Gluten Free Kids

If you have kids that eat Gluten Free you know that its a challenge; it takes duel effort.

Here is a list of some great Gluten Free Snacks that are tasty & kid friendly:
- Annie's Homegrown Bunny Cookies, Cocoa & Vanilla

- Annie's Homegrown Organic Bunny Fruit Snacks

- EnviroKidz Organic Crispy Rice Bars. They come in Chocolate, Peanut Butter, and Berry.

- Kinnikinnick cookies, Montana's Chocolate Chip, Ginger Snaps, Graham crackers, and more..

- Gluti-No Crackers, come in a variety of flavors. Comparable to Ritz but not as buttery and flaky but still good.

The great thing about all these products is that they hold up well, so if they have to survive a couple weeks in a ZipLoc in the Diaper bag its not a problem and they still taste great.

And for those special occasions:
- Charlotte's Bakery Chocolate or Vanilla Cupcakes (they come in either a 3 or 6 pack)
(These are great for birthday parties. They freeze well, so when your child has a party to go to, just pull on out of the freezer and send them on their way.)

Tips for GF Living for Children:
Recently my children caught something nasty from a pool on vacation, but my daughter just couldn't get over it. I know that she is mildly sensitive to gluten, especially foods like shredded wheat and granola, but otherwise she doesn't usually have any difficulties. Since the disease she caught had wreaked havoc on her intestines her doctor suggested temporary Gluten and Lactose sensitive as a possible cause. I have been GF for 9 years so I have a pretty good system for survival for me, but for kids its a different story.

Tricky Food Situations You Might Not Have Thought Of:
- Snacks at friends house, even at relatives houses
- Sleep overs
- School snacks and lunch
- Field Trips
- Birthday Parties
- Fast food lunch (no more chicken nuggets from the drive thru)
- Ice Cream & Cones

Since I wasn't in the habit I didn't think through all the possible road blocks to providing a Gluten Free lifestyle for my daughter. Kids can be more skeptical and picky especially if you make they try something that is not good tasting. After being GF for a week she stayed overnight at a relatives house and even though I had told them, told her, and sent food with her, it was still easy to forget. Its like you need a badge for them to wear for the first few months that says "Feed Me only GF".

Peer Pressure:
Even after 9 years of being GF I still feel that peer pressure to eat something I shouldn't. Strange I know. People have a hard time remembering your food allergies so you need to kindly remind them. If you are going to a dinner party, remind them, or offer to bring something. And never feel obligated to eat something with gluten, even if they slaved away all day to prepare, because its you that has to live with the consequences. This is what I struggled with the most when I began my Gluten Free journey. I used to be the one willing to eat or try anything. You could say I was part of the clean up crew, but I feel so much better when everything is in sync. And your friends will remember better when you stick to your guns and refuse.