Does anyone know if these products exist?

[Sam-n-Max's Mommy]

Hi everyone,

DS is going to start preschool on April 1.  He has gluten, casein, and egg intolerances.  During snack time, the kids usually have animal crackers, graham crackers, pretzels, goldfish, or cheez its.  I know I can get animal crackers and pretzels that fit his diet, but have just been looking online re graham crackers, goldfish, and cheez its, and it looks like I may have to make them myself!!! (He doesn't *have* to have them, but I really don't want him to feel different (not that I even know that he'll eat any of these things) and I also thing it may help avoid him helping himself to the gluten, casein, and egg - full varieties that the other kids may be eating!

The gf recipes look fairly simple (assuming I can swap coconut butter for regular butter, almond milk for milk, and his fake cheese for regular cheese in these recipes).  I will try my hand at them, but would prefer to buy them if possible! I will also look in Whole Foods next time we are there.

Any ideas?

Thanks!
Nicole

[MasynSpencerElliotte]

My DD2 is gfcf and also egg free until recently (we can do baked in egg now!). I never tried to make any type of cracker as our play school snack is random (different parent brings every day).

I provide her snack, and they serve her first to stop her from taking what she can't have, plus I have drilled into her not to take food that didn't come from her lunch box.

She really doesn't get upset even if the other kids end up with cupcakes and I send fruit and rice crackers (though she has ASD and is really quite oblivious to her peers influence!).

I have swapped vegan margarine for butter (or coconut oil), soy milk for milk, and Daiya "cheese" for cheese in various recipes without issues, so it should work!

[chicagomom]

DS is MPSI and GF.  he LOVES these graham crackers (S'moreables Graham Style Crackers).  i even make peanut butter sandwiches out of them!!!  DS really likes this company's products best out of all of the others out there.

http://consumer.kinnikinnick.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/products.home/productcategoryid/12

my DS is only 2 so he doesn't yet get the concept that he eats differently than his schoolmates.  but my 4yo DD (who is allergy-free) has lots of friends at school who are allergic (specifically nuts) and in talking to their parents, it seems that the children truly don't mind eating something different from their friends, and that they understand that it keeps them healthy to eat their own food.  given that they have life-threatening allergies it is super important for them to not eat other's food.  but it made me realize that it is okay, and actually probably beneficial, that our allergy/intolerant kids understand that they eat different foods to keep them feeling good.  if that thinking appeals to you, maybe you can save yourself the trouble of making homemade cheezits.    i definitely don't meant to sound preachy, i hope that is not how you take it.  i have just learned a lot about this since both of my kids are in school.  good luck!

[MasynSpencerElliotte]

given that they have life-threatening allergies it is super important for them to not eat other's food.  but it made me realize that it is okay, and actually probably beneficial, that our allergy/intolerant kids understand that they eat different foods to keep them feeling good.

I totally agree with this, and I realized that I need to work a bit more to teach Spencer to never take food from other people (even ones she trusts like her teachers) unless it came from home. Kindergarten will be a minefield, but at least she has no life threatening allergies that I know of.  I have drilled into her head so much that certain foods will give her an "owie tummy" that it took a lot of convincing for her to try eggs!

[Jimbob]

My ds has multiple food allergies and is 8 years old now. He does not mind having different food to his friends and never has done. I know there has been many occasions when other children have wanted his food instead of their own.

I personally think it could be easier for a mistake to happen if you try and make your ds's snack too much like the other children's.

Kelly x

[Sam-n-Max's Mommy]

Thanks, ladies.  That makes me feel better.  I just didn't want him to feel different, but it sounds like kids who have these intolerances/allergies don't necessarily mind.  I think I'm just overly sensitive about him feeling that way -- he has apraxia of speech, motor dyspraxia, and sensory processing disorder, and he has played with kids who are slightly older who have commented on his speech (ie - why does he just keep saying hi to me over and over - was because he often can't get out what he wants to say, it's trapped, which obviously the kids don't understand, I know that kids just say what comes to mind!).  He is going into a preschool program where there will be typical children and children with some mild special needs (this is going to be a great program for him!), so he will fit right in, but I think that is where I am coming from with my fear that he will feel different re the food.

I really *don't* want to make homemade cheez-its and goldfish.   I was wondering when I'd find the time between a 3 year old and a newborn who is due this Tuesday!

Thanks, ladies

[MasynSpencerElliotte]

I was wondering when I'd find the time between a 3 year old and a newborn who is due this Tuesday!

Yeah, I wouldn't worry about it overly then!