Simply Sugar & Gluten-Free » Starters/Snacks

Six Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Whole Food Snacks for Toddlers: Beyond Cherrios and Raisins

Amy — Wed, 15 May 2013 10:00:35 +0000

Even though I’ve been on a gluten-free, refined sugar-free diet for almost 10 years, when Nate and I both had to go dairy-free it threw me for a HUGE loop. Not only was I trying to feed myself, but I had to feed Nate nutritious food he would happily eat. Couple that with the fact that he’s a nosher, and it was enough to make my eyes cross.

I had to rethink how I did things. I had to look for other solutions. I had to really slow down and plan how we ate differently.

It’s gotten much easier, and the learning curve for this dietary change was so much smaller than the first time.

I’ve found some go-to snacks that always work from him. Some are more portable than others, but they’re all nutritious, whole foods. Here are the six I always keep on hand:

1. Avocado

Did you know that toddlers should get 40 – 50% of their calories from fat? Avocados are the perfect food for them. They’re filled with healthy fats, and fiber, too. Firmer avocados are better as finger foods, but softer avocados are delicious mashed and dipped in steamed veggies or in green smoothies.

2. Beans

Yes, beans! They’re filled with fiber and help with digestion. Nate loves beans. Plus, they’re the perfect size for picking up and eating. At first, I smashed each bean with my fingers before letting him eat it just in case he tried to swallow it whole. Now, he can chew whole beans by himself. We pack them in a little cooler and he snacks on them while we’re out and about. Sometimes people look at me like I have three heads but their kids are eating Goldfish and Rainbow Sprinkle Chocolate Chip Cookies.
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Raw Apple-Walnut Snack Bars

Amy — Wed, 08 May 2013 10:00:00 +0000

I haven’t talked much about what we’re feeding Nate because, honestly, it’s been a bit of a struggle. When he was 9 months old, we found out that we needed to cut all dairy out of his diet. And, since I have problems with wheat we’re keeping him gluten-free until he’s at least 18 months old so that his gut is developed enough to digest it properly. I may keep him gluten-free longer as baby #2 will need to be gluten-free as well.

At play dates, I see mommas giving their kids dairy yogurt, cookies, and animal crackers. None of those work for our sweet little Nate.

Couple that with the fact that Nate would rather eat an orange (or any fruit) than a cookie or carbs, and the fact that he never, ever holds still and I’m left with the interesting challenge of finding foods that he’ll eat that will also help him gain weight. Or at least maintain his current weight.

I started searching for solutions and wanted foods to be whole-foods based, full of healthy fats, portable, and something he’ll gobble up. In the process I’ve found lots of foods he absolutely loves.
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Raw Cashew “Parmesan Creamy Cheese” (dairy-free)

Amy — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 10:00:22 +0000

No, I’m not going raw.

But, since I had to cut out dairy and choose to stay mostly soy-free I’ve found that some of the best dairy-free stand-ins are raw and nut-based. Thank goodness I can still eat nuts!

Let’s talk for a minute about where this recipe came from. I decided to make pasta for dinner and wanted something Parmesan-cheesy to stir into the dish. Yea, I could have sprinkled some nutritional yeast over the top of my noodles but that wasn’t exactly the bite I was craving. I wanted something creamy and delicious.
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Sundried Tomato & Pepita Pesto

Amy — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 13:00:12 +0000

With Easter right around the corner, I wanted to give you a dairy-free, nut-free option for your celebration.

After Nate was born, something funky happened and my body stopped tolerating dairy. I can’t say I’m thrilled with it. I kept trying to eat it, hoping that something would change. I really didn’t want to add one more thing to my ‘can’t eat’ list.

But, my best efforts failed and at least for today I can’t eat dairy.

I feel better. So. Much. Better. No stomach pain. No digestive distress. But, gosh I miss my yogurt and cottage cheese.

My favorite little guy is dairy-free too.
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Slow Cooker Apple Butter

Amy — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 14:00:54 +0000

Homemade gifts for Christmas can be easy, inexpensive, delicious, and still come from the heart. Each year, it seems the list of people I want to acknowledge at the holidays grows. That doesn’t mean I want to spend more money. So, coming up with creative money-saving solutions is one of my strategies. It takes some planning ahead. And it takes valuable time. But, in the end, handmade gifts give that something extra that store-bought gifts just can’t.

I always look forward to the special homemade gifts I know I’m getting from friends each year. And, I cherish them always.

I got my love of handmade gifts from my Dad. One of his hobbies was wood crafting. He could build anything. And he loved to make gifts for people. Every year at Christmas he made something for his mother. And, he would enlist me and my sisters to help. He taught me how to use my hands to create.
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