Gluten-free meals for kids

gryp

Sun, Dec 27 2009, 4:23 pm

I'm just researching this and will probably go ahead with it.

What can I give for a gf breakfast?

What can I send for school lunches?

Where can I find simple recipes for beginners for things like bread, cookies, etc., or should I not even bother and just buy these things?

mandksima

Mon, Dec 28 2009, 1:28 am

I did this for a year. Very tough but doable. Basically your Pesach menu. Without matzah. Quinoa, rice, legumes. I made gluten free bread that tasted not so great so I made french toast out of it and dd loved it because it was shehakol. It can get expensive buying all the specialty flours but if you want baked goods, it is cheaper than buying ready-made everything. A lot more is available there than here.

I posted a few recipes here but I'd have to search for them.

My kids were off fish, dairy and soy too so it was harder. If you can give eggs, it is easier to come up with recipes. If your child is picky to begin with, expect it to be difficult. I made our whole house gluten free as it was too easy to get things mixed up and as well, everything needs to be checked, including spices, condiments, etc. I didn't want 2 of everything so it cost more as a family. If you're not 100% gluten free then it makes no sense to be at all as even a few crumbs can ruin the whole effort.

Good luck.

gryp

Mon, Dec 28 2009, 10:34 am

Thanks, mandksima.

Does every product need to come through a gf factory, or is it enough that there's no gluten in it at all? Examples: yogurt, spices, ketchup, etc.

There's a lot of gf in the supermarket, but it's crazy expensive.

My problem is more what my kids are going to do in school, because they're served breakfast, lunch, snack, and Shabbos party.

mandksima

Tue, Dec 29 2009, 1:53 am

Your kids will have to skip all food served in school. It is really tough and part of the reason we stopped is because I know my kids were eating stuff they shouldn't have and therefore the diet wasn't working. There was no reason to buy pricey ingredients and make myself crazy if it would be for naught when they'd eat gluten outside the home. It is all or nothing. A little bit of gluten is the same as a slice of bread.

You can join a GF forum (look it up) and they can tell you which brands are GF. I think McCormick spices are but you'd need to recheck. Certain brands of mayo, ketchup, etc are fine but others can tell you which ones.

Having celiac is more serious than what my kids had (possible sensitivity) so we were able to stop the diet. I did it for behavioral issues. I was willing to try anything. In the end, I didn't see enough positive changes to keep the diet up. I hope it is worth it for you. As an adult it is easier. For kids, they hate being different and being denied treats or regular food in school.

rainbow

Tue, Dec 29 2009, 3:05 am

Chex makes gf cereals.
What I send for lunch? I buy Katz gf 'large challa rolls' online and cut them in half and toast, or just warm up. GF breads need to be re-warmed;makes it taste freshly baked.
Can smear with peanut butter, butter, tuna, etc.
My son takes it to yeshiva and also partakes of gf school lunches, such as veggies, tuna, etc.
I send along fruits for snack, and gf cookies that I bake, taken from SCD cookbook.
My dd takes along hot cereal in a thermos, and fruits, and gf cookies, and cut up veggies,
Whenever my NY relatives come they bring me bunches of gf stuff. One of my kids' favorites is Heaven Mills chocolate chip muffins. Not all my kids tolerate it, for the same reason that not all folks can tolerate even gf oats and the muffins are made of gf oats.

I have some recipes for bread but just got into bed and iy'h when I get out tomorrow morn I hope to post.

Also, consider joining a yahoo gf group for more support and ideas.

I think the SCD cookbook has many gf recipes; don't have it in front of me to say for certain.

Rice cake sandwiched with peanut butter or butter.

My older one takes along gf meatballs and cooked/baked fish, etc. He needs real food and a lot of food as he's a man...

All my meals are gf, so for example yesterday we had chicken and rice. Vegetable soup without barley.
Baked sweet potato. Mashed potato. Chicken cutlets coated with eggs and potato starch or tapioca starch.

rainbow

Tue, Dec 29 2009, 3:08 am

Depends which school. My younger one finds foods to eat such as mashed potato, egg salad, tuna salad, cut up veggies. He always takes along a gf roll just in case. And often he eats it. If there's tuna for lunch he sandwiches it into the gf roll.

Also, we depend a lot on nuts for caloric intake. And to feel full. We whip up batches of gf nut cookies and they are very fillling. All my kids take it along for snack.