Daycare/cd Questions And Breadmachine ?.

[jenr69]

My 19 month old daughter had her biospy yesterday. Went as well as to be expected (she was MAD when she woke up from the general, lol). We are expecting a diagnosis of celiac disease, as my Dad has it (diagnosed 3 years ago) and all the blood tests have been positive. Add that to her history of no weight gain/weight loss and well...Vicky has no other symptoms of celiac disease (except maybe a swollen tummy sometimes) - her bowel movements have always been fine (thank goodness) and she's a very happy baby. Right now she still is not on the growth chart at 5%. She dropped off the growth chart between 15-18 months of age (at 18 months she weighed what she did at 12 months!).

My daugher (and her older brother) attend daycare full time. Daycare provides meals for them (breakfast, lunch and two snacks a day). Cleary, Vicky will be brown bagging it, as most of the food at daycare contains gluten. I'm putting together an information packet for her school and I'm wondering, not only what to include, but how much we have to worry about cross-contamination. Should the daycare workers wash their hands (or change their gloves) if they go from serving goldfish crackers to Vicky crackers? Things like that.

Also, Vicky has always been a very picky eater - trying new things is not easy. Its never easy with a 19 month old and new food, but compared to her brother (that boy can eat, lol), she just doesn't want anything different. I've been looking for similar things for her (e.g., she loves chex cereal and I've gotten the gluten-free corn and rice chex), but I'm stuck for crackers (saltines and goldfish are her favorite) - anyone have some favorites. Have given her some rice type crackers, and its been a no go.

And, what does everyone suggest for a bread machine. We have a really old one (makes a round loaf) - I know I'll be making alot of bread in the coming years and I wonder if anyone has some suggestions on what ones work well with the gluten-free mixes and the gluten-free recipes out there.

Thanks!

Thanks everyone.

[lovegrov]

Yes the daycare MUST worry about cross contamination. There will be crumbs and studff all over the place. Workder should change gloves and wash hands. The REALLY hard part is going to be keeping other little kids with crumbs on their hands from contaminating your daughter. And the crumbs that will fall on the floor.

Remeber that playdough and a good number of finger paints are NOT gluten-free. Some glues have wheat. Here's a safe list.

CRAYOLA (800-CRAYOLA) (ve=06/25/02)

ALL Crayola products are gluten-free EXCEPT Crayola Dough.

This includes: Markers; Washable markers; 3D markers; Chalk; Oil pastels; Mess Free Color Wonder; Jumping Colors; Model Magic; Crayons (regular, washable and metallic); Colored Pencils; Glue Paint; Silly Putty

NOTE: (vp=05/02) Washable Finger Paints contain Dextrins.

ELMER (ve=06/25/02) (E-mail: questions@elmers.com)

ALL Elmer brand products are gluten-free EXCEPT Finger Paints which contain wheat.

This includes: Tempera paints; Paint pens; All glue; Mucilage; All purpose Glue Stick; Glitter; Glitter Shakers

PALMER PAINT (800-521-1383) (ve=06/25/02)

All Palmer Paints are gluten free.

ROSS PRODUCTS (888-435-6377) (ve=06/25/02)

ALL Ross products are gluten-free EXCEPT for the Finger Paints. This includes: Ross White Glue; Glue Sticks; School Glue

Far and away the top choice for making gluten-free bread seems to be the Zojirushi but I think I've also heard Breadman mentioned (I am not a gluten-free bread fan so I'm not real up on this). Others might be able to tell you more. And if you don't have one, you'll need a heavy-duty mixer like a Kitchenaid because gluten-free bread dough is so dense. Lighter mixers burn up eventually.

richard

[Boojca]

Bread machine: I have a bread machine, and I can honestly say I haven't touched it. I find it's actually easier to make it in the oven. I have a heavy-duty Kitchenaid mixer and do it that way. gluten-free bread only rises once, there is no kneading, so it's just as easy to make it in the oven as it would be to use a bread machine. And given some of the things I've heard, it may be easier! Especially since the likelihood that your "old bread machine" will be powerful enough to make gluten-free bread...or that you'll be able to clean it well enough to "decontaminate it"...means you'd have to purchase a new one.Sigh. I'd spend the money on a stand mixer.

As for daycare, yes, they have to be SUPER careful about cross-contamination. Grabbing a handful of goldfish or crackers, and then serving your child, is a big no-no without washing hands thoroughly or changing gloves.

I've seen several recipes out there for making "goldfish or cheese-nip like crackers" and Marthastewart.com has a cookie cutter for goldfish! 2 sizes, so be ware.

[Terri-Anne]

Boojca,

Could you point me in the direction where I could find a recipe for gluten-free fishy crackers? I am betting my four year old would love to sink his teeth into some of them!

Thanks for the tip about the fish-shaped cutters at Martha stewart.

[tpineo]

The Zojirushi bread machine is great. It makes the bread shaped like a loaf and has 2 paddles so it mixes better than others with one.

Re: Crackers- my daughter likes the Glutano crackers and the Mi-Del Arrowroot Cookies

[Canadian Karen]

Snakatas crackers are absolutely delicious and come in four different flavours and shapes.... I get them for me but my kids end up eating them on me!!! They are made in Australia but I have found them in numerous places here in Canada.

Karen