Celiac disease is a disease that affects all ages. Previously, it was thought that this is a childhood disease, which disappears during adolescence. Today it is known that celiac disease affects both, children and adults. Many do not know they have symptoms that may indicate on this disease, which is actually an allergy to gluten. When we say allergies, then we expect those typical allergy symptoms – redness, itching, skin changes. Celiac disease attacks the intestines and works from inside. Externally, it leaves sometimes very confusing symptoms.
Children and celiac disease – it can be a real challenge for parents, mostly because they need to provide children gluten-free diet. And not only that, they need to teach their children what food is good for them, what foods should not eat and why. Gluten free diet means food without grains and their products. To prepare a specific meal may not be so difficult. However, to find interesting gluten free snacks for children can be a bit more challenging.
When children start going to school or day care, or when become a part of any peer group, the challenges are just beginning. Parents should explain to children not to share snacks, but they also must make every effort that the food their children eat is similar to what their peers eat. Because children compare themselves with each other in many fields, even in this. How to cope with challenges and make a super-healthy gluten free snacks for kids?
Here are some tips for gluten free food:
- Get a gluten free food list for kids. If your child is sensitive to gluten, the switch to gluten-free food can be difficult. This is particularly problematic for children who have been accustomed to foods with gluten. However, this is not an unsolvable problem. Whether you're making a meal or gluten free snacks for kids, you need to know what foods you can offer to your child. Avoid foods that contain gluten – especially barley , wheat and rye, and products made from them such as different flours or malt. When you go to purchase gluten-free products, it is important that you read labels carefully. This can be a big change and a new lesson for you. However, it is a step that has to be overcome if you want to offer children a gluten free meal. For a start, it's good to see other people's experiences. This is a useful gluten free food list for kids that you can use when you start the gluten-free diet:
http://thesolomama.com/100-gluten-free-foods-kids/
Although there are no wheat products, there are plenty of tasty ingredients from which you can make great gluten free snacks for kids. If you do not eat gluten free food, it is best that you store child's food in a separate place, and make sure that there will be misunderstandings and coincidences when it comes to food choices.
- Get good gluten free recipes for kids. If you are not accustomed to gluten free diet, you can quickly run out of ideas for preparing meals. Yes, there are so many foods that your child can eat. However, only when you start to prepare gluten free food for kids, you will see how much is food with gluten actually present in our everyday diet. What you can do to make this parental task easier, it is to find a collection of easy gluten free recipes for kids. Here is a good site, where you can find great recipes for meals and gluten free snacks for kids:
http://glutenfreerecipebox.com/gluten-free-recipes/kid-friendly/
These recipes are all gluten free, and they look so tempting. Some of them imitate foods with gluten very well, like gluten free pizza or pancakes. We all know that children can sometimes be very picky when it comes to food. When the child is sensitive to gluten, choice of food is very narrow. You must choose what the child likes to eat and what is healthy for him. To make food more appealing to children, you can serve it with some funny decoration. In order to children learned something about nutrition that they need to take, it's not bad to engage them in the process of preparing food. In this way, through discussions and concrete examples, you can educate your child about a gluten free diet from an early age.
- Experiment with snacks that are gluten free. You cannot throw out snacks from the diet, especially if the child goes in school, or in the situation when its friends come to your house. When you become more experienced, you can experiment with ingredients and invent gluten free meals for kids. Actually, I think that snacks that are gluten free are a far healthier option for children, than purchased snacks or those made with gluten. I mean, it would be good to offer gluten-free snacks even to kids who do not have celiac disease. Gluten is a protein that is highly prevalent and present in many foods. However, this does not mean that it is healthy and that should be included in every meal. Are there better and healthier snacks of fresh fruit? And it has no gluten at all!
an example of delicious gluten free biscuits!
Gluten free snacks for kids do not have to be tasteless. If you made an effort to make gluten free meals for kids similar to those that have gluten, or if you serve them in some interesting way, your children will adore them. There are various things you can do.
This includes a variety of pancakes, gluten free biscuits, cookies, popcorn… Molds for muffins are a great trick for children. Combine healthy ingredients without gluten and bake them in muffin molds. A great way to serve to children appealing meal that is harmless to his health. Experiment and try out all possible variations.
Celiac disease is a severe and incurable disease. However, if it is discovered and if gluten is thrown out from the diet, it can be kept under control. If your kids are suffering from celiac disease, the situation might require more effort in preparing gluten free snacks for kids. But before you start looking for problems, look on the bright side. Gluten-free foods are healthy and fresh food, with a minimal amount of preservatives and additives. In fact, it would be great that you switch to such a type of a diet. You will notice that you will have a lot more energy and better concentration. Since today we know much more about celiac disease, there are more and more producers and brands that offer a variety of foods without gluten. On these products it is indicated in a visible place that it is gluten free. However, when gluten free snacks for kids are in question, it may be best to rely on our own skills of preparing food.
Find good recipes, experiment with ingredients and engage your children in preparing food. Most importantly, teach your kids about food without gluten, and point out its advantages. Use all your culinary tricks that gluten free food does not become punishment, but a really tasty treat. Only in this way you will be able to help children accept the regime of gluten-free diet. And that's very important, because they will have to eat that way for life.
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