Kind Of A Silly Question But Do Children Need Gluten Foods?

[answerseeker]

It's easier for me obviously to cook one meal instead of my gluten-free meals and my family's regular meals.

 

My kids have tasted and loved my gluten-free pancakes, cookies, and gluten-free pizza and they love gluten-free Chex. I buy 4 boxes at a time because I eat them for breakfast and it's just easier to buy all the same brand. I used to always have them eat whole wheat bread etc but I don't buy it anymore because I don't really want it around me and they are not much of sandwich eaters anyway. I told them if they want toast for breakfast just let me know and I'll buy a loaf but they don't seem to miss it.

 

My husband in support of me has given up bread and said not to worry about making pasta dishes as he won't miss it much, for fajitas I just make myself some corn tortillas because they still love their flour tortillas and for the most part it's working out

 

So I guess what I'm wondering is if wheat is cut or reduced in children's diets if they are not gluten intolerant, is it possible they are not getting the nutrients they need from wheat?

[bartfull]

Not at all! If you feed them the same nutritious foods that you eat they will be fine. The only thing I know of that is truly nutritious about gluten is the bread because it is vitamin fortified. If you give your kids a good multi-vitamin, they will get everything they need and avoid a lot of garbage they DON'T need. Most of the processed gluten foods are full of chemical preservatives, colors, and flavorings. That's not to say there isn't some of that same garbage in some of the gluten-free processed foods, but if you stick to mostly whole foods and do your own baking you will have more control and better tasting food.

[love2travel]

I agree with Bartfull. By the way, as you seem to enjoy cooking and baking, give homemade pasta a try. There are some very good recipes out there. I love stuffing pasta with roasted butternut squash and ricotta puree and topping with browned sage butter and toasted pine nuts. Yum!

[cyclinglady]

We are pretty much a gluten free household.  I was diagnosed in March and my husband's been gluten-free for 12 years.  Dinners were always gluten free.  Since my diagnosis, we've reduced the amount of gluten in house drastically.  I just buy gluten treats and some snacks for my daughter for her lunches.  No bread or anything with crumbs as I don't want to buy separate condiments nor worry about cross contamination.  We mostly eat whole foods and she gets plenty of fiber from veggies, fruit and legumes. 

 

I wouldn't be concerned about with holding gluten in your household as long as your kids are eating healthy.  

 

P.S.  Try corn or rice pasta for spaghetti.  No one notices the difference anymore.  

[answerseeker]

 

P.S.  Try corn or rice pasta for spaghetti.  No one notices the difference anymore.  

I'll try that next week, I have had a craving for spaghetti and meatballs (gluten-free breadcrumbs of course) for 2 weeks now! But the last gluten free pasta I tried was really gross.

 

I hate it when you get a craving and it won't go away until you find a replacement! I finally satisfied my pizza craving with Pamela's mix. I use my kitchen aid mixer to mix it and it turns out yummy, my kids love it

[AlwaysLearning]

There is nothing in wheat, rye, or barley that can't be found in other foods. They are not essential.

But gluten foods in general (breads and cereals) are often heavily fortified. Riboflavin (B2) Thiamin (B1), Vitamin E, Vitamin D, Niacin (B3), Folate, Pyridoxine (B6) are the most commonly added. I think most of these are the water-soluble vitamins that can get flushed from our systems more easily so there is less danger of getting too much. That said, many gluten-free cereals are also fortified. From what I can tell, fortification is normally done by the big manufacturers and less so by the small. 

I personally throw in a multivitamin here and there, but don't take one every day. Scientific studies have shown that taking too many supplements, even the amounts in a daily multivitamin, can have negative effects. It is possible to have too much of a good thing so I try to only supplement those that I know I'm deficient in and otherwise eat a wide variety of fresh foods.

But there is one MAJOR thing to take into consideration when mixing gluten-free with gluten foods. Gluten is an opiod peptide. That means that it fits nicely into the opiate receptors in our brains, gives you a bit of a high, and when it is removed, has withdrawal symptoms. You don't have to be sensitive to wheat or to have celiac to go through withdrawal. And if you remember back to when you went gluten free, that means feeling lousy, headaches, brain fog, and perhaps wanting to sleep quite a bit more than normal for a few days. I wouldn't want to accidentally put my own child through that. 

 

I realize in hindsight that I had been detoxing and retoxing on a regular basis for years before I went gluten free, the foods I cooked at home almost always low in gluten and those that I ate out often high. The headaches alone were killer.

So yes, you can feed them anything you eat without concern. But if you want them to avoid feeling lousy from the affects of the opiod withdrawal, I'd pay attention to their moods and their meals and slip them some gluten if you suspect they may be having withdrawal symptoms. 

[answerseeker]

I agree with Bartfull. By the way, as you seem to enjoy cooking and baking, give homemade pasta a try. There are some very good recipes out there. I love stuffing pasta with roasted butternut squash and ricotta puree and topping with browned sage butter and toasted pine nuts. Yum!

yes, now that I have some energy back I've been back in the kitchen and I love it! I think I'm going to treat myself to the pasta maker attachment on my kitchen aid mixer

 

One of my kids favorite treats that I make out of scratch are soft pretzels, they taste like the mall ones....oh how I miss those! So my next quest is to find a gluten free recipe to substitute. I downloaded "The gluten free gourmet cooks quick and healthy" on my tablet and it's a wonderful cookbook!

 

Any suggestions where to buy rice flour and other flours in bulk? My grocery store carries a bag of Bob's Red Mill all purpose gluten-free flour and it's almost $9!

[answerseeker]

But there is one MAJOR thing to take into consideration when mixing gluten-free with gluten foods. Gluten is an opiod peptide. That means that it fits nicely into the opiate receptors in our brains, gives you a bit of a high, and when it is removed, has withdrawal symptoms. You don't have to be sensitive to wheat or to have celiac to go through withdrawal. And if you remember back to when you went gluten free, that means feeling lousy, headaches, brain fog, and perhaps wanting to sleep quite a bit more than normal for a few days. I wouldn't want to accidentally put my own child through that. 

 

I realize in hindsight that I had been detoxing and retoxing on a regular basis for years before I went gluten free, the foods I cooked at home almost always low in gluten and those that I ate out often high. The headaches alone were killer.

So yes, you can feed them anything you eat without concern. But if you want them to avoid feeling lousy from the affects of the opiod withdrawal, I'd pay attention to their moods and their meals and slip them some gluten if you suspect they may be having withdrawal symptoms. 

good point. they still get their gluten at lunch and they still love their quesidillas and that's pretty easy to prepare for them without cc myself.

[cap6]

I can't see one thing wrong with not feeding kids gluten at home.  They can always have their gluteny "treats" if you eat out or at school.  I say say yourself a lot of stress and chance of cross contamination and do it all gluten-free a home!

[AlwaysLearning]

Answerseeker, can you PLEASE share your recipe for the pretzels? I'm dying for that sour-dough taste!

[answerseeker]

I haven't found a gluten free one, I was referring to the ones I used to make for my kidsusing regular flour. Don't worry I'll be experimenting with gluten free flour very soon! As soon as I master it I will post my recipe

 

but I did find a gluten free sourdough starter. I'm dying for some sourdough bread!!!! haven't tried to make it yet though

[love2travel]

yes, now that I have some energy back I've been back in the kitchen and I love it! I think I'm going to treat myself to the pasta maker attachment on my kitchen aid mixer

One of my kids favorite treats that I make out of scratch are soft pretzels, they taste like the mall ones....oh how I miss those! So my next quest is to find a gluten free recipe to substitute. I downloaded "The gluten free gourmet cooks quick and healthy" on my tablet and it's a wonderful cookbook!

Any suggestions where to buy rice flour and other flours in bulk? My grocery store carries a bag of Bob's Red Mill all purpose gluten-free flour and it's almost $9!

I love making pretzels, sourdough bread, bagels and English muffins, cinnamon rolls, focaccia, ciabatta, etc. Gluten free baking is great fun! Do get the KA pasta attchments - so worth it.

[answerseeker]

do you have your recipies posted somewhere? that all sounds so yummy!