones might miss out on some of the things they love, but it really is getting easier to provide good substitutes that are delicious and won’t cause health problems.
When you first find out that your child is gluten intolerant, it takes a little time to learn what you can substitute.
But you’ll soon find many gluten free foods for kids (either store-bought or homemade). Your child will be able to enjoy favorite foods – and even find some new favorites.
Finding some delicious substitutes will help your child to make the transition without feeling as though they have to give up everything they like.
Help your child even more by making them part of the process of learning to find the right foods – and even learning to cook.
Please share this information on gluten free foods for kids – sharing buttons below and right – thank you!
Do you eat gluten free? Tell me about it in the Comments below.
Warm regards,
P.S. If you or your family need to eat gluten free, you might also benefit from Clean Eating. It’s easy – when you have a Plan. See the Clean Eating ebook, workbook, checklists, recipes and more here – and because it can tough with a gluten intolerant child, use coupon code 616 to get a great discount!
