"emergency Food" Suggestions Needed

[camprunner]

In a few months, our family is expecting a new baby. I will be sending my kids to a friends house during the (home)birth and need to have a food box packed for them that could sit by our door for as long as 5 weeks while we wait. I'm at a loss as to what I could pack to provide them with meals while they are gone (especially since there is no way to know which ones they will need!). DD (8yo) is gluten intolerant and lactose intolerant. She wets the bed as one of her reactions (to both) so this is definately not a reaction I want her to have at someone else's house and after she get's back to our house as there will be enough laundry at our house.

So far, I'm thinking I can pack

-Almond milk

-Cereal

-Lara Bars for snack

-maybe some peanutbutter and gluten free crackers?

What else? We don't do a lot of convenience foods around here and it seems that this is exactly what she will need. I'd like for her to feel like she has plenty to eat when the family sits down to eat a meal. Any suggestions?

My labors really haven't been that long so it's possible that it will only be for one meal or no meals.

[tarnalberry]

Can you make some stuff and freeze it so you can grab a bag out of the freezer when it's time? Chili freezes really well, as do muffins.

[camprunner]

Can you make some stuff and freeze it so you can grab a bag out of the freezer when it's time? Chili freezes really well, as do muffins.

I'll need to think about that one... DH will probably be responsible for getting them there so I was hoping that I could do something in just one spot. I'm also not sure how much freezer space the family I'm sending them to would have. On top of that, even though we do have things at our house that freeze well, they are generally not the things that the kids will eat. I would love to be able to send them the kind of hotdogs they can eat (not healthy, but they will eat them), a vegetable they would eat. Then the stuff listed above. I'm just thinking hotdogs and frozen veggies aren't going to make the 30 minute trip well and I can totally see dh driving off without them where as a box beside the door he'd probably remember.

[Mizzo]

How about gluten-free soups and there are some Indian meals that are not refrigerated. Also, Annie's gluten-free mac and cheese with a dairy replacement.

[coffeetime]

Since you have already made plans and you know where the children are going, you could check to see if your friends have room in their freezer and put your things there now. That would be one less thing you would need to worry about. For my college age son I make pizza that he can take back and freeze till needed. I also make taco meat that he can keep frozen as well. He is also a big sweets guy so I make cookies and brownies and put serving sizes in ziplocks to freeze. Hope this helps.

[camprunner]

How about gluten-free soups and there are some Indian meals that are not refrigerated. Also, Annie's gluten-free mac and cheese with a dairy replacement.

I like those suggestions. I just remember that I got some Thai meals at Whole Foods when I went out of town for a week on business and I don't know if they will eat those but I'll bet maybe there are similar type meals that can be microwaved for them. The friend that is keeping them knows that fresh fruit and veggies are ok and is pretty familiar with their diet but I also don't want to intimidate and I also have some back ups that aren't as familiar with the diet so I want to make sure they are covered. Like I said, it is possible that they will leave at 8 or 9 pm one night and be back by breakfast the next morning...it is also possible they will have to eat a meal or two with this family so I want to be prepared.

[Wenmin]

How about: Dinty Moore Beef Stew, Healthy Choice Chicken and Rice SOup, Hormel Chili, Tuna Fish in a Can, Vienna Sausage, Vegetables in a can (beets, carrots, green beans, corn, etc) Nutella or Peanut Butter on Glutino Crackers or Lundberg Farms Rice cakes, canned fruits, marshmallows, Pamela's cookies, Chex cereals, raisins, Soy Joy Bars or similar snack/breakfast bars, EnviroKids snack bars, GLuten Free Oatmeal, Grits, cheetos, Doritos cool ranch, Funyuns, pudding cups, jello, M & M's, butter fingers, york peppermint patties, skittles?

Cold foods could be packed in refrigerator in a lunch bag and grabbed when needed: Cheese Sticks, Yogurt, Cottage Cheese,...

Sorry don't remember if she is lactose intolerant or not.....

Wenmin

[JenniLu]

Quaker makes yummy little rice snacks in different flavors. ( My son's favorite snack. ) He also likes plain rice cakes with Nutella. There's gluten free summer sausage, beef sticks, and turkey sticks. Trail mix with nuts and dried fruit, even m&m's-they would also keep nicely.

[GlutenFreeManna]

Some soup brands that have gluten-free options: Progresso, Imagine, Pacific, and Amy's.

Will your kids eat things like dried fruit and nuts? You could make up a trail mix with nuts, raisins, craisins, chocolate chips (get dairy free), etc.

Some other snack ideas: banana chips, apple chips, popcorn, Lays potato chips or fritos in individual size bags, gluten-free pretzels.

For more meal like thigns you could do gluten-free bread/bagels, peanut buttter and jelly, summer sausage for shelf stable meat if they will eat it (old Wisconsin beef sticks are gluten-free)....but you probably want to wait to put the gluten-free bread in the box as most stays fresher in the freezer or fridge.

Rice cakes keep at room temp for several weeks if your kids will eat rice cakes with peanut butter/jelly.

[camprunner]

Thanks for all the suggestions, keep them coming if you can think of more. Unfortunately due to lactose intolerance Nutella is out

[celiac-mommy]

Quaker makes yummy little rice snacks in different flavors. ( My son's favorite snack. ) He also likes plain rice cakes with Nutella. There's gluten free summer sausage, beef sticks, and turkey sticks. Trail mix with nuts and dried fruit, even m&m's-they would also keep nicely.

Unless they've recently changed their formula, the only Quaker rice cakes that are guaranteed gluten-free are the large ones. They say gluten-free right above the nutritional info

[GlutenFreeManna]

Unless they've recently changed their formula, the only Quaker rice cakes that are guaranteed gluten-free are the large ones. They say gluten-free right above the nutritional info

I was going to say the same thing. I loved those Quakes snacks prior to going gluten free. I would love to hear they made them gluten-free like their big rice cakes.

[slee]

Kids Kitchen makes those little microwave cups- and the beans and wieners are both gluten and dairy free.

[Juliebove]

I got these for my daughter:

Open Original Shared Link

Some are gluten-free and DF.

Canned Organ pasta or Allegroos. May have to order online.

Vienna Sausages.

One of my daughter's favorite quick meals is Uncle Ben's roasted chicken flavor rice. It's precooked in a pouch. Just zip it open, add canned chicken and have a meal. Add gluten-free broth and have soup.

[Kimmik95]

I'm not sure what of this is dairy free and we don't do many convenience foods either, but here are some things Chris likes when we are in a pinch or in his lunch:

baked beans (Most of Busch's are gluten-free)

Progresso gluten-free soups

potatoes (my son loves baked potatoes)

Some Dinty More stews are gluten-free

Canned vegetables (not sure which are definitely gluten-free as we use fresh or frozen)

pudding

canned fruit

gluten-free breakfast bars

Good luck! I'm being induced in 3 weeks and I've been preping gluten-free food for Chris for the freezer. I know my church family will bring us meals, but I doubt they will be gluten-free. Chris is so easy at home because he loves meat and potatoes/rice and vegetables, but going somewhere else is hard because he really just doesn't like the convenience food.

In a few months, our family is expecting a new baby. I will be sending my kids to a friends house during the (home)birth and need to have a food box packed for them that could sit by our door for as long as 5 weeks while we wait. I'm at a loss as to what I could pack to provide them with meals while they are gone (especially since there is no way to know which ones they will need!). DD (8yo) is gluten intolerant and lactose intolerant. She wets the bed as one of her reactions (to both) so this is definately not a reaction I want her to have at someone else's house and after she get's back to our house as there will be enough laundry at our house.

So far, I'm thinking I can pack

-Almond milk

-Cereal

-Lara Bars for snack

-maybe some peanutbutter and gluten free crackers?

What else? We don't do a lot of convenience foods around here and it seems that this is exactly what she will need. I'd like for her to feel like she has plenty to eat when the family sits down to eat a meal. Any suggestions?

My labors really haven't been that long so it's possible that it will only be for one meal or no meals.

[kareng]

Freeze some stuff like pancakes, sandwiches, muffins, whatever. They don't need freezer space at their house because you will want them to thaw & be eaten in the next day. Tape a note on top of the bag that reminds Hub to get the bag out of your freezer. They don't need to be kept cold on the way to the friend's house, they will be cold.

[tarnalberry]

Unless you tend to have precipitous labors, there's a good chance you'll have lots of time and can do it yourself during early labor. Or at least putting the boxin the car.