Gluten Free Lunch Ideas for Kids

One of the hard parts of a gluten free diet for children is having nutritious and delicious food in their lunchbox every day. Here are some ideas for keeping your little ones satisfied and to keep those lunchboxes coming home empty!

  

For those that can’t do without their sandwiches, it may be worth investing in a bread maker. With the addition of preservatives in many commercially available gluten free breads, many families opt to make their own at home. A bread maker could be an essential time saving device for families with children that enjoy taking sandwiches to school.

What are the alternatives to sandwiches?

Leftover chicken legs from dinner the night before

Mini quiches

Risotto balls

Hard boiled eggs

Sushi

Gluten free pikelets with grated apple

Leftover meat, vegetable or rice from dinner

Meatballs and vegetable skewers (kids love anything on a stick!)

If they like something, write it down! Keep a little note pad in the kitchen and each time you notice something they like, write it down for future reference. Even if they have the same thing for lunch 2 or 3 times a week, it’s better that they eat something wholesome that they enjoy rather than come home hungry. You can make up any nutritional fallout when they get home in a form that they enjoy.

Let your child’s teacher know that they are not to share other children’s foods at lunchtime. Most teachers will be happy to make it a blanket rule for the whole class.

Going to a party? It pays to be a little organised. Here are some things to keep on hand or prepare in advance in readiness for a party or special play date.

Gluten free cupcakes in the freezer to grab and go.

Packets of plain, gluten free potato chips

Gluten free lollies to substitute at a party

Consider wrapping leftover mince in gluten free pastry and freezing for a take along homemade sausage roll

There is also a great series of eBooks you can download at the iTunes store called “Lunchbox Solutions”. They are filled with tasty, healthy meal options that are all gluten free.

What tips and tricks do you use to keep your kids healthy and happy? We’d love to hear your ideas in the comments below!

Gluten Free Eating - Online Resources

This week in our series on switching to a Gluten Free diet, we take look at the most useful online resources.

Websites:

http://www.angieglutenfree.com/cooking-classes/ offers cooking classes with their wholefoods expert Angie. Her website also has recipes and you can download her ebook for $7.50

www.glutenfreefamily.com.au – a great archive of Blog posts on Gluten Free recipes and tips as well as a list of major food chain options and some kid-friendly recipes.

http://www.glutenfreeeatingdirectory.com.au/ Australian Gluten free food and eating out guide – also an app Gluten Free Eating Directory 1.4

http://cucinaitaliana.com.au/gluten-free-cooking-classes/ holds cooking classes in Sydney and Venice! (Oh how we wish we could all go to the classes in Venice! It looks amazing!)

Apps for iPhone and Android

FoodSwitch is a free App which scans the barcodes of packaged foods to show ingredients. It now has a new feature called “GlutenSwitch” to help your supermarket shopping a little easier.

Coeliac Australia’s Ingredient List details over 800 ingredients and 300 additives used in Australian and New Zealand foods and indicates whether they are appropriate for a gluten free diet. $9.99

Orgran’s Recipe App is free and has over 300 recipes using their brand of packaged foods available at most major supermarkets.

The free Wholefood Market Recipe App allows you to filter recipes for gluten free options.

Have you found any other resources that you’d be happy to share? We’d love to hear from you in the comments below!

Going Gluten Free – Out and About in our Local Area

A change in diet can be a daunting and tricky exercise. Regardless of the motivation to initiate change, it can be difficult to navigate this new area of your life, especially when you’re out and about.

You might be in a bit of a routine with your meal preparation at home, but do you feel a little nervous when you are out to think of what your options may be?

We’ve put together some great tips for eating Gluten Free that will not only be useful for those just starting out, but also those already excluding gluten that need some fresh inspiration. Enjoy!

• Going to the local RSL? Choose a roast dinner without gravy or a steak and salad
• When out and about shopping or sightseeing and you haven’t pre-planned to take food with you, consider buying a banana and some nuts or a healthy smoothie for lunch
• Sushi rolls in Foodcourt – usually vegetarian is the best option if you need to completely exclude all traces of gluten (i.e. In the case of Coeliac Disease
• A hot baked potato is another option in a food court at a shopping centre. Stick to a grated cheese topping if you are unsure of the ingredients of the other toppings
•  McDonalds have a warm grilled chicken salad with Balsamic Dressing that is gluten free and not a bad option if you are on the road and need a quick bite. For kids that are super fussy on a road trip, McDonald’s Fries are gluten free and preservative free but these would only be useful as a last resort due to their lack of nutrition and high salt and saturated fat content.

Great Local Resources

• Bresnahans Butchers in Mortdale is great for Gluten Free and Preservative Free sausages and are experts in catering to individual dietary requirements on request.
• Foodies at Peakhurst stock a great range of organic and gluten free foods and even have an online store and delivery service. www.foodiesorganic.com.au
• Major supermarkets have their own gluten free branded pantry foods 

Spinal Health Week 19- 25th May - Keeping Your Spine Healthy!

Keeping Your Spine Healthy

 

In our last post we talked about the importance of keeping your spine healthy and what it means to the overall health of your body. Now, let’s explore the simple measures you can put in place to help keep your spine in top shape.

• Take regular breaks from sitting to walk around and stretch to reduce pressure on the spine.
• Maintain a healthy posture whilst sitting and standing.
• Maintain a healthy weight to reduce the load on your spine.
• Sleep on your side with your knees slightly bent and preferably with a pillow between your knees.
• Avoid twisting when lifting heavy items and always bend from your knees, not your waist.

 

Check out the Chiropractors' Association of Australia's Website to find out more about the simple things you can do to look after your spine. 

Talk to Alisa to see how she can help you get on your way to optimal health!

 

Spinal Health Week 19-25 May 2014

Your Spine and Your Health

Have you ever wondered if your spine is really that important to the overall health of your body? Isn’t the spine’s job just to keep us walking upright?

The simple answer is no. While our spine is responsible for obvious functions such as walking, sitting and bending, it is actually the cornerstone to our overall health and ability to function well. Here’s why:

 

·         Your spine supports your head, neck, shoulders and pelvis; the major structures of your body.

 

·         It protects your central nervous system (located in your spinal cord) which is responsible for the control and functioning of every cell, tissue and organ in your body.

 

·         Hundreds of muscles, ligaments and tendons are attached to your spine.

 

·         It is literally the “backbone” to the healthy function of your body!

 

Book in a check-up with Alisa this month to see how she can help you achieve better spinal health and, ultimately, your best overall health.

 

 

 

 

Anzac Biscuit Recipe

Who doesn’t love an Anzac Biscuit?

This traditional Aussie biscuit is said to have originated during WW1, when wives would bake these treats at home and send them to their husbands on the front line. The biscuits were easily transportable and contained ingredients that wouldn’t spoil easily on a long journey.

We went searching for a healthier alternative for these treats and Teresa Cutter from www.thehealthychef.com has come up with a great recipe and some variations that are sure to hit the spot for nutrition and taste.

You’ll find her delicious recipe here: http://www.thehealthychef.com/2014/04/anzac-biscuits/

 

 

Which one would you like to try?

 At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, we will remember them. Lest we forget.

Start Your Day Right!

What’s the first thing you drink or eat in the morning? A cup of coffee? Some muesli? Have you considered the benefits of your first drink of the day being warm water with lemon?

Here are some great reasons to starting your day with this revitalising drink:

• It kick starts your digestion for the day. Lemons are high in minerals and vitamins that help loosen toxins in the digestive tract.
• Lemon has powerful antibacterial properties
• It has pectin fibre which is important for colon health
• Reduction of pain in joints as it dissolves uric acid
• Detoxifies the liver
• Lemons are packed with vitamin C for immunity and to promote healing
• It is a gentle diuretic
• Hydration for your body
• Because of its very low sugar content and high alkaline mineral content, lemons actually have an alkalising effect on the body.

 

Warm water is the key, not hot or cold as the body reacts differently to these conditions. Ashley Pitman, a wellness educator and cleanse specialist recommends adopting the practice of drinking a cup of warm water with lemon in the morning for a month and seeing how it can radically alter your experience of the day.

Will you join us in the challenge? Let us know how you feel after having it in the mornings!