4 Back-to-School Tips for Your Gluten-Free Kids

nwheeler01
Aug 21, 2022
2 min read

Updated: Aug 21

Kids smiling out the window of the school bus — School bus with kids

As the school year kicks off, gluten-free parents know that packing pencils and notebooks is just the beginning. Sending a child with celiac disease into the classroom requires a little extra planning, but with the right system, it becomes second nature.

Here are a few of the things we do each year to help make back-to-school season a smooth one for our gluten-free family:

1. Stock Up on Safe Gluten-Free Snacks

What are your child's favorite gluten-free snacks? Having a well-stocked kitchen (and backpack) can make a big difference. Here are a few of our go-tos:

Cheese sticks
Fresh fruit
Utz chips
Snyder’s gluten-free pretzels
Kind bars
Popcorn
Fruit snacks
Trail mix
Goody Girl cookies

We typically shop at Wegmans, Target, Walmart, and Weis, but of course, availability varies depending on where you live.

Pro tip: make a list of your child’s favorite brands and rotate through the stores near you to stay stocked up.

Image of a grocery cart — Grocery Shopping

2. Create a Snack Area

Organization is key—especially with young kids. When mine were little, I used clear plastic bins in our pantry and filled them with individually packed snacks in zip-lock bags. This made it easy for them to open the closet, grab a snack, and pack their own lunch.

Not only does this promote independence, but it also gives your child the confidence to make safe snack choices on their own.

3. Plan Ahead for Classroom Treats

Yes, the birthday parties. In elementary school, these pop up constantly. To help my daughter feel included, we planned ahead by baking her favorite gluten-free brownies with homemade cream cheese icing.

At the beginning of the school year, we’d bake a batch and freeze them. I’d send five or six to school to be stored in the classroom freezer. When a birthday celebration came around, the teacher would take one out in the morning to thaw, and she’d have a treat to enjoy with her classmates.

This simple step helped her feel included and safe, all while avoiding the last-minute scramble.

Image of a child in an elementary classroom

4. Communicate with the School

Communication is everything. My daughter was diagnosed with Celiac at age four, so we’ve always made it a priority to meet with the school at the start of every year. I sit down with teachers and staff to:

Explain Celiac disease
Share her specific symptoms
Provide a list of safe snacks and treats
Offer ideas for gluten-free birthday alternatives

While young children are learning how to advocate for themselves, they still need support. When my daughter was younger, I made a game out of finding the gluten-free label on packages, but I also made sure her teachers knew to help her double-check.

Thanks to open communication, her teachers would reach out before parties or special events, and I could send in a safe treat. That partnership made all the difference.