Having celiac disease isn’t easy for adults. When it comes to children, it is even worse. There are just so many things that kids can’t eat, and it can start to get them down. That’s why you need to find food that is fun for them. Take their minds off their digestive issues.
Lunches and dinners are sometimes easier. You have more time to plan and prepare them. With breakfasts, you need something that is quick, tasty, and nutritious at the same time. Just what do you throw together?
Here are 10 gluten free breakfast ideas for children with celiac disease.
Don’t Forget to Getting Gluten Free Traditional Ingredients
Start off by getting food that is gluten free in the house. There is now bread, bagels, and more made without gluten in them. You’ll find that many of these are in the allergy section of the grocery store, making it much easier for you to find them.
These types of ingredients are cooked and used in the traditional ways. You can toast your bread or bagels, and add some jams, peanut butter, and other ingredients on the top of them. They tend to be a popular option first thing on a morning when you’re in a rush for school.
You could also make some French toast with them, which is a great Sunday morning alternative when you have a little bit of time.
Don’t forget about gluten free cereals, sausages, and other traditional ingredients for the morning. Kids will love sausage sandwiches or just some cereal and milk before they go to school.
But you don’t always want to make the traditional breakfasts with the gluten free ingredients, or you need to find more inventive ways of using them. They’re just there as your backup when you need them. That’s why you need these 10 breakfast ideas for kids.
Make a Gluten Free Sausage and Egg Muffin
Yes, you will need to take a trip to the gluten free section in the grocery store for the breakfast muffins and sausages. But you could opt to take out the sausage if you want. Others will choose to omit the muffin and opt for this breakfast with a knife and fork instead.
How about making an eggy muffin without all the bread instead? These are great options for on the go breakfasts if you need to get the kids straight out of the house and in the car or on the bus. They can also be added to the lunch box when you need something lunch friendly at the same time.
You’ll need:
- Gluten-free sausage chopped up
- Onions, chopped
- Peppers, chopped
- Eggs
Method
- Just cook the meat and vegetables in a hot skillet with some olive oil. Wait until the sausage is fully cooked through and then remove from the heat.
- Whisk the eggs in a bowl and add in your sausage mixture. Mix everything together and transfer equally into a muffin tray.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 350F for around 15 minutes, until the eggs are fully cooked.
If you want to avoid the eggs sticking to the muffin tray, you can use some muffin cases. You can also opt to grease the tray with some butter or olive oil to prevent sticking.
If you want to make them with gluten free breakfast muffins instead, you can still make the muffins in the same way. Just pop them in between the two slices of a breakfast muffin. Toast the breakfast muffin for the best start.
Add Spinach and Tomato to Your Omelette
Omelettes are excellent starts to the day. Your kids will get all the protein they need, and omelettes are much quicker to cook than we consider. The hardest part is the clean-up afterwards, but you can clean as you go.
Try an omelette with spinach and tomato to help get plenty of nourishment to your kids’ diets. Both spinach and tomatoes are full of various vitamins and minerals. Tomatoes have plenty of vitamin C, while the spinach is an excellent source of iron, calcium, and much more.
You can add cheese if you wish. Feta cheese is the best, but you could add whatever your kids love.
You’ll need:
- 1tbsp oil (your choice)
- 1 cup spinach leaves
- 4 eggs
- ½ cup tomatoes, chopped
- ½ cup cheese, crumbled or grated
Method
- 1. Heat the oil in a skillet on a medium to low heat
- 2. Fry the spinach until wilted and then add the tomatoes. Combine with a spatula
- 3. Beat the eggs and then pour into the mixture
- 4. Once the bottom sets, you’ll need to loosen it to make sure it doesn’t stick
- 5. Add the cheese and then fold one side of the omelette over
- 6. Cook until golden and flip to cook on the other side
Serve warm with some gluten free toast. You can also opt for a fruit salad on the side, or just serve it on its own.
The benefit with omelettes is that you can add all the ingredients that you want. Mushrooms are another attractive option, or you can make a Spanish omelette with plenty of bell peppers and even some gluten free sausage.
Make Some Overnight Oats
Contrary to popular belief, oats don’t contain gluten. It’s the brands that add it, so you’ll need to make sure your brand of choice doesn’t add the gluten in.
If you can, get pure oats for these recipes. They’re an excellent option for breakfasts and snacks in those with celiac disease. However, you may want to keep the amount you use to a minimum. There are some celiac sufferers who have some bloating from eating large amounts of oats.
If your children find oats fine, then start making some of the overnight varieties. These are perfect for the days that you know you’ll be in a rush the next morning. You can put together all sorts of flavourings and have a jar of oats ready for as soon as the kids wake up. If you’re travelling the next morning, overnight oats are a great start since they can be eaten on the move.
The way of making the oats is simple. You just need to soak oats in some type of liquid overnight. Yoghurt or milk are the best two options overnight in the fridge. You’ll want to put a layer of oats in a jar, and they spoon the flavouring as a layer on top. Put the yoghurt or milk on top of that. The liquid will seep downwards overnight.
The next morning, your oats will have a pudding-like texture to them. But you do need to make sure you get the layering in the right order and don’t mix before you put in the fridge. Mix the next morning before eating.
Try some maple syrup and chia seeds to your oats for a more classic taste. You can also make with chocolate spread and peanut butter, or shredded carrot and raisins. Experiment with the different flavours, and you’ll find all sorts of wonderful breakfasts without trying too hard.
Enjoy a Breakfast Burrito
What about offering something a little different at the weekend? A breakfast burrito is a popular option for many kids, and they can even help with the preparing and creation of their burritos. All you have to do is put all the ingredients out for them to piece together.
While you can get gluten free sausage for this, you can choose against it if you want. These burritos can have more vegetables, and avocados make great substitutes for meat. Avocados are extremely healthy with all the good fats.
You’ll need:
- 2 eggs
- 1tbsp water
- ½ bell pepper of your choice
- ½ avocado
- ¼ cup cheese, grated or crumbled
- 1/2tsp oil (your choice)
- 1 gluten free friendly tortilla wrap
- Black pepper for seasoning
Method
- 1. Beat the eggs with the pepper and water
- 2. Over medium heat, heat the oil in a skillet
- 3. Add the eggs and stir slowly, avoiding the eggs from sticking to the pan
- 4. Add in the avocados
- 5. Heat the tortillas by wrapping in foil and heating in the oven at 300F for about 5minutes
- 6. Place your egg mixture in your tortillas and serve
If you want to add some bacon or other meats, feel free. Just make sure they’re friendly for your kids’ dietary needs.
You can add salsa as a topping if you’d like.
If you want your kids to be more involved with breakfast or you have a few guests, pop the ingredients on plates in the middle of the table and let the kids put it all together themselves.
Try Out Some Salmon on Sundays
There are certain days that you just want something a little different. Well, why not try it on a Sunday or another day when you and the kids don’t have a lot on. Take some holiday during school leave time and have fun with this breakfast idea.
A salmon bagel is a popular option for many who don’t suffer from celiac disease. Thanks to the invention of gluten free bagels, you can get in on the action.
Do watch on the amount of fish your kids eat. They don’t need more than two portions of fish daily. Smoked salmon especially can be full of salt, so you’ll want to keep those levels to a minimum. As a treat now and then, the bagels with salmon aren’t going to be that bad.
You’ll need:
- Smoked salmon
- Bagel
- Cream cheese
- Red onion, thinly sliced
- Olives, sliced
Method
- 1. Toast your gluten free bagel
- 2. Spread the cream cheese and top with the smoked salmon
- 3. Top with your other ingredients
It’s now ready to serve.
If you don’t want to do salmon but want to try something similar, you can also use ham or turkey slices. Look out for the companies that don’t add gluten to their deli meats.
You don’t need to add meat if you don’t want. You could opt for some fresh fruit with your gluten free bagels instead. Sliced banana with some peanut butter is a popular choice for many. You can use Sun butter if your child has an allergy to peanuts.
Have Granola Bars Ready for the Drive
What about making a breakfast idea a few days in advance? That’s something you can do with granola bars, but doesn’t that mean you’re eating gluten?
Unfortunately, traditional granola isn’t gluten friendly, but you can get gluten free friendly options. It just means shopping around in the gluten free aisle in the grocery store.
But what if I said that you could make your own? There’s no need to go search for anything that tends to have a lot of added sugar. All you’ll need to make sure is that the oats you have are celiac disease friendly.
What do you need?
- 2 cups coconut, shredded
- 1.5 cups oats
- 1.5 cups raisins
- 2 cups sunflower seeds
- 0.5 cup sesame seeds
- 0.75 cup nuts
- 0.5 cup dried fruit of your choice
- 0.5tsp salt
- 1 cup honey
- 1tsp vanilla extract
- 0.5 cup peanut butter
Method
- 1. Preheat the oven to 275F
- 2. Mix all your ingredients together, making sure the honey, peanut butter and vanilla extract are fully blended together
- 3. Line a pan with parchment paper and place your mixture over the top of it. Pat the mixture down so it’s around an inch thick
- 4. Bake for 50-60 minutes
- 5. Remove and pat the bars to ensure they’re holding. If not, you’ll need to pop them back in for a little longer. Watch out that they don’t burn
- 6. Cut your bars once cool
You can get as much or as little as you want out of this mixture. It’s up to you how much you pat them down and slice up the mixture into as small or big pieces as you’d like.
Why not experiment with different types of dried fruits? Raisins and cranberries tend to be the most popular, but you can also opt for dried apple, apricots, and even papaya.
Make Your Own Pancakes
What if you could have pancakes? They’re kids’ favourites when it comes to breakfasts, and those with celiac disease don’t have to miss out. It just takes a bit of planning.
The best thing about these gluten-free pancakes is that you only need two ingredients:
- Bananas
- Eggs
These types of pancakes are also known as weight loss pancakes. They’re low in calories, but full of nutrients and protein. You get the protein from the eggs, while the bananas give you substantial healthy carbs, potassium, and other nutrients.
These pancakes will take some experimenting. Some people like one banana to each egg, while others prefer a higher ratio of one of the ingredients. Just mash up the banana and whisk the eggs before mixing the two together. Make like you would be any other pancake.
If you have a waffle maker, you can opt for this instead.
Now you just need to choose your toppings. What’s your favourite?
Create a Pumpkin Loaf Cake for Your Kids
Loaf cakes are often another food that many celiac sufferers believe they won’t get again. That isn’t the case anymore. You can make your own loaf cakes, and there are so many different flavours to try. Banana loaves tend to be the most popular for breakfasts, but what about a pumpkin one? Try this around the autumn, when the pumpkins are in season.
Ingredients for the loaf:
- 4tbsp butter, melted
- 2 eggs
- 1.5 cups gluten free pancake mix
- 1tsp cinnamon
- 1 cup canned pumpkin
- 0.5 cup brown sugar
- 0.5tsp salt
- 0.5tsp ginger
Ingredients for the topping:
- 2tbsp butter, melted
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 0.5cup nuts
Method
- 1. Preheat the oven to 350F
- 2. From the loaf ingredients, beat the butter, egg, sugar, and pumpkin together.
- 3. Add the rest of the loaf ingredients and stir until completely combined.
- 4. Pour into a loaf pan and sprinkle your toppings
- 5. Bake for 50-60 minutes
You’ll know the loaf is ready to come out by sticking a knife or toothpick in the middle of the loaf. If it comes out clean, then the loaf is done.
This loaf will keep for a few days in an airtight container. You can slice it up throughout those days to use as a quick breakfast for the school mornings.
Make a Banana Bread Instead
If you can’t get hold of pumpkin or you don’t want to use it, then you could opt for a more traditional banana bread. This is a great way to get various nutrients in the body. The method is very much the same as the pumpkin bread, but here’re all the ingredients for you so you can make it without a gluten mistake.
Ingredients:
- 3 bananas, preferably overripe
- ¾ cup of sugar, preferably brown
- 1 egg
- 4tbsp butter
- 1.5 cups gluten free flour, all purpose is good
- 1tsp salt
- 1tsp baking soda
- 1/2tsp cinnamon
Method
- 1. Preheat the oven to 325F
- 2. Mash the bananas and then add the sugar, butter, and egg
- 3. Sift the flour into another bowl, and add the baking soda, salt, and cinnamon
- 4. Add the banana to the flour mixture
- 5. Stir until everything is combined and add to a loaf tin. Bake for 50-60 minutes
Like with the pumpkin loaf, you will be able to tell if the banana bread is fully cooked with the help of a toothpick or knife.
If you want to try a few different flavours, you can substitute the banana for them. Try some coffee and walnuts or apple and cinnamon, for example.
Use Quinoa for Your Gluten-Free Breakfast
Did you know that quinoa (pronounced keen-way) can be used for breakfasts, as well as many other meals? We tend to forget about it when it comes to breakfasts though. The benefit of quinoa is that it is celiac disease friendly, so you’ll want to make sure you stock up on it.
This is a recipe that is also vegan-friendly. While milk is used, you can always opt for almond, soy or even coconut milk if you want. This recipe does call for some nuts, but you can eliminate them if you don’t like them, or there is a nut allergy that you must think about.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups milk
- 1 cup quinoa
- 1tbsp honey
- 1/8tsp cinnamon
- 1 cup nuts and blueberries
Method
- 1. Boil the milk
- 2. Add the quinoa
- 3. Simmer for about 10 minutes, until the milk is completely absorbed by the quinoa
- 4. Stir in the cinnamon and honey, simmer for about 8 minutes
- 5. Remove from the heat and stir in the blueberries and nuts
You can serve this with some honey or salt if you want. It’s a delicious alternative to oats, meaning you don’t have to go search for the gluten free brands purposely.
Which Breakfast Will You Try First?
Now you have plenty of gluten free breakfasts for your kids to try. There’s no need that being a celiac sufferer means that your kids can’t have their favourite. With all these alternatives, they’ll feel like they’re never missing out. Their friends don’t even have to know that you have slightly alternative ingredients.
Now all you need to do is decide while the one you’re going to make first. You can make the most of trying a few at the same time. Have your overnight oats ready for the mornings you’re rushing and get the ingredients in for some of the longer cooking breakfasts for the days that you have more time.
Do watch out for this gluten-free breakfast recipes. You’ll have all the parents wanting your secrets when their kids come home from sleepovers.
