Newly Diagnosed

[kcmcc]

My 8 year old daughter was recenly diagnosed with celiac, I am finding it very difficult to keep her gluten-free, she is in daycare 5 days a week and she will be going back to school in 3 weeks and I am not sure how she is going to eat at school. I have a hard enough time feeding her at home and keeping all gluten away from her. I am confused on what she is allowed to have, one list I read will say that she can have something and another list will say she can't. I am very overwhelmed! Does anyone have any suggestions?

Help!!!!!!!

[Jnkmnky]

https://www.celiac.com/st_main.html?p_catid...-53105064942.04

Here is a link to the safe and forbidden list.

It won't be so difficult to keep her gluten free. I have a seven year old son who has Celiac. We do fine. There are some cute t-shirts that have sayings like, "Gluten free Flower" on them. Getting her some might help her begin to take ownership over her disease. I find that my son has a sense of pride in his Celiac status. We've done the walk/run for Celiac 4 years in a row, gotten him several t-shirts that he wears quite proudly, separated HIS food from the family's food. We write his name on his peanut butter/jelly/butter/cream cheese/etc. Keep his food in a separate pantry that only he uses.

*technically this isn't true anymore as I've converted the entire family over to gluten free this past month, but I'm going on what we did for the past four years that really solidified his acceptance of HIS disease.*

You need to stress to the school that they cannot offer her any foods you haven't approved. You can make her a lunch box, or bag of special treats she can go get during the school year when there are class parties, treats, etc. My son loves having this special privledge. I keep those non-refridgeratable puddings in the box, some spoons, tootsie rolls, m&ms bags, lolli-pops, etc in his snack bag. The teacher keeps it for him near her desk and directs him to pick out a treat when there's an occassion for it.

I would suggest Kinnikinnick white tapioca rice bread for her sandwiches, they also make excellent donuts, bagels, pizza crusts. Great shipping deals, as well.

www.kinnikinnick.com

Chebe bread is great and versatile. www.chebe.com They have great recipe ideas at the site but one of our favorites is making hot pockets with it. It's easy to make, like bisquick.

[Guest nini]

my daughter is five. She will be starting Kindergarten next week. her daycare has been incredibly supportive of her dietary needs, and I am going to miss that. But, I think this will be manageable. I have tried to teach her to be responsible for what goes into her mouth. Only things that I send for her or that I have pre approved. I've started teaching her how to read labels even though she's technically not reading yet...

I will be packing her lunch everyday. I don't yet know if there will be a microwave for her to heat things up for a hot lunch, but I can heat things up in the morning and wrap them in foil for her. The Kinnikinick Tapioca bread is excellent for sandwiches, We also make "hot pockets" out of Chebe bread, Thermoses will do a good job of keeping soups hot, and I bought a case of Ener-G crackers. If she won't eat them I will! Fruit cups, cheese sticks, veggies and ranch dip are all good options for a lunch box. Yoplait yogurt tubes are fun and gluten-free, Hunts pudding packs, Cheetos, Fritos, Funyons are all treats that she might get once a week or so...

I like the idea of giving the teacher a "treat" bag to keep on hand for those unexpected times when the other kids will be getting a treat.

All in all, I think it's very doable, and instead of thinking how hard it's going to be, focus on how much fun you are going to have being creative in finding wonderful gluten-free foods for her to eat at school!

[kcmcc]

Thank you, your suggestion will be very helpful. I have another question, I have read that vegetable oil contains gluten but alot of the things that I have been told are gluten-free have vegetable oil in the ingredients. Also citric acid. Are these things safe to give my daughter?

Thank you,

Kristina

[Jnkmnky]

Vegetable oil is gluten free unless for some strange reason there is a gluten containing ingredient added to it. I don't know where you would have heard this information.

[kcmcc]

Vegetable oil is gluten free unless for some strange reason there is a gluten containing ingredient added to it. I don't know where you would have heard this information.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

THANK YOU FOR ANSWERING, THAT WILL MAKE THINGS EASIER. I WILL HAVE TO FIND OUT WHERE I HEARD/READ THAT INFORMATION.

THANK YOU