There are special challenges for children on a gluten-free diet. They may often feel left out by not being able to partake when other kids can. What can you do to help your gluten-free child stay both healthy AND happy?
School Lunches
School lunches present a special challenge for many children. Unless the kids are lucky enough to be in a school that can accommodate a special diet in the cafeteria, packed lunches are the only solution. The best way to prevent picking and teasing is to provide varied and fun lunches, not junk food, FUN food. For kids, fun foods are often brightly colored and fun to eat. Check the local natural grocery store for some healthy kid-friendly foods like Envirokidz bars. Children are very hands-on. Foods that don’t require utensils will be the biggest hits. Don’t fall into a sandwich trap. Try some new things!
Classroom Snacks
In Elementary schools, classrooms often have a snack rotation where different parents send snacks for the whole class. With the cooperation of the teacher, this situation can be overcome with minimal stress on your child. Send several different types of snacks (ones that will keep) in advance. Have the teacher serve the classroom snack whenever it is clearly gluten free, such as celery and peanut butter or fruit slices. This way your little one is not always different. On the days when the snack is not clearly safe, then the teacher can choose the closest matching snack from what you have sent compared with what the other kids are eating. If everyone else is eating cookies and your child only has apple slices that day, he or she will most certainly feel left out. If there are a variety of snacks waiting at the school, then your child can have cookies, pretzels, etc. when everyone else does!
Key to Fighting Frustration
Stock up on gluten-free foods that your child is proud and excited to have without sacrificing your standards for nutrition. Include fun, new recipes to encourage the excitement.
Stay tuned tomorrow for Part II-Helping gluten-free kids at home
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