If your LO is Gluten Free (or if you are) come in...

I have to go this weekend to pick up Gluten Free items for my DS (2.5 yrs), his bloodwork just showed a positive result for Celiacs Disease. The problem is, he is a very picky eater. He will eat things like: Pancakes, French Toast Sticks, Yogurt, Toast w/ Butter, cheeseburger, pizza, meatballs, chicken nuggets, pasta when he is in the mood. Also LOVES Goldfish and those gerber cheese puffs as snacks. I did try a GF diet with him last year briefly, but he refused much of the stuff i bought such as GF chicken strips, made pancakes using GF batter... its like he knew it wasn't the same... after a week of him not really eating I reverted back to his regular diet but now that I know his blood shows Celiacs I will need to be strict on this...

Can you give me ideas on what you or your LO eats? Any place you recommend that I shop that has a good variety of items? TIA!

Re: If your LO is Gluten Free (or if you are) come in...

Applewood Farms makes GF chicken nuggets that I found are pretty good. There are several brands of frozen GF French toast sticks and waffles. I use Pamela's for GF pancake mix (I've found that you have to make these EXACTLY according to the package instructions in order for them to taste right). Things like meatballs you can easily make with GF breadcrumbs. They taste exactly the same. Pizza is one thing that will never be the same - GF pizza crust just doesn't have the same consistency.

For pasta I've tried just about every brand out there and my favorite (and the only ones that my non-GF husband will eat) is Bonateure and Barilla. Both of them taste VERY similar to real pasta.

Snacks I always found to be the hardest, but if he likes pretzels I always buy the Snyders GF pretzels sticks. Rice Krispie treats are GF. I think Annie's may make a GF version of goldfish but with bunnies.

I find that the mainstream supermarkets do not sell a good variety of GF foods. If you can find a health food specialty store near you you're likely to find a much wider variety and much better brands. I'm not on LI, but I shop in a place called Matter of Health and their selection is HUGE. Like several aisles dedicated to just GF foods.

Re: If your LO is Gluten Free (or if you are) come in...

Ians makes gluten free breakfast items that are good. I would just play around with the homemade stuff with spices and keep offering them.

Re: If your LO is Gluten Free (or if you are) come in...

Re: If your LO is Gluten Free (or if you are) come in...

If your LO is Gluten Free (or if you are) come in...

DH is gf in our house. His breakfast is usually eggs or chex, lunch is ham and cheese rolled up or yogurt, nut thin crackers with hummus or peanut butter.

I mostly shop at shoprite and they have a gluten free label right on the shelf for anything that's labeled that way so it makes it easy to find things.

I also shop at Aldi's. They have a gfree brand with lots of options but there are also lots of other things labeled gf if you just check the back they have a little logo. They have amazing cornbread and brownie mix. There's a pancake mix we haven't tried yet. They have a cheaper version of chex cereal, chips and pretzels, granola bars, granola, wraps, cookies. I haven't tried any of the frozen items but they have a bunch.

For dinners, we do tacos a lot, barilla pasta with meat sauce, meatloaf with gf oats instead of breadcrumbs, chicken a million ways with rice or potatoes. Farmrich meatballs, some progresso soups, some nature valley granola bars, a bunch of lays chips. For pizza, our favorite is the recipe from minimalistbaker.com. It's quick and easy and my 2 year old loves it.

I think there are a few gf shops around. I know there's one in northport and I think there's a bakery in Sayville.

If your LO is Gluten Free (or if you are) come in...

Stop & Shop in Levittown has a decent GF section in the front of the store by produce. I have also found GF stuff in the freezer section too - but its spaced out a bit. Like the GF Frozen Cookie Dough is with the other Frozen Cookies.

Try Fairway and Trader Joes. I just had really yummy GF chocolate chip cookies from TJ's.

If your LO is Gluten Free (or if you are) come in...

Aldis has the best GF Bread of any brand ive ever had... and my moms been GF for over 10years... shes had everything.

We have GF pancakes almost every day, they have GF farina, GF frozen waffles.

Hailey eats a lot of GF stuff because of my mother and I.

If your LO is Gluten Free (or if you are) come in...

A lot of Passover items now are gluten free so it may be a good time to stock up now.

Re: If your LO is Gluten Free (or if you are) come in...

Udi's is another GF bread brand and my mom who has Celiac is a fan of that brand.

If your LO is Gluten Free (or if you are) come in...

Where are you located? There are two dedicated gluten free stores, Strictly Gluten Free in east northport, then eat good in huntington. They both handpick the best of the best. Also there is a gf bakery in huntington called wild flours bake shop and one in hicksville called jacs gf bake shop. Fm if you want more info. I have my dd and she is 4, as well as myself gf, so i have a lot of experience!!

Also, for bread definitely go for canyon bakehouse. Tastes like regular bread!

Message edited 4/2/2015 10:14:38 PM.