A Gluten-Free Diet for Kids

Coming up with a healthy gluten-free diet for your child might seem overwhelming. Healthy, kid-friendly diets are a challenge. Finding gluten-free products that children with sensitivities to wheat gluten can enjoy is even more difficult. Many pantry staples are wheat-based, and trace amounts of gluten are present in a surprising range of products. Add this to my Recipe Box.

Foods to Avoid

The first step in a gluten-free diet is to avoid feeding your child food that contains wheat, rye, barley, or derivative products. Derivatives include bran, couscous, durum, spelt, farina, semolina flour, graham flour, and matzo meal. That means no pizza and no pasta. Most types of cereal are out, too. You'll need to look for alternative gluten-free products to substitute in your child's diet.

Gluten-free Foods

Acceptable breakfasts for your child might include cereals made from white or brown rice, cream of rice, puffed rice cereal, or a corn-based product. Oats are gluten-free but may be contaminated with wheat during processing, so check with a doctor before feeding oats to your child.

Lunches can be prepared with rice, wraps or burritos made with corn tortillas, or gluten-free bread such as quinoa bread or brown rice bread. For dinners, try brown rice pasta, tacos on corn tortillas, or stir-fry served with rice. Any product made with potato flour, soy flour, rice or rice flour, amaranth, or quinoa are safe to give to your child.

Hidden Sources of Gluten

Sources of gluten are not always obvious, so read the label on every product you buy. Many types of candy contain gluten or come into contact with it during processing, so always double-check what kind of candy your child receives, and be extra-vigilant around Halloween and the holidays. Other products like soy sauce, soup stock, lunch meat, vitamin supplements, and even prescription medication may also contain gluten.