help - need snack ideas for wheat and dairy free baby before she expires from ricecake boredom!

[vonsudenfed]

DD has taken to solids like they're the best thing since sliced bread. The only problem is, no bread. So what other kinds of finger food snacks can I give her?

We're quite an allergenic family (eczema and asthma on both sides of the family, egg allergy on mine) so would like to hild off wheat and dairy until she's one (she's currently 7.5 months).

She's eating tons of fruit, veg, lentils, rice, and I think I need to introduce a mid-afternoon snack, as she's getting very grumpy before supper, despite getting a milk feed at 3-ish. But what can I give her that isn't a ricecake?? I'm stumped - has anyone else been through this and can give me a clue?

do you do oats?
if so porridge pancakes, oatcakes

the wheat-free bread you can get is pretty good toasted - spread with soya marg

north staffs oatcakes, onion bhajis, chickpea burgers, home-made fruit winder things... there are actually quite a few things on the blog at babyledweaning.com. it's about blw but ther recipes are all finger food. have a search under moomin, she's very good with gram flour.

It depends if it is Wheat or Gluten you are avoiding. Oats contain gluten.
You can vary the rice cake flavours (this is what I did) Organix do an apple one that DD had as a treat at the end of meals etc.

Also if you lightly cook some apple or pear wedges they stay together but are less likely to cause choking than raw, keep in the fridge for a day and are good if they are teething as well.

Banana split into the 3 natural segments (less slippery than cutting into segments).

You could also make your own potato bread with gluten free flour, mash and olive oil. Mix torether and shape into patties and grill/fry/bake until light brown. Really tasty with purees on.

Have you tried Avocado (sp?) slices - a bit slippery but popular with my DD.

HTH

organix do sweetcorn rings (like onion rings) and carrot crunchy sticks (like posh wotsits) which are both made from corn and contain no added salt/sugar. They are both suitable from 7 months - I get mine in the supermarket and/or Boots.

as far as i'm aware (and i'm no allergy expert) the gluten in oats does not tend to be associated with allergic reactions.

Thankyou everyone. Aitch, good to hear that about oats. The advice I'm following (which seems to be much the same in books and the internet) is to leave oats and corn until 9 months, but to be honest I might try her with a little bit and see what her reaction is otherwise we are both going to go mad. They also suggest leaving potato until one year, but I'm beginning to think this is all a bit extreme...

Home made fruit winders sound fun, though, I'll check them out on t'blog!

Ooh I have a 7.5mo dd who I am doing the same diet with, thanks for asking for ideas, although she would happily live on rice cakes bless her! My house is covered in the little chewed bits though, they weld themselves solid onto anything don't they?!
Would you say Terence Stamp bread would be OK for toast fingers? I have no idea if it has weird stuff in it.. will obviously look next time I go shopping but wondered if anyone knew?

well double-check it obviously but i remember it being discussed on here before.

Will check it obviously ;) Will also have to remove sunflower seed from the top I suppose!

sorry me old grapefruit, i was answering vonsudafed. dunno about terence stamp but would agree about he sunflower seeds.

look in Sainsburys - they used to have wheat free, dairy free slices from Village Bakery (I think). They were very nice, anyway.

Good point on the oats Aitch although I avoided them anyway (call me over cautious!).

I wonder if that name is free......

Vonsudenfed - are you following the Kellymom link guidance? That is the one I followed and found it v strict. I did some additional reading (although don't ask my nappy brain to remember which sites now!) and we introduced potatoes at 7m. I also gave her organic basmati rice around then which helped stave off lentil and sweet potato overload! I also introduced a few other things "early" and was v cautious and observed her for a few days with each new thing. We are now introducing new things every week.

We just omitted the usual high risk foods until 9m then are introducing gradually. I have no major food intollerances just the dust type allergies so I just watch for rashes and excema flare ups.

I have been advised on here last night to avoid eggs for longer than I thought so am doing so - good old Mumsnetters experience!!!

Do you like my new name - much better, it rather suits me I think

[does a twirl]

callmeovercautious - () - I'm following a mix of the Susannah Olivier book, and a list of suggested food introduction schedule (?) from the dutch BLW website (it comes up quite high on the rankings if you search for 'allergy weaning').

Annoyingly, they both seem to say the same sort of thing, so I don't feel too able to dismiss them as overzealous.

DD has, however, had rice almost from the start - Susannah Olivier suggests cooking brown rice, I think because it keeps its texture a bit better. I (cover your ears, BLWeaners) mash this up with some fruit, and it's lovely - tastes like fruity rice pudding.

And pamplemousse, yes, the chewed rice cake is a thing of awe - it's so solid that I think you could build cities out of it.

callmeovercautious - () - I'm following a mix of the Susannah Olivier book, and a list of suggested food introduction schedule (?) from the dutch BLW website (it comes up quite high on the rankings if you search for 'allergy weaning').

Annoyingly, they both seem to say the same sort of thing, so I don't feel too able to dismiss them as overzealous.

DD has, however, had rice almost from the start - Susannah Olivier suggests cooking brown rice, I think because it keeps its texture a bit better. I (cover your ears, BLWeaners) mash this up with some fruit, and it's lovely - tastes like fruity rice pudding.

And pamplemousse, yes, the chewed rice cake is a thing of awe - it's so solid that I think you could build cities out of it.

stefan's weaning schedule is linked to my blog too, if you're looking for it. he's bonkers, but lovely. there's also another one that seems a bit less full-on.

bonkers but lovely?
or bonkers, but lovely and right?

as far as i'm aware he's well-regarded in the netherlands, but some people think he's a bit full on. at least that's what he told me!

Now there's a thought put the mush to good use. Anyone got a first lentil recipe, dd hates them and I would like her to like them!!!
Off to find Susannah O book, never heard of it, was making stuff up myself until now.
Is Dutch BLW site in English as well, where is it please...?

[http://www.borstvoeding.com/voedselintroductie/vast_voedsel/weaning_food_introduction_schedule.html this is the link from the dutch website].

I'm sure aitch has a lentil recipe or two up her sleeve - dd is a bit picky about them too, but I think that's the texture.

[http://www.borstvoeding.com/voedselintroductie/vast_voedsel/weaning_food_introduction_schedule.html this is the link from the dutch website].

I'm sure aitch has a lentil recipe or two up her sleeve - dd is a bit picky about them too, but I think that's the texture.

that didn't work, did it? and why is this laptop posting twice? still, a cut and paste will work...

Unsalted, unsweetened popcorn is nice and corn tends not to be allergenic. They love it because it's easy to hold and mush up in the mouth.

von, there are links to the dutch site on the right hand side
oh yes, good idea about the popcorn. although i do like to be a bit pernikety and only give dd the stuff that i know is fully popped so i end off eating the crappy bits...