Although our family does not personally deal with food allergies, I have many friends who do. Talking with them I have learned it is not only a challenge to find the right types of food but also those that have kid-appeal.
I first came across Getting your Kid on a Gluten-Free Casein-Free Diet at my local library. What I like about this book is that the chapters are short and explain in real words what it means to be gluten free or casein free (GFCF). It gives real-life examples of how to make the change and TONS of great alternatives for all meals including snacks. Sure, you can probably do some of this on your own (like figure that fruits and vegetables are always a good option), but it is nice that someone else has already made the list for you. What I especially like is that it addresses other common issues parents face when starting a GFCF diet like what to look for in the grocery store (and where to find ingredients), dealing with special occasions like a pizza party at school or birthday parties.
In keeping with the whole meal planning method that I like, the recipe section includes instructions for preparing GFCF baking mixes in bulk to have on hand when you want to make up some pancakes, biscuits or other ‘usual’ kid-friendly baked items. There are many more recipes included as well. The index includes a Nutritional Table of GFCF foods by vitamin/mineral listing that include the many GFCF options and how that nutrient is important to your body.
The only downside I found is that I wish the book included an index of resources for more information on this subject. There is a small one but not that much.
So, if you’re facing the challenge of providing a GFCF diet for you or someone in your family, check out this book as a great starter!
