Sa-weeet!

You know what's sweet?  One of my fellow 3rd grade mom friends.  And she happens to work at a local grocer. And she happens to watch out for the boy and thinks of him when she sees new GF options hit the shelves.  And she happens to get their hands on great sample products like these: 

Now this super-sweet mom-friend grabbed these up when the sales rep dropped them off for the employees to try.  And were we EXCITED!!!  Look at these snack cakes!!!  They look like Little Debbie's do they not?  The boy loved loved loved them.  And the macaroons?  Coconutty goodness and so moist.  Boy was in GF heaven! 

 

Now I checked out their website and the good news is they look to have a nice variety of awesome GF products.  Sadly there is bad news - it looks like so far they only available in Northern California and Canada (no fair, eh).  So we may need to call our local grocers in droves and demand our All But Gluten for our very own!

 

So while we wait for these to come our way, here's some old favorites the boy loves to satisfy his sweet tooth:

 

 

First - GLUTINO chocolate vanilla creams.  They are so close to the real deal.  And worth separating those chocolate wafers and licking the cream center.  We find these at our local grocer and they make lots of other good GF products.  But these (especially when dunked in milk) are really good!

 

Number two is a newer cookie my super-wonderful mom actually discovered for us - WOW baking company GF peanut butter and chocolate chip cookies.  Soft and chewy and super delish!!!  A definite family favorite.  And guess what?  AMAZON SELLS THEM!! YES - AMAZON (as if I couldn't love them more).  But seriously, take a look at WOW baking company's website and check out all their great products. You can order them online from the WOW Baking Company too!  Now that's some convenient GF goodness!

 

Number three goes to Lucy's.  I love that they have these snack packs! Great for sleepovers, parties an school lunches.  These are crunchy goodness and the boy definitely enjoys these for his on-the-go snack attack.  You can peruse their great options here. 

 

Sweet!

 

What does your GFP2B kid grab when they want dessert? 

 

 

 

Something's fishy....

It's Friday friends (can I get a woot woot?) and for this family it's also Lent.  Which means Friday = no meat for you (well for us).  So tonight was a fish-stick and mac-and-cheese kinda night. 

I typically broil fresh fish or even grill it.  But have I told you I'm a working mom?  Which means by Friday I am the one who is fried.  So I make the quick and easy - or reservations.

Tonight I was excited to try a new GF frozen fish product I stumbled upon at Wegman's  - Star-fish Crispy Battered Haddock

And did I catch deliciousness THIS BIG!!!!! These were outstanding!!!!  Crispy on the outside and succulent, flakey fish on the inside.  Seriously - no one would ever guess they are GF!  And according to their website they have cod and halibut varieties also!  I think I caught a new family favorite friends!  Definitely worth a buy.  The boy love them too and gave it his official GFP2B seal of approval. 

But let's face it - he's a kid,  and all kids like their fish as sticks.  And our go-to fish stick belongs to Ian's GF Fish Sticks.

Boy thinks these are "awesome" and wishes he could find them in rivers (oohhh-kayyy?).  Our friend's at Ian's has lots of GF products, which you can find at many local grocers and on their website. 

GF MAMA TIP:  You can make your own tarter sauce (my husband taught me this tonight) by mixing mayonnaise with some finely chopped pickles and add a little splash of pickle juice.  

So GFP2B friends - sometimes it pays to cast a line into an unknown sea of GF food products and try a new brand.  You never know if you'll get a good bite!

Do you have a good fish story to tell?  What are some of your favorite GF seafood recipes or products? 

Mother (doesn't always) knows best

So when the boy was diagnosed with Celiac, I became a label-reading warrior.  Examining those teenie, tiny little ingredient labels to ensure I was uncovering any hidden gluten and making sure my Gluten Free and Proud to Be kid was just that.

Then this one time (not at band camp), boy got eczema on his legs.  We made an appointment with a dermatologist, but in the meanwhile I diligently put lotion on his legs especially formulated for eczema - but his legs got even worse.  Bright red in fact. 

I showed my sister-in-law (the mom of my Celiac niece - both of whom are my GF angels, let me tell you).  She asked me what I was putting on his legs.  When I named the popular brand of lotion I was using, she looked at me and said, "the main ingredients in that brand is oats! You're putting gluten on his legs!".

Gluten???  In body lotion??  Shut the front door!! 

Yes folks, it's true.  Some bath products, shampoos, sunscreen and even cosmetics can contain gluten.  And that can affect your GFP2B kid.  Here are some common ingredients you should look out for:

• Vitamin E derived from wheat germ oil
• Any ingredient derived from wheat or oats
• Wheat or barley extracts

Even some gummy vitamins can contain wheat ingredients.  True (albeit sad) story.

Thank goodness for Google, because you can look up almost any product and see if it contains gluten products, thus avoiding turning into this mom:

 GF MAMA TIP:  Look at the labels of your GFP2B kid's favorite bath and body products and look for the above ingredients.  Or Google the product information - even call the manufacturer to ensure they do not contain wheat ingredients. 






Do you have a favorite bath product that is GFP2B?  Have you found any products that have hidden gluten that we should be aware of?  Do tell!

A nugget of information......

Chicken nuggets. Chicken tenders. Chicken bites.
That breaded kid favorite smothered in ketchup, barbeque sauce, or the boy's favorite - ranch dressing. 

When the boy was diagnosed with Celiac 8 years ago, a good GF option for chicken nuggets were not only tough to find but also very pricey.  But after eating our way through many dry, card-board simulated varieties, we have found three delicious brands we LOVE! 

Coming in at number 3:  Bell and Evans gluten free chicken tenders and nuggets.  Their fresh chicken products are organic and Sweet Caroline are so good so good, and their GF products are fantastic. You can find a complete list of their GF chicken on their website:  http://www.bellandevans.com/glutenfree. They even make a gluten free chicken patty!!  Now because they are organic, they are little bit on the pricier side, however my Central PA folks, they have a retail outlet store in Fredericksburg!   It's about a 35-40 minute drive from Harrisburg, PA and worth the trip.  Here is the information from their website:

Bell & Evans Retail Outlet - Fredericksburg

154 West Main St.

Fredericksburg, PA 17026

717-865-1122

* be sure to call for store hours

 

Number 2:  These babies. Golden Platter All Natural.  Found them by accident at my local grocer in the frozen section of the meat department.  My husband especially likes them.  They were about $6.99/bag and gave us 2 meals for a family of three.  Their website has a store locator so you can find them in your area.  Crispy on the outside, moist on the inside....just the way we like them. 

Our number 1 go-to GF breaded chicken is a love-me-chicken-tender pick.  And it goes to our fine friends at Perdue Chicken - Perdue Simply Smart Gluten Free Chicken Tenders.  They are no only super affordable, they are also super tasty!  And super easy to make!  Which is - you guessed it - SUPER!  I find these at Target.  You can check out the Perdue website to see their other GF options.  

GF MAMA TIP:  Serve with my blog-for-mentioned Annie's Deluxe GF Mac and Cheese and some steamed veggies - it's the perfect 15 minute, kid-adored meal!

Have you found a GF chicken product that you love?  Tell us about it!