When our son was diagnosed with Celiac Disease in 2009, my husband and I really didn’t have a lot of information about how to help him live with the disease day-to-day. At 4 years old, he had developed into a picky eater and many of the foods he would eat were wheat-based: gold-fish crackers, mac’n’cheese, hotdogs, pasta….you get the picture.
The idea of all these foods becoming suddenly off-limits was daunting.
Even though that was only 9 years ago, gluten-free options were not as readily available as they are today. To make matters worse, the ready-made gluten-free products that were available generally tasted like cardboard.
Fast-forward to 2018, where Celiac Disease and gluten-intolerance is more widely known (although, admittedly, still not always properly understood). The availability of ready-made gluten-free foods has exploded in supermarkets and restaurants. Gluten-free recipes can be easily found on the internet and in cookbooks.
(Love them or hate them, the gluten-free faddists have certainly helped bring gluten-free options into the mainstream)
After our son was diagnosed, my travel planning became focussed on finding places that offered options for gluten-free dining. Even with all the new products and awareness, I still struggled to find information on gluten-free options when planning day-trips and vacations for our family.
No parent wants their child to feel left-out or centred-out because of their disease.
While there was quite a lot of information on the web about gluten-free dining options, I found that much of it was directed towards adults with Celiac Disease or gluten-intolerance.
“Why”, I asked myself, “is it so hard to find information on gluten-free travel and restaurant options for kids?”
And so, the idea for this blog was born.
Now, if you’re asking yourself, “What’s the big deal? Why won’t gluten-free options that work for grown-ups, work for kids?”, let’s talk breakfast at Disney: if you’re a kid who is going to Disney for the first time and has heard your friends talking about their “breakfast with Mickey” and how they had Mickey Mouse waffles, do you think some scrambled eggs are going to go over well? Even if they have been cooked separately in a special dedicated frying pan, using clean utensils to avoid cross-contamination?….. Exactly.
The goal of this blog is to help other families benefit from our experiences living and traveling with a gluten-free child.
Since the aim is really to help all of you plan your daily events, day-trips and extended vacations with gluten-free options in mind, what sort of things would you like to see in this blog?
- Restaurant recommendations?
- Tips on researching travel destinations’ gluten-free options?
- Advice on how to ensure the best gluten-free (and hassle free) vacation for your child?
- Recommended apps and products to help you eat gluten-free on the go?
- Tips for planning vacations to specific destinations?
Feel free to let me know in the comments section. I look forward to sharing our family’s adventures (and misadventures) with you and helping you to plan gluten-free adventures of your own!
Wishing you safe travels!
Nicole
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