Jeff Chandler was born in Brooklyn, New York and now resides in Hackensack, New Jersey.  He is the Founder and President of “Financial Freedom Strategies” in Hackensack, NJ that specializes in teaching Christian biblical principles for managing money.  He is a socially concerned entrepreneur and educator that has spearheaded several community seminars such as “Wealth Increase & Debt Elimination.”  He also facilitates a monthly support ministry for entrepreneurs entitled “Discovering Your Anointing For Business” to help people realize their potential as entrepreneurs.

“Fun Foods For Fun Kids Living With Autism”

        Growing up is so much fun.  Life is filled with happy moments, going  to the park and sitting in the sandbox for hours.  Getting on the slide andswings. Playing baseball, basketball and fun sports.  Ice cream trucks duringthe summer time, birthday parties with piñatas and lots of candy.  Childhood has so many special moments and memories that last a lifetime.  Most of the fun that we experience is centered around food, family picnics and holiday dinners with family and friends.   Children with autism have high instances of food allergens.  Gluten, wheat and dairy in many cases are major culprits in the fight against autism, all prevalent in the fun foods so many children enjoy.  Parents have to be creative in providing meals free of these and other allergens for the well being of their children.

       What happens when our children can’t eat what everyone else is eating. It’s not just about allergies to certain foods. They have special needs, theylive with Autism.  How do we help them to share in the fun when they haveto be on special diets? That is the question so many parents struggle with. In

an interview with “Autism File” Holly Robinson Peete discusses theconnection between diet and autism.  From her observation over the years,medical doctors are finally beginning to embrace the notion that whatchildren eat directly affects their mental, emotional and physical faculties. There are so manyresources that parents have access to today to helpmake eating not only nutritional but fun.  

        So what is Autism and why is what they eat so crucial?  Autism is adisorder in the brain development.  There are varying degrees of the disorder, they may be in social interaction, or verbal and nonverbalcommunication or repetitive behavior.  While there is no cure to date, moreand more information and results from studies have shown that “diets” have a significant role in helping children living with autism manage and functionbetter in a world that is sometimes not as willing to include them in life.Parents are a child’s best advocate, and many have adjusted and adaptedeveryday meals and snacks to promote a healthier lifestyle. A basic formula for a gluten free and casein free (gfcf) lunch is, protein, fruit, vegetable, nut/seed and water.  Drinking water is a way to help curtail all the sugar children consume.  A typical lunch would be turkey sandwich on rice bread or another type of wheat free and gluten free bread, an apple, carrot sticks and almonds/corn chips.

        A great site with useful suggestions is wogglebug.com, created by a mother who needed to provide FUN snacks and foods for her children. The site provides hundreds of recipes that are gluten-free and  casein-free (gfcf). that if you make the act of eating along with the packaging fun, everyone will want your kids snack. There a proven suggestions for fun and creative things to do with food, such as hiding vegetables in dips because what they don’t know “might help” them.  Make lunch time a good time, create your own lunchable. You can purchase cool lunch boxes in fun colors, small containers for dips, toothpicks and tiny cocktail forks will help create the “fun” in eating. Make the act of eating along with the packaging fun.

       Did you ever think that “Rice Krispies Treat” could be gluten free? How about “Mac n Cheese”, a favorite among little kids and big kids too! For the “mac and cheese” use gluten free elbow macaroni, vegetarian margarine and cheese, substitute rice milk for whole milk, tapioca or corn starch instead of flour, and chopped onions pack a nice punch.

     There are so many resources available, far more than what was available just a few years ago. If you need gluten free, casein free and soy free, search them out and try these parent tested recipes below. Children living with autism are not limited to bland, boring foods anymore, you can put the “fun” back into their diets.

  

Mac n Cheese

            1 cup cooked rice elbow macaroni (Tinkyada)

            ¼ cup finely chopped onion

            1 tablespoon margarine (Earth Balance – RED tub vegetarian)

            1 tablespoon tapioca or corn starch

            Dash black pepper

            1 ¼ cup Rice Milk

            2 cups shredded American/cheddar cheese (Daiya)

Cook rice macaroni according to directions. In a saucepan, cook onion in margarine until tender. Stir in flour and pepper. Add rice milk. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Add cheese. Stir until melted. Stir macaroni into cheese. Transfer to a 1 quart casserole. Bake uncovered in 350 degree oven for about 20-25 minutes – until bubbly.

 

Gluten Free Rice Krispies Treat

            3 Tablespoons butter or margarine *

            1 package (10 oz.) regular marshmallows

or 4 cups miniature marshmallows (fresh marshmallows)

6 cups Rice Krispies (Kellogg’s brand)

In large saucepan melt butter over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat.  Add KELLOGG’S RICE KRISPIES Gluten Free cereal. Stir until well coated. Using buttered spatula or wax paper evenly press mixture into 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan coated with cooking spray. Cool. Cut into 2-inch squares. Best if served the same day.

* Diet, reduced calorie or tub margarine is not recommended.
 

                 

Resources:

1. GFCF Recipes http://wogglebug.com/gfcf-diet-lunchbox-ideas/

2. What is Autism? http://www.autismspeaks.org/what-autism

3. Tommy, Polly. “Reaching Out” Autism File, April-May 2012,

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