Your child has been 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 now. 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. What’s especially important is that 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 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.
Gluten-free foods kids with Celiac Disease will love
Gluten-free 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 rather pricey. You can find Bell & Evans products at Whole Foods and many local supermarkets. Other name brand gluten-free chicken nugget include Applegate and Ian’s.
A less expensive option is the private label liveGfree chicken nuggets available at Aldi stores nationwide. I think they’re definitely worth a try. You may be pleasantly surprised. Serve 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) and it really is the perfect kids’ meal.
Gluten-free mac & cheese
Annie’s Homegrown Rice Pasta & Cheddar should be a staple for any kid. Annie’s gluten-free mac & cheese is certainly close enough to the “real thing.” (Caution: many 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. And years ago I 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. Aldi’s brand at $1.19 or Walmart’s Great Value at $1.28 for a 6 oz. box are a bargain compared with Annie’s brand priced at $2.48 at the local Walmart. My local Giant Eagle store prices Annie’s at $3.99 a box!
Gluten-free pasta
There’s plenty of good news these days on the gluten-free pasta front. In addition to a lengthy list of name brand gluten-free pastas (which includes Barilla, BiAglut, DeBoles, Lundberg Family Farms,Tinkyada – all of which I’ve tried), an increasing number of mainstream grocers now offer their own private label gluten-free pastas, which are much easier on the pocketbook than the brand name counterparts. Private label gluten-free pasta can be found at Walmart (Great Value 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 so 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.
Gluten-free packaged bread
My pick is Udi’s Gluten Free Bread (either white sandwich or whole grain breads), but I usually only buy when it’s on sale or there’s a $1.00 off coupon to defray the cost. Otherwise, I stick to Aldi’s liveGfree brand, which costs about a dollar less than Udi’s and is just as good. Hint: I always keep my bread in the freezer and just take out a slice or two at a time as needed. It’s expensive and you don’t want it to go bad.
When I want to indulge – like at Christmas and Easter time – I enjoy the somewhat pricey Whole Foods GlutenFree Bakehouse sandwich bread. For toasting purposes, it’s the best bread I’ve tasted since being gluten free. It’s “heavier” than Udi’s or Aldi’s gluten-free sandwich bread and actually reminds me a lot of my gram’s homemade butter bread. Yum!
Gluten-free frozen pizza
There are plenty of pre-made frozen gluten-free pizzas available today from such brands as Amy’s, Foods by George, Glutino, Udi’s and more. Even big brand Freschetta has entered the fray with its own gluten-free pizza, although not too many stores carry it yet. From a price- and convenience-perspective, again it’s hard to beat Aldi’s liveGfree gluten free cheese or pepperoni pizza. I’m not wild about the taste (rather bland), but kids probably will enjoy. Living in Columbus, I’m rather partial to Sonoma Flatbreads too. It’s a product of Columbus-based Donato’s Pizza, a local favorite.
Gluten-free pizza crusts
Myself, I prefer to top my own pizza using an already-made frozen gluten-free pizza crust. Again, several brands are available, including Amy’s, Kinnikinnick, Ener-G and Udi’s. My taste leans toward Nature’s Hilights brown rice pizza crust (it’s the best option I’ve found), typically available at Whole Foods and other specialty grocers. For example, I recently discovered that Fresh Thyme, a small neighborhood fresh store that recently opened in my area, carries Nature’s Hilights too and at a lower everyday price. Top the crust with gluten-free spaghetti or pizza sauce, mozzarella or provolone cheese, and some pepperoni and it’s the best. Of course, fresh veggies (onions, peppers, broccoli, etc.) and mushrooms make a healthier alternative. My kids tend to like my 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 I don’t think it’s very tasty.
Gluten-free taco shells
Most corn (NOT flour) taco shells are fine for a gluten-free diet. I stick to either Ol’ El Paso or Ortega (sometimes the private label store brand). Just be sure the shells are 100% corn (no wheat or wheat derivatives!). I also keep some “soft” corn tortillas on hand that serve multiple purposes: “easy” breakfast burritos with some eggs and bacon; double-duty as a hamburger “bun”; gluten-free bread or pita replacement for a quick wrap-style sandwich. My brand of choice is La Banderita, which costs under $2.00 for a package of 60 corn tortillas (I just bought a pack at Walmart for $1.67), and the packaging clearly states “gluten free.”
Looking for a tasty yet quick & easy gluten-free lunch or snack? Try cheddar or mozzarella cheese and cooked chicken breast meat between two soft corn tortillas and heat in the microwave until cheese melts. Yum! I also sometimes use soft corn tortillas as a make-shift pizza crust too. And for dessert, sprinkle the corn tortillas with a cinnamon-sugar mix and bake in oven for a few minutes. The result somewhat mimics a crispy churro or the Cinnamon Twists from Taco Bell. If your kids are fruit-eaters, go all out and top with fresh berries!
Gluten-free crackers
I’ve tried many gluten-free crackers. From a price perspective, I typically stick with Blue Diamond Nut-Thins gluten-free rice & nut crackers as my cracker of choice. I personally 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 prefer the “cheddar cheese”-flavored, which is somewhat a gluten-free alternative to Cheez-Its or fishy crackers. 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, including Mary’s Gone Crackers and Crunchmasters multi-seed crackers. Aldi offers a “cheaper” gluten-free cracker as well under its liveGfree label. But please carefully read the labels. I recently bought a box that contained oats – which as a celiac, I stay clear of.
Gluten-free cereal
My go-to cereals are the gluten-free varieties of General Mills Chex My personal favorite is Honey Nut Chex, but several other varieties are gluten free too, including Rice Chex, Corn Chex, Cinnamon Chex and Vanilla Chex. (Caution: Wheat Chex are NOT gluten free for obvious reasons.) A recent addition to the gluten-free cereal line-up is Kellogg’s Gluten-Free Special K. It’s quickly become my cereal of choice! Add some fruit and sprinkle with sugar and kids will be delighted.
Gluten-free pancake mix
I prefer home-made pancakes and waffles, but for the weekday morning rush, Trader Joe’s Gluten Free Buttermilk Pancake & Waffle Mix is a must-have! It’s easy and tasty enough! There are plenty of other boxed gluten-free pancake mixes on the market these days as well. These include Arrowhead Mills, Betty Crocker/Bisquick (gluten-free variety only), Bob’s Red Mill, Cherry Brook Kitchen, Maple Grocer Farms, Pamela’s, and more.
Gluten-free salty snacks
Fritos, Doritos and Lays potato chips are all gluten-free, just watch out for some “newer” whole grain varieties of Doritos, which are clearly NOT gluten free. I also use 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 not only featuring gluten-free items, but labeling them as such 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 blog 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.