Holidays

[debbie-doodles]

Hi, I was just wondering what everyone does with their little ones on holidays. My 2 year old has celiac disease and I'm just wondering if I'm ever gonna be able to let her go trick -or- treating. Also, what do you provide your kids for Easter and Christmas?

[MySuicidalTurtle]

Your child can certainly go trick-or-treating! You will just have to take the "bad" candy at the end of the night. As for other holidays (foodwise) there are loads of candies like Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, and M+M's (all but crispy), but also a lot of others that I cannot think of right now. I am sure other people will have better lists!

[tarnalberry]

I've had no problems with holidays and being gluten-free, but I don't have a kid. :-) I end up doing a lot of the cooking, but I volunteer to do that because I want to. Take it one day at a time.

[debbie-doodles]

I just didn't know how my little baby would handle getting all that candy, then me taking it away from her if she can't eat it. I would feel awful.

Yeah, I know I need to take it one day at a time, but I'm the kind that has to plan ahead and think about the future so I am ready for it. I'll try to relax though.

[angel-jd1]

Just buy some extra candy and trade her piece for piece. Go through the bag, seperate out the good from bad. Take the bad pile and trade her the exact amount of safe candy!! Give the uckey candy to someone else or just throw it away. That way everybody wins.

-Jessica

[key]

As far as Halloween goes, I always have my kids candy "disappear" anyway. THey forget in a couple of days. I would just be discreat about it and she probably won't notice. You choose which one's she can have. I don't think they need all the candy they get anyway.

I am worrying about what to do when we go to someone's house for dinner or something. MOre with an older child. When they are little you can just make them something special to take, but for an older child it seems more difficult.

The other day I was eating something in front of my baby with gluten in it and he wanted it, instead of his yogurt. I had to hide my food behind something and sneak it! He is only 14 months old.

Anyway, I haven't figured out all the kinks either.

MOnica

[lovegrov]

A large percentage of candy is actually gluten-free, so if you're worried about that it shouldn't be a huge problem. By the time your child really cares about trick or treating you should have it down pat. Same with Easter.

I think Christmas is harder because of the family dinners, parties and holiday cookies and other treats. I'm the one in my family who has celiac disease and we just make sure there are gluten-free treats I can have. Fortunately, our traditional chocolate peanut butter balls (called buckeyes by some) are naturally gluten-free and chex mix and seven-layer cookies can be made gluten-free.

richard

[debbie-doodles]

I didn't realize that most of candy is gluten-free. Well that's a relief. But I will also use the idea of trading bad candy for good. that was a good idea.

Oh, and Richard, I was wondering if I could have your recipe for the chocolate peanut butter balls. ? Thanks!

[celiac3270]

I tried to reply this morning, but when I hit add reply my internet connection conked out on me. There's a great list of gluten-free candy from Melonie Katz of the yahoo group Silly Yaks. This is for Halloween but can be easily adapted for other holidays. There are also suggestions for non-gluten-free candy at the bottom:

If you want a copy of this updated gluten-free Candy List with cute graphics (as

a Word doc file, or as an Adobe pdf file, please email me and I can

send you a copy. Please put REQUEST CANDY LIST WORD OR REQUEST CANDY

LIST ADOBE so I will know which file format to send you.) Please send

your requests to: OneSillyYak@yahoo.com

Gluten Free Candy & Easter Candy

[debbie-doodles]

Thanks celiac3270! This helps a ton!

[lbsteenwyk]

Debbie:

Start talking about gluten now with your child. My daughter has been gluten free since 26 months. I have been very up front with her about her gluten intolerance. When we go to the grocery I explain that certain foods have gluten and that she cannot eat those. She is very happy with the substitutes we provide her and actually does not want something if she knows it has gluten in it. If you start at a very young age and make the rules clear, you'll probably have less trouble than you think. If you treat the whole issue matter-of-factly and don't make a big fuss over her not being able to have certain foods, she will feel that way, too. For instance, before she goes trick-or-treating, just explain that some of the candy she gets will have gluten that you will help her pick out the gluten free items at the end of the night. Involve her in picking out the items that are gluten free by showing her an example and seeing if she can find a matching candy. Make it light and fun and don't let your child think you feel sorry for her because she can't have all the candy. Children pick up on our feelings so easily. If you child senses you feel guilty or sorry for her b/c she has diet restrictions, she will learn to take advantage of that, and then you'll really have food battles on your hands!