How To Pack a Healthy Gluten-Free School Lunch for Your Gluten-Free Child

Here's How:

1. Start with a healthy protein
   • High quality gluten-free deli meats (See tips for product links)
   • Gluten-free cheeses and cheese spreads
   • Chicken and turkey salads
   • Left-overs (homemade chicken gluten-free noodle soup, vegetable beef soup, macaroni and cheese, spaghetti, lasagna, tacos, fried rice with eggs, etc.)
   • Nut butters and jam sandwiches
   • Deviled eggs
   • Gluten free yogurt flavored with fresh fruits and honey
   • Black bean salsa with gluten free corn chips
   • Protein powder smoothies blended with fresh fruit
   • Homemade gluten-free protein bars
   Note- Use a thermos and ice packs in lunchboxes to keep foods at safe temperatures.
2. Add healthy complex carbohydrates
   • Fresh vegetables and fruits (Use in sandwiches, small salads, salsas, kabobs and cut up in small sticks for dipping)
   • Make whole grain gluten free breads, crackers and muffins (Plan ahead- double recipes and freeze half for convenience!)
   • Hummus (A nutritious bean dip)
   • Homemade Tomato Soup
   • Pico de Gallo (A delicious fresh fruit salsa)
   • Fruit kabobs (Cut fruit in cubes, skewer on a toothpick and marinade in fresh lemonade)
   • Grate carrots and mix with cream cheese for a sandwich spread or dip for veggies
   • Pack healthy gluten free pasta dishes like Pesto Pasta with Toasted Pinenuts
3. Include healthy essential fatty acids
   Most American diets contain adequate, if not excess amounts of omega 6 essential fatty acids. Vegetable oils like soybean oil, corn oil, safflower oil and cottonseed oil are rich sources of omega 6 fatty acids. Fish oils and flaxseed are excellent sources of essential omega 3 fatty acids.
   
   • Salmon cream cheese spread for sandwiches or veggie dipping
   • Gluten free focaccia-style flax bread
   • Gluten free apple flax muffins
   • Use olive oil to make fresh gluten free salad dressings (Olive oil is a good source of both omega 3 and omega 6 essential fatty acids)
   • Low carbohyrate trail mix
4. Send healthier gluten free sweets
   • Rice crispie bars made from gluten free brown rice cereal
   • Homemade brownies with walnuts
   • Blueberry muffins
   • Banana bread
   • Gluten free oatmeal cookies with toasted coconut
   Add healthy gluten free flours to your dessert recipes - brown rice, amaranth, almond meal, teff, millet, bean flours and sorghum all bring nutritional value to sweets!
5. Avoid sending sugary juices and soft drinks that add calories without bringing nutritional value to the table! Pack fresh plain water or occasionally send a fresh fruit flavored water like Aqua Fresca from Guide to Mexican Cooking, Chelsie Kenyon. Cut back on the sugar or use stevia, a natural, herbal sweetener to further reduce sugar content.

Tips:

1. Get your child involved in the process of planning a weekly lunchbox menu. Let them pick out a fun lunchbox that has a thermos and ice pack in it. That way they will look forward to carrying it and it will keep foods at safe temperatures.
2. Make sure your child understands the importance of avoiding foods with gluten. Trading lunches with friends is off-limits!
3. Avoid the temptation to fill your child's school lunch with packaged sweets and refined carbohyrates. Of course kids love eating cookies, candy bars, potato chips and drinking sugary fruit juices and soft drinks but these foods lack the nutrients growing children need. Add a small healthy, homemade gluten free cookie, bar or muffin instead.
4. Change things up! Don't send the same foods day after day. Gluten- free kids need variety for a balanced diet. Utilize left-overs like homemade soups, macaroni and cheese, spaghetti, lasagna, herb-flavored rice dishes and fruit salads. These foods add nutritional value and variety to school lunches. And they break up the monotony of sandwiches!
5. Gluten-Free Product Resources-
   
   Gluten Free deli meats and dairy products
   Applegate Farms Gluten Free Organic Deli Meats and Cheeses
   Boar’s Head® Deli Meats, Cheeses and Condiments
   Hormel™ Natural Choice® Deli Meats
   Organic Valley® Gluten Free Dairy Products
   Thumann’s (Certified Gluten Free) Deli Meats
   
   Gluten Free Protein Bars
   Certified Gluten Free Larabars and Jocalate Bars
   
   Find More Gluten Free Ingredients

What You Need:

• A list of your child's favorite gluten-free lunch foods
• A lunchbox your child likes - with a thermos and ice packs to keep foods safe!
• Gluten-free deli meats, cheeses and yogurt
• Good quality, preferably whole grain gluten-free sandwich bread
• Fresh fruits and vegetables
• Gluten-free left-overs like spaghetti, lasagna, soups and rice dishes
• Fresh water instead of sugary juice boxes and soft drinks
• Gluten-free crackers and corn chips
• Gluten-free condiments including mayonnaise, mustard and ketchup
• Several packable, lidded 4 ounce containers