Safe Partying for your Gluten Free Child

September 5th, 2011

Obviously, when your child is invited to a party it’s great for them and for you too. Well, at least you know they’re popular, right?

Trouble is, if they are gluten free, eating away from home raises a few worries and concerns. But don’t worry because you can take steps to minimise the stress.

Get in touch with the host.

You can contact the host of the party before your child attends. All you have to do is introduce yourself, break the ice a little and explain who you are, thank them for the invite and explain the needs of your child.

Then you can explain the foods your child needs to avoid and the host will understand there’s nothing wrong with their cooking!

Some people may say they know about gluten free, so they feel they are well informed. However although many people understand that things such as rice, vegetables, fruit, meat, butter, cheese, eggs, yogurt etc are gluten free, they may not realise there are many party foods that contain hidden gluten.

Ice cream, vegetable oil, crisps and sausages for instance are not obviously things most people would think gluten free people need to avoid.

You could ask the host how you can help contribute to the party and take a little of the load off them. Find out what food they would prefer for you to bring, or what food is birthday boy or girls favourite.

Explain to the host that cooking gluten-free alternatives is not a burden, and obviously offer to bring some delicious examples.

Make sure your child has eaten a hunger satisfying snack before the party and it will help to keep their hunger under control. Give them some additional snacks as a precaution against running out of items to eat. This also helps your child to keep from feeling left out.

You can quickly and easily, but discreetly give your child bags of healthy snacks such as nuts, raw vegetables or gluten-free protein bars to take with them.

Pack them some hand sanitizer or baby wipes to avoid the accidental cross-contamination of your child from gluten-containing foods. Which can obviously be a problem with lots of hungry kids grabbing at a table full of food.

But be a little discreet if you’re cleaning your child because you can easily offend the host or fellow party attendees if you’re not careful. However, as you know it’s crucial to avoid accidental ingestion or contact with gluten ingredients and your child’s health is always the first priority.

If any one asks you questions regarding gluten free, answer them politely.

Be informative and helpful in explaining what gluten-free eating involves and think ahead by bringing enough gluten-free snacks for everyone. Instead of bringing an individualized bag of cookies or crackers to the event, ask the host ahead of time if bringing a larger offering for sharing would be acceptable.

With just a little planning, your gluten free child can be out enjoying their friends party, just as much as everyone else.

And don’t forget to check out Westin Gourmet’s gluten free range here.

Tags: child, foods, gluten-free, kids, party
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