Son Just Diagnosed

[Heather]

Help Please my sons test results came back positive yesturday for celiac. I kinda familiar with this since my mother was diagnosed 2 years ago but its different now since I actually have to do this everyday in my home. I have printed out the list of food that are safe but can't find a cold cereal which my son loves in the morning and last night in my attempt to have bread for him today it didn't mix right it tastes awful hes picky and this is only the real first day. Is there anyone out there who can atleast tell me brands of bread that he can have cereal, candy, just kids stuff hes really hates me at the moment because he can't just eat whats in the fridge. Thank you

[gf4life]

Hi Heather,

How old is your son. It can be hard on kids to switch suddenly. I know that he needs the diet, but what I did (and this may not be best for everyone) is to let the kids choose whether they finished off the food that was already in the house. (one of my boys ate a lot of it, my sickest child never touched one bit of any of it!) Explain to them that they will probably get sick from eating it, but that it is their choice. This puts them in charge. I also told them that I would not be buying any more of those foods and I stocked the house with plenty of gluten-free foods for them to eat. There are a lot of foods that are gluten free that you may not realise your son can eat. Someone asked me what my kids eat for lunch everyday now that they are gluten-free (and dairy-free). Actually their diet did not change for lunch. They have always been picky eaters and I realise now that was because they were avoiding many of the foods that they shouldn't eat. For their lunch they would normally take fruit cups, juice, raisins, turkey jerky, and chips. Only the turkey jerky had gluten (from the soy sauce), so I started making my own turkey jerky and they love it.

You can print out a list of mainstream gluten free foods that you can find in most grocery stores at this link Open Original Shared Link

You will still have to read labels, but it is a good guideline. Formula's change all the time without notice, so you will never find a 100% accurate list. Frito-Lays chips are not listed on this list, but you can obtain a gluten-free list of their chips at thier website.

Kinnikinnick breads are the only ones my family will eat. The rest are yucky, and I have not had much luck in baking our own. Open Original Shared Link

Welcome to the site, and remember that you need to go easy on your self and your son as you both get used to this diet. You don't want him turning up his nose at everything you offer him. It takes time to get used to it, so be patient and if he gets a little bit of gluten in the beginning, that is okay for a while. Eventually you both will be pros and he will be completely gluten-free. Get youself Danna Korn's book "Kid's with Celiac Disease". It will really help out a lot.

God bless,

Mariann

[Heather]

My son is 6. This is just such a change. Thank you for the list of food it is going to be so helpful. Can you get her book at borders or any book store or is it only on-line.

Thanks

Heather

[Guest aramgard]

Heather, Also, look for Hagman's cookbooks. Her tapioca bread is better that most of the ones you can buy frozen. It does fall apart and it toasts up crispy. I make it into rolls, like English muffins or hot dog rolls for sandwiches, instead of into bread and it toasts up like sour dough, kind of crispy on the outside, which the rice bread did not. Kinnikinick's bread is pretty good also and their cookies are great, along with the pancake mix. Also amazon .com does have both Hagman's books and Danna Korn's books, so does Barnes and Noble. Shirley

[ryebaby0]

My son loves the Kinnikinick donuts! Microwave them and then he says "get away from my donuts" to his brothers... Bread is hard. I would start with more successful transition foods: rice pasta, for instance, tastes just like the "real" thing. (We don't say that here, food is "mainstream" or "gluten-free") There are gluten-free chicken nuggets sold at Wegman's -- they have a lot of dietary restriction foods, EnviroKids have three gluten-free cereals (beware of "wheat-free" labels, they aren't gluten-free). After the dx we had my son make a list of the newly unavailable foods he loved, and then we've worked on finding acceptable substitutes. I would steer away from thinking "he can't have that" and be thinking in terms of what he CAN have. And don't forget to check the meds! Get an ingredient card to carry with you -- they are cheap, available from the Gluten Intolerance Group. It is soooo overwhelming at first. Keep it simple. He can still eat fruit, meat, veggies!!

[plantime]

Heather, General Mills Lucky Charms and Post Honeycomb Cereal have no gluten in them. They are what I eat for cold cereal, because I can put them in a baggie and use them for a sweet snack. It is different now that it is in your house. Since your mom has it, have you been tested? It is genetic, so you or your spouse are at least carriers. Keep coming back if you have questions, or if you learn something you have not seen here. All of us are still learning, and are struggling along. {{{hugs}}} to you and your child!

[Guest jhmom]

Post Honeycomb Cereal

But remember this cereal hast OATS in them so if you are sensitive to them then you may want to avoid them.

Personally I have not tried to eat Oats yet, still having some GI probs and waiting for it to clear up completely, that way I will know for sure.

[angel-jd1]

Lucky Charms also have Oat flour. I personally wouldn't touch them with a 10 ft. pole.

-Jessica

[DLayman]

Dana Korns book is at Borders usually it's a great resource it will help you alot!

[Heather]

Thank you everyone for all of your great advice. I went out and bought the book on children with celiac read it cover to cover last night it was great and it has a permanent spot in my kitchen. We aren't trying anything with oats yet because of the not so sure idea if its ok to eat. Honey combs would be great but starting in 2004 they started making it with wheat flour so thats out. I think once the shock wheres off I'll be fine but this is such a big transition. Its a life style that changes so much. I made pancakes with a mix from health food store and my son spit it out so on to a different brand I'm not real sure if I want to buy mixes or if I just want to make from stratch but its so time consuming I don't know. Thanks for all your help and thank you again for the link to the foods he can eat. I live in Michigan so many of the brands are familiar and I know I can get them from my mother who lives in Belveider IL and has a Whole foods or as my mother calls it a whole paycheck.

Thanks

Heather

[Connie R-E]

Heather,

My son is 6 also! He loves Poori --it's a fried bread from India, and it's super easy to make. Just search this site for "poori" for the recipe. He will eat regular, garlic,

and brownsugar/cinnamon flavored.

It's difficult to have to take away so many foods, but this poori recipe might be something he'll love!

Good luck!

Connie

gluten-free since 1-'98

[Ruth]

Hi Heather,

My daughter was diagnosed in December. She is 8... so even though I have been gluten-free for a year, accomodating the diet to fit her tastes (and social events!) was a change. Here are some of our junk food staples. Many of these are from the web site posted from someone in an earlier reply. Its nice to know that these items may already be at their friend's house for a playdate snack or a sleep over breakfast!

Kellogg's Corn Pops

Post Fruity Pebbles

Barbara's Honey Rice Puffins (not the other flavors)

Dannon or Yoplait yogurt (Danimals, Gogurt) just no mix-ins

String Cheese

Ener-G foods seseame pretzel rings

Quaker Caramel Corn rice cakes

Danielle's gluten-free Brownie mix (better than non-gluten-free)

gluten-free Cupcake mix with Duncan Hines Homestyle frostings (great on any gluten-free cupcake mix!) We keep some in the school nurse's freezer for impromptu b-day parties at school)

Enjoy!

Ruth

[angel-jd1]

Kellogs Corn Pops are NOT gluten-free as of January 1, 04.

-Jessica

[Ruth]

UGH! Thanks for the info Jessica... I think she was getting burnt out on them anyway!

Do you know what they changed?

[angel-jd1]

They added wheat to the ingredients at the first of the year. There might still be a few safe boxes on the shelf, but If they are made after 1-1-04 they are no longer safe. Sorry

-Jessica

[plantime]

Heather, General Mills Lucky Charms and Post Honeycomb Cereal have no gluten in them.

Scratch Lucky Charms from the list. The new box I opened and ate from yesterday, without reading the label (shame on me, I know better!), has wheat starch listed between vitamin D and vitamin E at the bottom. Why do they have to change formulas? If it isn't broken, don't fix it!

[veracuda]

Dannon does not guarantee their products to be gluten free except for their plain yogurts. Yoplait, however, is gluten-free (Gogurt, etc.).

[Heather]

Ok this is getting really rediculous I have a six year now that complains about everything I have put in front of him. How do you feed these kids when most of this tastes well UGH. Someone please help this kid wants "normal" food mostly he wants his sugar cereals back and mac and cheese that does not turn to slime in 2 min. Thanks for all your help

Heather :

[plantime]

I use the quinoa pasta from the gluten-free Mall, with real cheddar cheese. It tastes real good, and doesn't change consistency after a couple of minutes. Sugary cereals? I hear Cocoa and Fruity Pebbles are gluten-free, Honeycombs has oats, but most of the others use wheat in one form or another. You have to read the individual label on each box. Good luck!

[desarno4]

My son is 4. He was diagnosed about a year and a half ago. Since then he has gained 20lbs!!! There is lots of great stuff kids can have. Here are some of Michael's favorites:

Gluten Free Pantry Chocolate Truffle Brownie Mix ** it's better than regular ones

Pamela's Products- Chocolate Chip Cookies

Enviro Kidz Koala Crisp Cereal, Amazon Flakes

Tostitoes

Fritos

Lays Potato Chips

Hershey's kisses

Tootsie Rolls

Gluten Free Pantry Danielle's Chocolate Cake Mix

Mrs. Leepers corn pasta

Ener-G Tapioca Bread & White Rice Bread * You have to toast it first*

Glutano Pretzels

Oretaga Taco Shells

Jell-O Chocolate Pudding

Lots of Fruits & Vegetables

I know it seems so hard in the beginning, but there really is a lot out there you just have to read labels!! Good Luck!!

Tracey

[zippyten]

Re: pancakes for gluten-free kids (and adults!) -- the best one I've found so far is kinnikinnick's pancake & waffle mix. My kids are not gluten-free (yet) and I made them one morning for all of us and they didn't even notice the difference except to say "great pancakes, mom." Probably doesn't hurt that I sometimes make them with chocolate chips. They are not cheap, though, so I plan to start experimenting with some of Betty Hagman's recipes from scratch.

Ellen

[zippyten]

Heather,

Have you tried the Tinkyada brand of rice pasta? It tastes pretty good with cheese or tomato sauce and cheese and holds its texture pretty well. It might be the best of the rice pasta brands but it's certainly the best one I've tried so far.

Ellen

[Guest aramgard]

Ellen, I also use Kinnikinnick's pancake mix. My nonCeliac husband loves the stuff. But the cost is really up there. I too am going to experiment around and see if I can hit a recipe that will satisfy him and my needs also. In the meantime Whole Foods in San Diego is now carrying some of Kinnikinnick's baked goods, which I can only afford once in a while and it's a little cheaper than mail ordering. Shirley

[Susan123]

Try this link:

Open Original Shared Link

They make cereal for kids that are Gluten Free. (Not all of their products are gluten free but it will say it in the top left hand corner) Their products are listed on their website.

I personally like Gorilla Munch which is like a corn pops. They are also good for bread crumbs in meatloaf or as a topper to a dish. But they have other ones that are gluten free like peanut butter, rice crispies. I don't think their website states gluten free but you can find them in health stores and gluten free is clearly labeled on the box. I get them from Trader Joes.

Also, they make gluten free snacks. I like their chocolate rice krispie bars.