School time is almost here...are you ready?

Most kids and even some parents dread this time of year, when summer is beginning to wind down and the stores start carrying all of their back to school merchandise. Are you ready for this? I know for anyone that lives in my neck of the woods, summer has just started to “feel” like summer. We’ve had a rather cold and wet summer so far after an equally cold and wet spring. How can it really be the end of July?

Are you ready for the school routine? The lunch packing? The worry over what your kids will eat when they are not in the safety of your home? Is this a new challenge for you this year? Maybe you were newly diagnosed and haven’t had to deal with school lunches and snacks so far. Thankfully, it doesn’t have to be as hard as it may seem at first glance. So relax and enjoy the rest of your summer. :)

That does not, however, mean that you shouldn’t at least give it some thought. After all, a bit of planning ahead can save you both financially and also save you from some stressful mornings as well.

Let’s break down a school lunch. Obviously, most school cafeterias are not going to offer a gluten-free option on their daily menu....if they do, you are in one great school district! Hooray for your school board and food service department!

Sandwich: WHAT do you make a sandwich on that will pack well? Thankfully, there are a great many options to choose from. Not only are there many great breads to choose from here on Gling, many of them can be made in your bread machine. Your local specialty food store also carries many great breads as well. So, there are many options for a great sandwich bread.

Fruit: Easily solved, just make sure you have your kids favorites on hand. No worries there.

Chips: Every lunch needs a crunchy chip or cracker to go along with that sandwich. Thankfully, there are many chip varieties out there that are safe for your gluten-free lifestyle. Want to make some crackers? We have a few tasty cracker to try. There are also many really good gluten-free crackers that you can purchase at your local specialty food store. Another tasty option are gluten-free pretzels.

Cookies: No lunch is complete without a cookie treat to finish it all off. Now, if you’ve made many gluten-free cookies, you know that there are some that will simply not travel well. Your poor little 1st grader will end up with a baggie full of cookie crumbs instead of a tasty cookie. My advice is to pick a recipe that you know travels well. Try a few and find your child's favorite. Chocolate chip are a favorite here in my house, here is a recipe for one that travels really well.

Hopefully you now feel a bit more prepared for the lunch routine. All it takes is a bit of planning and your kids can have amazingly tasty lunches that are also gluten-free. Don’t be surprised, however, if your kids tell you that kids are wanting to trade with them at lunch time! Some of these options are more than a good substitute for the gluten-rich alternative. None of your kids friends will know the difference. I know my kids friends hope they bring a gluten-free cookie in their lunch each day. They also hope that they have extra! :)