GF Update

So far, the gluten free diet for Tad is going pretty well!  It is amazing how many things are available nowadays that are good substitutes for what would have had gluten.

For example, breakfast.  Tad had to give up his chocolate Cheerios (which he really loved), but we found some other yummy, kid-friendly cereals in the EnviroKidz line (Peanut Butter Panda Puffs, for example) that he likes.  And he’s still eating plenty of bananas, applesauce and yogurt.

We’ve finally found a fairly decent bread, so Tad can still have his peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.  Garlic Jim’s has a gluten free pizza crust, and Tad can’t even tell the difference.  Trader Joe’s rice macaroni and cheese is also very good.  I found brown rice spaghetti noodles and Tad ate them without complaint.  Bisquick just came out with a gluten free baking mix, and I found a recipe on their website that will help me make gluten free chicken nuggets.  We’ve also found Larabars at Costco, which are pretty good.  And I just ordered a six-pack of gluten free Betty Crocker chocolate chip cookie mixes from Amazon.  We’re slowly, but surely, finding replacements for all the things that Tad loves to eat.

Plus, we’re expanding his horizons a little.  He’s begun to be willing to eat meat again that’s not smothered in tomato sauce.  He’s still not big on hot dogs or hamburgers, but barbecued chicken and pulled pork are okay.

There haven’t been many things that he’s asked for that he simply can’t have, and we’ve just stayed away from things that would make him realize that his diet has been altered – like doughnuts, treats at church, and certain restaurants, fast food and otherwise.

So, it’s been going pretty well.  I can’t say that I see any marked difference in his behavior yet, but it’s only been a couple of weeks.  Obviously, it’s going to take more time than that.

But, even after only a couple of weeks, I know that if we have to do this long-term, it’ll be very doable.  Which is a very good feeling.

This entry was posted on Friday, July 30th, 2010 at 1:10 am and is filed under Children, Speech Therapy Saga.
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