gluten free for toddler

[bumbleandbumble]

My 3 year old has to go gluten free. Where do I begin?
Can anyone recommend cereal or breakfast ideas?
Pack lunch ideas?

For snacks I have got rice cakes, fruit, but what else can I fit in my bag out and about?

What do you do at children's parties when there is cake?

[KatyMac]

If he is just Gluten free you can buy freefrom bread, cakes & biscuits at the supermarket

I find Goodies are popular

I just found out Kellogg's do Gluten free rice krispies

[bronya]

Nestle do gf corn flakes and Tesco own brand cornflakes are gf. The nicest ready-made bread is M&S gf bread, although the Dietary Specialties ciabatta rolls are lovely. Cheapest bread option is to buy a breadmaker that does gf bread and follow their recipes. We have a Panasonic one.

My toddler is two. A typical day is
Breakfast: cornflakes and milk
Snack: fruit bar www.fruit-bowl.com/school-bars/ (we get a pack for £1 at pound land)
Lunch: ciabatta rolls with Tesco value mayo as spread and cheese OR bread with similar (could put gf ham in(check labels for wheat starch) or tuna mayo if you wanted) and a yoghurt
Snack: fruit of some kind
Dinner.

Snack to take out: the fruit bars, bananas, rice cakes, home-made or bought gf biscuits. Beware of gf oats until you are sure he has been free of gluten for a while, then try them and watch for a reaction. I know several people who are sensitive to them. Lots of people are fine with them, but not everyone, and Tesco put gf oat flour in a lot of their gf cakes/biscuits without advertising the fact other than in the ingredients list.

[MrsMarigold]

Mine are pretty much gluten free because my DH is unable to have gluten - it's easy, bake/ thicken sauces with Doves flour, use Doves pasta etc, if you cook from scratch it is pretty easy.

[Tanaqui]

Gluten free bread is a bit of an acquired taste, it's better toasted.

If he tolerates oats, gluten free oatcakes are more filling than rice cakes.

Heinz baked beans are gluten free, as are most rice puddings, some crisps (you have to check) .

Baked potatoes are good, frittata can go in a packed lunch. Waitrose falafel are gluten free (as would homemade ones be). Poppadums are usually gluten free.

[SachaF]

Gluten free but not coeliac here so trace amounts ok.
My son and I have porridge most days. We presoak it overnight with dried fruit in soya or coconut milk (also dairy free) and have cold the next morning. If I don't do that we have Oatibix, Oatibix bites or Rice Krispies (but we are then both hungry still after Rice Krispies!).
I get snack bars from Costco - Oat so simple bars, Kirkland soft and chewy chocolate chip bars (although both contain wheat in their allergy list). If you have to be completely gluten free then make your own flapjacks using gluten free oats. I also make banana cake or fruit cake using rice flour and freeze into individual portions for treats/ packed lunch.
There are several free from bread brands, I currently like Genius. Also corn tortilla wraps make a change. Sandwich, piece of fruit, flapjack or cake and snack pot of rice cakes and raisins. Maybe a (soya) milk shake carton for some calcium but presumably you can do cheese cubes. You can get free from pizzas or pizza bases which you could cook then have cold in a lunchbox too.
My husband has just made a batch of ten pasties using dietary specials gluten free pastry to put in the freezer, I struggle with even pre made pastry!
For parties, before we could relax the rules, I would have provided a cupcake alternative for the party, or asked the host what their menu was so I could match it.
Hope some of that is helpful.

[PaleoTillChristmas]

You could do a sort of continental breakfast, with ham, cheese, yoghurt, eggs, that sort of thing? We often have bacon & eggs, but that takes time.

For ds, we try not to replace wheat products with other grains, but have more meat/fish/fruit/vegetables/nuts etc instead. (as you might guess from my username!)

Best of luck, there's loads of help out there

[bumbleandbumble]

Thanks everyone. good ideas.
I would love to do ham and eggs for her in morning but Husband does breakfast duty and its all a bit of a rush...not sure we could do that too often.

Where do you get corn tortilla wraps?

[Floralnomad]

Tesco do gf wraps , their gF fresh bread is also good ( better than genius and Warburtons according to my dd). Doves farm do good cereals ,Sainsbury seem to have the best variety near me . M&S do gf sausages and their cocktail sausages are gf . The M&S cakes are very nice .

[Superworm]

Warburtons thins are the best gf bread I find and make lovely cheese toastie if microwaved for 20 secs.

[MsRainbow]

The 'Cool Chile Co.' do proper corn totillas that are GF, they also sell masa harina so you can make your own (its not that hard). They have a stall at Borough Market or you can get them at Whole Foods in London. They are delicious and my Mexican friend (who frowns upon any tortillas made with wheat) says its like being home.
I've tried the warbutons GF wraps but found the taste a bit cardboardy and at around £3 for 3 wraps too expensive.
Also Santa Maria do corn tacos that are GF, I get them from Sainsburys.

[tinkerbellvspredator]

Houmous with crudités or gf pitta
You could hardboil eggs in advance for snack/breakfast and they keep a while in the fridge so can do a few at a time
Popcorn (homemade if you want salt sugar free - but goes stale very quick so don't make much)
Homemade sweet or savoury muffins, freeze and by the time you've got to lunch they will have defrosted. I'm going to try adapting the muffin recipes in baby led weaning cookbook but haven't yet, DD liked the extra healthy sweet muffins and I liked the cheese and spinach

[MrBloomForPrimeMinister]

Has your toddler been diagnosed with coeliac disease? Is gluten free a long term thing, or are you doing an elimination diet type thing?

Coeliac uk produce a directory of gluten free foods. They list the supermarket own brand cereals that have such small amounts ( less than 2 parts per million I think) of barley malt extract in them ( the gluten ingredient) this means they are deemed ok for people with coeliac disease to have. Although because they have a gluten ingredient, they can not state they are gluten free.

To access the directory (a little book is sent to you, or you can view it on line, or download their app, where you can just scan barcodes to see if products are in the directory) you need to join as a member of their charity, it is aprox £20 a year and you also get other support/ a help line etc.

You can join without being diagnosed as having coeliac disease.

My pre schooler eats some own brand cornflakes/ rice crispies or gluten free toast for breakfast. Rice cakes / gluten free biscuits / chopped carrot sticks in Tupperware etc for snacks.

Also, if it is due to coeliac disease you can get bread/ pasta/ crackers on prescription. Which is brilliant as gf food is ££!