Kid Friendly Gluten Free Alternatives That Are Healthier & Easy

Two of the mothers of some of our R.O.C.K. Stars had an email thread going on recipes which I found to have some very good ideas for gluten free kid friendly treats. It is hard to find good ideas for inexpensive and easy gluten free recipes for kids which they adore and to also fill in the gaps so that they don't feel they are missing out on old favorites. If your kids are like mine, they eat pigs in a blanket or pizza rolls regardless of warm or cool...

And just think - You can actually make two options that are usually laced with questionable ingredients in a healthier way:-)

Gluten Free Pigs In A Blanket

One package of Chebe Pizza Dough

One package of Gluten Free Smoked Cocktail Sausages - There are many brands available in major grocery stores like John Morrell smoked sausages available at Bi-Lo. If you are nitrate free there are many available for mail order online:-)

Optional addition is cheese or cheese filled sausages

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place the gluten free sausages on a pan and stick into preheated oven for about 10 minutes to precook them.

Prepare the Chebe dough mix as directed on their package but add a little more milk until the dough becomes slightly gooey.

Cool the sausages and then wrap a small bit of the Chebe dough around each one - A little goes a long way. (Wrap the cheese around them first if you want to add it)

Then place the dough wrapped sausages back into the oven for around 15 minutes or until the dough lightly browns. Serve with gluten free katsup, mustard, BBQ sauce or plain - Whatever you desire:-)

Click to view actual label of ingredients and nutritional values or lack thereof in Totino's Pizza Rolls

Gluten Free Pizza Rolls (Better Than Totino's)

Use Chebe Pizza Dough Mix to make "Totinos" pizza rolls...

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Prepare Chebe Pizza Dough Mix as suggested on package.

Roll it really thin, cut in rectangles and place pizza toppings in the middle of rectangle. Close up the rectangle by bringing ends together to make a "pizza pocket".  Bake for only about 10-12 min.

Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution Spells Out Common Issues For All Parents

This season on ABC, Jamie Oliver is taking on a small town in Huntington, West Virginia in order to try and change the American school lunch system on the show Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution which airs on Friday evenings at 9/8 Central time.
It is a very admirable and daunting task at hand and yet his winning spirit is shining through.

As a gluten free parent, I have hopes that if the school lunch programs were changed from processed food, that my daughter would be able to find healthy alternatives at school rather than in a packed lunch. I am sure that most parents would feel better about school lunches if that were the case. I think we forget that most parents are facing very similar struggles each week when the school lunch menu is revealed.

However, while watching the show there are a few facts that are shatteringly clear:

1. Not only are our gluten free children better off in the long run than on a regular school lunch program, but processed food could have been a catalyst for the onset of their medical issues to begin with. After all every immune disorder has to have a catalyst. How many of us were innocently opting for processed food all along from our children's conception to the time of their diagnosis? The question lingers for me quite often since diabetes and celiac are linked in some cases and other food allergies often accompany a celiac diagnosis.

2. Our children are blank slates begging for the knowledge of experiencing new things which includes starting a healthy relationship with their food by getting involved in the cooking. They are proven to be less likely to form negative opinions once they are taught about a new vegetable or food and then cook that very same food themselves - They will invariably at least try it.

3. Convenience and affordability outweigh the average consumer's viewpoints on food's nutritional values. Perhaps this is why movements like Slow Food or Food, Inc. have taken some time in becoming popular and only reach a certain faction of the general public. Thank goodness for people like Oprah and Jamie Oliver for at least making the subject matter more mainstream.

4. For gluten free parents, the struggles with providing nutritional alternatives are normal in the overall challenges that many parents face. The myth that the schools are providing our children with the right nutritional choices has got to be put to rest and we all need to get more involved with that process. The old saying, "It takes a village to raise a child" is clearly having to be revisited for parents everywhere when they watch The Food Revolution.

Kudos to Jamie Oliver for tackling the challenges and bringing the realities back home that we should have been aware of all along.

Here is a preview of one episode:

Watch The Food Revolution every Friday night on ABC.

Kids Love To Make Gluten Free Kabobs For Lunch

Kabobs are a fantastic way to use dinner left-overs for a school lunch box the next day. Those living gluten free have a plethora of things they can eat like: fruits, meats, and vegetables in their natural state before processing.

Gluten Free Meat Kabobs

The great thing about being gluten free is that instead of using processed luncheon meat you get to use home cooked natural meats. Grilling season is upon us and lunch boxes can be happier for a change of pace by using grilled chicken breast or even steak. I usually grill one extra breast or steak intended for that use.

The next day, you can just use a wooden skewer and place the washed vegetables out on the chopping block for them to assemble their own Gluten Free Meat Kabob with what they like. This gives children a bit of say so in their own creation and a sense of excitement about eating:-)

Gluten Free Vegan Kabobs

Nothing is a nutritious side dish like raw fresh veggies or grilled ones placed as an accompaniment to lunch. We do the same assembly method to make these and send them on their way maybe with a dipping sauce or hummus.

Gluten Free Fruit Kabobs

Seasonal fruit makes the perfect accompaniment in a lunch box and when assembled by kids, they have fun and get the fruits they want that day. You can even use bits of fruit leather which is usually gluten free and lends a bit of fun to the kabob. Or marshmellows to make a fruit salad with a sweet kick for dessert.

Perhaps your children could make an assortment of kabobs to have their own kind of fondue themed lunch.I even get a bit creative and use grilled pineapple with pork chop cubes, kind of a sweet & sour taste combo...the sky is the limit if you just let your children's creativity lend for a more fun and interactive cooking experience.

Studies show that if they get involved in making their own lunch - they will be 9 times more likely to try something new:-)

Bento Box lunch container