Gluten/wheat free lunch box ideas please for 3 year old??

[atlasthebrute]

3 yo DD has definite wheat intolerance and is a possible coeliac (we have a few weeks before our paed. appt at hospital). I know she's supposed to eat wheat and gluten in the weeks leading up to her coeliac tests, but her tummy is so bad I'm trying to cut back on the wheat in her lunchboxes.
I'm having real problems thinking of savoury and filling wheat-free lunchbox treats for her. The poor thing's had rice cakes for the past few weeks and is beginning to get really bored of them. She's not that keen on oat cakes and dips don't go down well at all! If anyone has any good wheat-free flatbread-style recipes or indeed anything, then pleeeease let me know! I've tried making wheat-free loaves but they are so disgusting and only really edible toasted. Any suggestions greatly appreciated! x

[wangle99]

I make wheat free loaves in our breadmaker for DS and they are fine.

I posted recipes in other threads but have no idea how to link to it

[rachaelsara]

How about a cold rice salad, or a gluten free pasta salad? Potato salad?

lovely wheat free bread

Don't know if they do mail order, they're based near me so I can get the stuff in local shops.

Popcorn is possible, though might be a choking hazard?

more yummy stuff

Marks and spencer to a lovely gf chocolate and cherry cake, found it when I was doing a trolly dash, so they might do more.

I'm sorry for your dd. My tow sisters, nephew and I are all ceoliac (sp).

[rachaelsara]

Sorry for my dreadful spelling! I should be packing, we move on Tuesday!

[rachaelsara]

Cripbread? It's an allergy not a disability!!! lmao!

[Roca]

oh - it makes me sad to think a little tot is having to go through this. I have been a coeliac all my life (35 yrs) and whilst it doesn't phase me in the slightest I do feel for little ones going through it. I had years of turning up to parties with my own 'special' sandwiches

If she is diagnosed she will get loads of gluten free stuff on prescription. I find one of the bread mixes is so easy to make and tastes really good (and I have tried lots).

For now I would suggest you pick up a gluten free loaf from your local supermarket and make sandwiches as normal - actually the slices may have to be toasted or put in the micro for 30secs to soften as they are too crumbly otherwise. Only thing is they are quite expensive which is why prescription is best.

I have had years of picking the fillings out of sandwiches which is your only option at meetings etc where you get nothing else! Fingers crossed this will have changed by time she gets older and the GF choice is now really well labelled in supermarkets.

Rice-crisy cakes are always a good snack.

[Roca]

Here's what I think I would go for if I wasn't going to have bread or make anything special:

Cheese - like babybels
Carrot Sticks
olives / cucumber
Cold cooked 100% pork little sausages from M&S or sliced ham
Maybe a few savory little rice cakes
Fruit
If you do choc then a mlky way or mily bar or similar
and you can actually get some nice GF crackers to throw in

I hope it all gets sorted for her and she feels well soon...

[Roca]

ps don't offer yogurt as alternative to cakes - I have had that my whole life and that IS a kick in the teeth!

[atlasthebrute]

Thanks so much for all the ideas, ladies. DD's lunchboxes will be the envy of all whole playgroup now!
mmMomma - could you share your potato scone recipe with us?! My mouth is watering..

[cmotdibbler]

GF pitta bread from Tescos/Sainsburys/Waitrose is excellent.
Tiny quiches made with GF pastry (recipe on the side of the Doves Farm packet - roll out between sheets of baking parchment as it is fragile). Cook in cup cake tin.
Chicken dipper things (either make your own with chicken, egg, and crushed GF cornflakes, or buy Sainsburys GF chicken nuggets)
Make GF pancakes and turn them into wraps or spring rolls
Cold GF pizza
The GF cheesy crackers from Tescos are tasty
Tortilla chips and dip (homemade guacamole is good)
Cheesy popcorn

Lifestyle do some great mini sausage rolls and things that are pricey but good to keep in the freezer for emergencies.

In 10 years, I still haven't found any bread apart from the pitta that was good in a sandwich that was packed.

[tatt]

have you tried the recipe on Doves bread flour? Works for me although it does tend to crumble in lunchboxes. Haven't tried rolls.

If you can find Mrs Crimbles chocolate brownies they are great but use xanthum gum and most cakes will come out reasonably well with a little extra water.

Sainsburys do gluten free pizza in the frozen food area.

[rachaelsara]

Didn't mean to offend mmmMomma, just tickled my funny bone!

I'd like the scone recipe too please.

The Drppa and Droppa bread really is nice enough for a sandwich without refreshing.

[rachaelsara]

My mil can't cope with gf. Last time we went for dinner it was lasagne and garlic bread! She was mortified when I had just salad! I don't actually mind and if I'm going somewhere where food might be difficult I take Eat Natural bars, they're lovely.

[cmotdibbler]

My mil is fine - sil can't cope at all. They invited us to her big 40th party (I was 35 weeks pg) and said 'but you'll have to bring your own food - I can't cope with doing that". DS saved me driving for 3.5 hours each way with a cool bag by arriving on the day of the party.
Other sil will tell me that theres food, and then we'll get there and everyone else has lovely stuff and I get a small bag of Morrisons value ready salted crisps. I end up getting very drunk.

[kasdie]

i know how you feel my 5 year old has cd he hardly eats a thing i have found sainsbury free from bread the best so far,you need to read the ingredients on everything cos not everything contains wheat and gluten walkers crisps are good they state which bags are for coeliacs,if she hasnt had her biopsy yet please keep her on wheat untill she has other wise you wont get a diagnoses

[kingprawntikka]

Hi my son is gluten/wheat intolerant. i make cheese scones to put in his lunch box. its a recipe i made up but he always enjoys them

ingredients
6oz gluten free flour
2 tea spoons gluten free baking powder
half teaspoon salt and teaspoon dried herbs
50g margarine/butter
3oz grated cheddar
1 egg
2 table spoons milk
1 teaspoon xantham gum

1)mix the flour ,salt, herbs and baking powder together.

2)rub in the margarine/butter.

3)mix the cheese in. reserve a little for the tops.

4) in a separate bowl mix the xantham gum, milk and egg together. it will be a bit lumpy but it doesn't matter.

5) mix both bowls together and knead to a dough.

6) roll out and cut into scones. I get 6 or 7 out of this amount.put on a greased tray.

7) brush tops with milk and sprinkle with cheese.

8) bake at 200c for about 10 mins.

they keep for a couple of days or you can freeze.

[cherryredretrochick]

This is what dd has,
Jam sandwich with g/f bread, refresh in the mormning is ok by lunch or rice cakes sandwich with jam, crispbreadbreads with marmite.
Cheese
Grapes
cold sausages (ham or whatever if your dd likes)
Crisps
Yoghurt
fruit.
I thought it would be a problekm but is atually ok.
Parties at soft play are fun, but morrisions do a great choc and cherry cake as mentioned earlier, also Morrisons do caramel slice thing so they don't feel left out about the cake bit.
Hope you get on ok with pead appt.

[duchesse]

rice/ potato/ wheat-free pasta/ salad- peas, sweetcorn, chopped carrot, cucumber, etc..

rice cakes and cheese/ carrot sticks/ grapes

creative leftovers- cold beef burger/ sausage etc...

polenta and egg and broccoli patties (a bit like little omelettes but using half made up polenta and steamed broccoli)

cold spanish omelette

Will get back to you if I have more ideas.

[Wordsmith]

There are some great ideas here - my DS is 4 tomorrow - his first GF birthday - and I'm sending him to his own party with a sandwich box! (it's in a playzone and is catered by them - I was going to make a load of GF food for all the kids but then realised it would be easier and cheaper to just do DS's separately. he quite likes being 'special' but am sure the novelty will wear off soon.)

Atlas -when your DD gets her diagnosis I can recommend the glutafin fresh bread you get free on prescription - it's much nicer than the stuff you buy in supermarkets which costs a fortune. The Doves Farm white bread flour makes great bread in the breadmaker - if you don't have one it could be a good investment - DS loves the bread made in there.

The idea of pizzas and pittas sounds good - I've bought the pizza bases and pittas but they're still in the freezer at present.

Good luck with the paediatrician! I've just been through this process with DS so know how you're feeling. We nagged and nagged our hospital to bring forward appointments as DS was getting really poorly.The good news is he's put on over 2 kilos in a month since being gluten free!

[Wordsmith]

cmotdibbler - do you have a link to the Lifestyle sausage rolls you mentioned?

[cmotdibbler]

Yes here. I have a serious habit for their danish pastries

Johnsons also do sausage rolls in their frozen section. They stock this Brazilian cheese bread mix which makes the most amazing pizza - DH will fight me for it, which is fine now you can buy it in this country, but not when I was having to get my colleagues to bring it in from the US

[PinkTulips]

dd is wheat intolerant but can have gluten so this might not be helpful if she turns out to be coeliac but this is what dd (3) has had the last few weeks;

-oatcakes with pate/goats cheese (she's cows milk intolerant too)
-homemade spelt bread with peanut butter or other regular sandwich fillings (you can buy a wide variety of wf/gf breads in supermarkets though if you don't bake
-fruit... apples, bananas, grapes, mandarines
-oat biscuits for her little break (teacher gives all the other kids a digestive so i send in a box of oat biscuits every few weeks)