Indonesia
Gluten Free Meal for Kids
Gluten is a protein that is found in flour. For people with no healthy problem, there’s no need to put a limitation of how much gluten we eat. It’s another story for people who are sensitive and have celiac disease.
To make gluten free meal for kids requires careful planning ahead. Gluten free is different with replacing gluten-filled junk food with gluten-free junk food. For you Supermom who find themselves struggling with gluten free menu every day, here are some tips. Hopefully, cooking time becomes less stressing for the gluten intolerance little ones.
Plan Ahead Together
- Explain to the little ones about healthy meal for them. Give them names of meal that contains gluten and are on their black list. If you run into trouble in the process, use healthy guidance book, to help giving them clearer image about healthy and non healthy food.
- Help the kid to have a personal recipe book. Let them fill it with their favorite gluten free food. Arrange the list into breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack and the ‘forbidden’ menu. This way, you can teach them about what’s healthy food for them, as well as the source of answer when asked about today’s menu.
What the Kids Like
- Gluten free kids usually want to eat anything with the same shape and taste with what they used to before the gluten thing came up. The normal looking gluten free spaghetti, macaroni, pizza, muffin, cookies and baked can help them in this transition days. You can find gluten free food that look and taste very much alike the original ones in the market these days. They even sell free gluten powder to experiment at home with pretty much the same taste.
- Kids like to eat what other kids eat, be it at home, school especially parties. If everyone eats pizza, than gluten free pizza maybe in order.
Teach Them to Cook
- Let the kids get involved in preparing the gluten free meal. That way, they will learn about gluten free ingredients and what to do with them.
- Start with simple gluten free recipes like chocolate chips cookies and pancake. Kids must love this kind of things, the making and the eating.
When not at Home
This is a real challenge for Superparents with free gluten kids. Visiting grannies sleep over at friends’ house, birthday parties, school cafeteria, watching match from the stadium, all of those are places where the kids potentially come close to gluten.
- Tell everyone on the family, teachers, school officials, coach, nanny about the condition. If necessary, make a list of yes and no meal for the kids. Discuss with those people about the gluten thing. Share this information to all who are involved in childcare. Talk to people about the ban on eating gluten.
- Make them lunchbox for school and gluten free snacks when they are playing out.
Stay Positive and Supportive
- It’s crucial to show kids that gluten free food is also tasty and looks normal. Don’t worry, they can still enjoy the favorite menu (the gluten free version).
- Talk with kids, families, friends and teachers about gluten free lifestyle the kids must have. Their support will help this transition process, for them and us.
HAFIDA INDRAWATI
PHOTOS: THINSTOCKS PHOTOS
