Guide to gluten-free food for kids with celiac disease

Your child was just diagnosed with Celiac Disease. Now what? You probably have a million questions swirling around in your head about what you can and cannot feed your child. To assist parents of newly diagnosed Celiac kids, I pulled together this gluten-free food guide based on my own experience as a Celiac.

While the list contains easy gluten-free food ideas for kids, the items are equally as appropriate for adults on a gluten-free diet too. Additionally, this guide includes many gluten-free food items that won’t make your child feel out of place around their friends and classmates or make them miss their gluten-filled counterparts.

NOTE: I am not a medical professional. I have been eating 100% gluten free for more than 20 years since being diagnosed with Celiac Disease in 2001. Parents, it is critical that you follow the dietary advice of your pediatrician, gastroenterologist (GI), and other specialists, for example, nutritionists and dietitians. After diagnosis, the gut and the rest of the body need time to properly heal. So you/your children may be told to avoid certain types of foods for awhile. For example, I didn’t get the go-ahead to re-introduce dairy products until six months post-diagnosis. So listen to the medical professionals.

Note: I am not paid, sponsored or in any other way endorsed by the brands or products appearing in this post. All opinions are my own.

This is an update to a post originally published in June 2016.

A list of gluten-free food for kids with Celiac Disease

1. Gluten-free food for kids: Chicken Nuggets

Bell & Evans Gluten Free Breaded Chicken Breast Nuggets and Chicken Breast Tenders (chicken fingers) are the best. I like them a lot, but typically buy them only as a “treat” since they’re on the pricey side. You can find Bell & Evans products at Whole Foods and many local supermarkets. Also try out other name brand frozen gluten-free chicken nuggets, including Applegate and Ian’s.

Private label liveGfree chicken nuggets available at Aldi stores nationwide are a less expensive option. I think they’re definitely worth a try. You may be pleasantly surprised. Try serving them up with your kid’s favorite gluten-free dipping sauce: BBQ, honey mustard, ketchup. I coat mine with a gluten-free hot sauce mix composed of butter or margarine and Frank’s Hot Sauce. Pair these gluten-free nuggets with gluten-free French fries (like Ore-Ida’s) for the perfect kids meal.

2. Gluten-free food for kids: Mac & Cheese

Make Annie’s Homegrown Rice Pasta & Cheddar a staple gluten-free food for kids. Annie’s gluten-free mac & cheese is pretty darn close to the “real thing.” (Caution: many of Annie’s products are NOT gluten free, so please carefully read all labels.) Frankly, I’m not much of a mac & cheese fan (gasp! I know), although I have tried Annie’s before. I also fed it to my son when he was having GI issues and I suspected celiac.

Now I usually keep a few boxes of either Aldi’s liveGfree Gluten Free Rice Pasta & Cheddar or Walmart’s Great Value Gluten Free Rice Pasta & Cheddar on hand for days when I crave quick & easy comfort food. Both private label brands are a bargain compared with the name brands.

Good news: Kraft introduced its gluten-free mac & cheese in 2020. This is a game changer!

3. Gluten-free food for kids: Pasta

There’s plenty of good news these days on the gluten-free pasta front. I’ve tried a lengthy list of name brand gluten-free pastas, including Barilla, BiAglut, DeBoles, Lundberg Family Farms, Tinkyada. Additionally, many of your mainstream grocer stores now offer their own private label gluten-free pastas. These are much easier on the pocketbook than their brand name counterparts.

Private label gluten-free pasta can be found at Walmart (Great Value brand), Target (Good & Gather brand), Kroger, Giant Eagle (Nature’s Basket brand), Meijer and Whole Foods (365 brand), among other retailers. On a personal note, I prefer corn pasta more than rice, but either work ok, especially when served with your favorite gluten-free sauce. My shelf-ready sauce of choice is Del Grosso, which is clearly labeled gluten free. Others to try include Prego and Ragu. Again, just be sure to read the ingredients list on the label.

4. Gluten-free food for kids: Packaged Bread

I used to swear by Udi’s Gluten Free Bread (either white sandwich or whole grain breads). I usually only bought it though when it was on sale or I had a coupon to defray the cost. Nowadays, my name brand go-to is Canyon Bakehouse. Canyon Bakehouse also offers bagels and brioche buns. It’s definitely worth the time to try the brioche buns. 

Still, most of the time I stick to Aldi’s liveGfree brand, which costs less than the name brands and is just about as good. Hint: I always keep my bread in the freezer and just take out a slice or two at a time as needed. If you haven’t already figured it out, gluten-free bread is expensive and you don’t want it to go bad.

5. Gluten-free food for kids: Frozen Pizza

There are plenty of pre-made frozen gluten-free pizzas available today from brands such as Amy’s, Foods by George, Glutino, Udi’s and more.

But guess what? Some big brand names like Freschetta, DiGiorno, and California Pizza Kitchen have introduced frozen gluten-free pizzas too. I haven’t tried Freschetta or DiGiorno, but from experience I can say that California Pizza Kitchen is delicious! But like most gluten-free foods, you’re going to pay a price premium. Take advantage of coupons and store loyalty program, which often have digital coupons available. The “typical” price I pay for a California Pizza Kitchen cauliflower crust pizza is $7.99 when I combine a sale price and digital coupon.

Of course, more stores, including Aldi, Kroger and Target, now carry their own private brand of frozen gluten-free pizza. Considering the price, these are worth trying.

6. Gluten-free food for kids: Pizza Crust

I prefer to top my own pizza using a boxed pizza crust mix or a pre-made gluten-free pizza crust, which can usually be found in the gluten-free freezer case. Again, several brands are available, including Amy’s, Kinnikinnick, Ener-G and Udi’s. Top the crust with gluten-free spaghetti or pizza sauce, mozzarella or provolone cheese, and some pepperoni and voila, you’ve got it! Of course, fresh veggies (onions, peppers, broccoli, etc.) and mushrooms make a healthier alternative.

My kids tend to like my “homemade” pizza more than take-out since mine tastes more like “gourmet”-style pizza. Younger kids may prefer something like the blander Udi’s gluten-free pizza crust, but personally I don’t think it’s very tasty. Aldi recently had a limited-edition gluten-free pizza dough in the dairy case too. So, you always need to be on the lookout for new gluten-free food introductions.

Currently, a pizza crust mix from Namaste Foods is my go to. It is delicious. One box makes two large pizzas. It’s a great value for the price.

7. Gluten-free food for kids: Taco Shells

Most corn (NOT flour) taco shells are fine for a gluten-free diet. I stick to either Ol’ El Paso or Ortega brands. Make sure the shells are made with 100% corn (no wheat or wheat derivatives!).

I also keep some “soft” corn tortillas on hand that serve multiple purposes. Using scrambled eggs and bacon (or ham or another meat), the make “easy” breakfast burritos. They can also do double duty as a hamburger “bun” in a pinch. Additionally, I sometimes use them in place of gluten-free bread or a pita replacement for a quick wrap-style sandwich. My brand of choice is La Banderita, which you can still find in some stores for under $2.00 for a package of 60 corn tortillas. Packaging says “gluten free” right on it.

Looking for a quick, easy and tasty gluten-free lunch or snack? Try putting cheddar or mozzarella cheese and cooked chicken breast meat between two soft corn tortillas. Then heat it in the microwave until the cheese melts. Yum! I also sometimes use soft corn tortillas as a make-shift pizza crust too.

You can even use these corn tortillas for dessert. Sprinkle a cinnamon-sugar mix on the corn tortillas and bake in oven for a few minutes. The result reminds me of a crispy churro or the Cinnamon Twists you can get at Taco Bell. If your kids are fruit eaters, go all out and top your “dessert” with fresh berries!

8. Gluten-free food for kids: Crackers

I’ve tried many gluten-free crackers. From a price perspective, you can’t beat Blue Diamond Nut-Thins gluten-free rice & nut crackers. Personally, I like the pecan variety the best as my go-to cracker. Blue Diamond makes several other flavors as well: almond, cheddar cheese, country ranch, pepper jack cheese and smokehouse. Children probably will like the “cheddar cheese”-flavored. It tastes something like a gluten-free alternative to Cheez-Its or fishy crackers. Lance offers a gluten-free cracker too (similar to a Ritz cracker).

Most cheeses are naturally gluten free, so cheese and gluten-free crackers always make a good snack. More pricey (and in my opinion, more tasty) gluten-free cracker alternatives exist as well. I’d lump Mary’s Gone Crackers, Crunchmasters multi-seed crackers, and [Milton’s] into this category. Of course, keep an eye out for private label gluten-free crackers too. Both Aldi and Target (Good & Gather) offer some “cheaper” gluten-free crackers.

PSA: Please always carefully read the labels. I mistakenly bought a box of crackers that contained oats as an ingredient. As a celiac, I do not eat any oats unless they are certified gluten free.

9. Gluten-free food for kids: Cold Cereal

My go-to cold cereals are the gluten-free varieties of General Mills Chex My personal favorite is Honey Nut Chex. But Chex makes lots of other varieties that are gluten free too, including Rice Chex, Corn Chex, Cinnamon Chex and Vanilla Chex. (Caution: Wheat Chex are NOT gluten free for obvious reasons.)

And don’t forget to check out Aldi’s Crispy Rice cereal (just like Rice Krispies). You can also make rice crispy treats with Aldi’s brand too. It’s a perfect gluten-free treat any kid would like!

10. Gluten-free food for kids: Salty Snacks

Most Fritos, Doritos and Lays potato chips are gluten-free. But it’s important to watch out for some of the whole grain and new flavored varieties, which may NOT be gluten free. Another friendly reminder to always read the ingredients list. I also tend to buy many of the private store brands, but in my opinion they aren’t as good as the FritoLay name brands.

Exception: As you’ve probably already noticed, I’ve become a huge Aldi fan as of late, especially since it launched its own liveGfree gluten-free brand. My “regular” brand of salty snacks is now Clancy’s brand found only at Aldi. And Aldi makes it very easy: all gluten-free items offered are clearly marked as such – and this includes “regular” Aldi items too not just the liveGfree brand. This stems from the retailer’s German heritage. In most European countries, not only is celiac disease more commonly diagnosed, but I’ve found that European grocers tend to do a much better job of both carrying gluten-free items and clearly labeling them too.

Make today a great gluten-free day!

The bottom line is that transitioning to a gluten-free diet is a major lifestyle change, and it can be daunting. Hopefully, this guide – as well as some of my other posts – provides you with a few pointers that make it easier for the little ones.

Note: I am not paid, sponsored or in any other way endorsed by the brands or products appearing in this post. All opinions are my own.

For links to vendor coupons and brand newsletters, please see post: Gluten-Free Coupons for Value-Seeking Shoppers.