For Your Gluten-Intolerant Infant!

Does your infant have a gluten-allergy or Celiac’s disease? If so and your child will soon be starting Stage 3 foods, the following information may be useful to you!

(image: http://www.forbaby.co.nz/Stage-3/Baby-Health-Nutrition/Lumps-and-finger-foods-a-growing-diet)

1.     Continue with Rice Cereal.

Rice cereal contains few allergens. For this reason, it is recommended for infants at ages 4 – 6 months, when children may be particularly sensitive to allergens. It is quick, easy and safe for infants to eat. Throw in some mashed bananas or other blended fruit to change up the flavors!

2.     Grains To Try:

Quinoa Quinoa is high in protein and a good alternative to rice cereal. Make sure to rinse the quinoa in a mesh strainer before cooking. It takes longer to cook than most rice and pastas, about 20 minutes. You will want to cook it for longer 30 – 40 minutes to ensure that it is tender. Next, put it through a food processor or blender until it is a good texture for your infant! Buckwheat There are lots of bread and pasta products that are made out of buckwheat, another good alternative to wheat products. Make sure you are reading food labels to make sure these products don’t also have wheat in them! Corn Flour If you are making any baked product, corn flour is a great flour to use! You can substitute corn flour for wheat in recipes also. Make sure if you are giving your infant any solid foods that it is cut up into pieces small enough for her to pick up and eat on her own! A soft corn bread cut into pieces might be something to try once your infant is used to picking up small pieces of food and eating them on her own, such as cereal O’s.

3.     Rice Noodles!

With baby foods, AVOID noodles and pastas. Many noodles are made with wheat, which won’t be tolerated by your gluten-free baby! You want to make sure you are reading the INGREDIENTS label on packaging to avoid products containing wheat. Avoiding noodles altogether is a great option, especially because your child is so young.

If you REALLY want to try something with noodles, rice noodles are a great option. Rice noodles can be purchased at any Asian food store or in the international aisle of your grocery store.

Some gluten free noodles that are safe for children are “Make It Easy Organic Gluten Free Pasta Stars”, Pastariso, Barkat animal shapes, Dr. Schar Anellini, Alergaroo, Pastato, Sam Mills.

The Best Way To Cook Pasta For Baby Food Toss pasta into a boiling pot of water and boil for anywhere between 6 – 14 minutes. Add any pureed fruits and vegetables to baby’s homemade pasta (look for “pastina style” rice noodles. You may even add small dices or shreds of soft tender cooked meats. Make sure to follow the 4 day wait rule to watch for allergies!!! Good foods to mix with pasta for baby food: broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, green beans, peas, summer squash, bananas, peaches, and applesauce.

4.     Try gluten-free finger foods.

Some Kid-Friendly Gluten Free Snacks: -          Puffed rice cereal -          Soft apples or pears (peeled) boiled in water until tender enough to eat -          Avocados (peeled and cut into ½ inch pieces (great source of healthy fat calories!) -          Cooked, diced carrots -          Diced bananas -          Cooked and diced squash -          Pieces of ripe melon (boil or steam if too hard) -          Pieces of well boiled sweet potato or white potatoes

5.     Do your research!

Even if some products don’t have “wheat” on the label, it may be processed in a plant where other gluten products are processed or may contain other substances that contain gluten that are derivatives of whole products (like wheat).

6.     If you need a thickener for any homemade pureed baby food, try breast milk or formula.

(image: www.kaleuniversity.org)

7.     Make your own “baby dinners”, freeze and store for later!

Use your pureed baby meats, vegetables and rice in your own, allergy-free, baby dinner!