Around 1% of the global population grapples with Celiac disease, and in the United States alone, it touches 1 in every 300 children. But Celiacs are not the only ones who suffer from an encounter with gluten – 0.5 to 13% of people worldwide grapple with non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS).
This makes life a little bit more complicated for the kids and their parents, who have to find reliable food suppliers. If you’re used to cooking at home, things are a bit easier as nowadays, you’ll find a wide range of kid-friendly gluten-free recipes. However, cooking all your meals at home is time-consuming and requires quite a lot of effort.
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So, if you like being outdoors and enjoying fun activities with the family, like camping or hiking, cooking can easily become a heavy chore. Luckily, there are ways to cut down the time spent in the kitchen without worrying the kids will accidentally eat something containing traces of gluten.
One way is to subscribe to a gluten-free certified meal kit delivery service that offers options for families with children. Today, we’ll have a look at what it means to be subscribed to such a service and decide whether it’s worth it.
The Challenge of Navigating Gluten Intolerance
Navigating gluten intolerance in a bustling, active family can be challenging. Here are a few hurdles that other families may never have to worry about:
Cooking with an Added Difficulty Layer
Picture a Saturday morning: one child is prepping for a soccer match, another for a ballet recital, and the whole family plans to hike later. Now add in the need to avoid gluten for one of the kids, and each meal turns into a strategic operation. The battle starts at the grocery store, where you have to identify allergen-free ingredients that fit everyone’s taste preferences.
Furthermore, if you don’t live in a gluten-free household, you always have to make sure gluten-containing ingredients don’t come in contact with the gluten-free ones during prep and cooking.
This way, cooking for the family just got even more time-consuming and complex.
A Nutritional Minefield
From scrutinizing food labels to planning safe outdoor meals, parents learn quickly that hidden sources of gluten lurk almost everywhere—in sauces, lunch meats, and even certain brands of oats. Many parents find that coming up with a solution of pre-packaged quick snacks that cater to everyone’s health requirements is like navigating a nutritional minefield.
Kids Feel Left Out
There’s the psychological element, too, since dietary restrictions can impact children socially and emotionally. Some kids feel left out during school events because they can’t partake in fun activities, such as pizza parties or enjoying homemade cupcakes brought for birthdays.
Even the weekend camping trip—usually an opportunity for s’mores and hot dog roasts—can make kids feel like they can’t fully enjoy the experience. Parents also can’t relax and leave the kids to roam around because they’re worried about cross-contamination from grills or picnic tables at communal sites.
Lack of Variety
While gluten-free options have indeed expanded in recent years, they often fall short when it comes to ready-to-eat meals or snacks that can satisfy active kids and parents alike. And let’s face it, energy bars can only go so far before palate fatigue sets in.
Quick and easy recipes, like gluten-free granola parfaits, are a great option for store-bought snacks, but you don’t always have the time and energy to prepare them. Also, kids are attracted by the fun wrappings and delicious flavors of store snacks, so it continues to feel like an uphill battle.
The Meal Kit Solution – Does it Make Sense?
Many parents recommend turning meal prep and cooking time into a family bonding experience that includes age-appropriate children. This way, you can sneak in some educational snippets and make sure the kids understand why they can’t be as free-spirited as their friends and colleagues.
But what if you could have delicious and healthy dishes completely free of gluten delivered to you regularly?
Busy parents swear by their favorite meal kit delivery service, saying it was a game-changer in their lives. It freed up time in their schedule that they can now spend with the children, doing fun activities. It also lessened gluten cross-contamination worries since the meals are prepared in a separate facility, away from any gluten-containing products.
Additionally, a meal kit service opens up your family to world cuisine without risk. You can now enjoy gluten-free Moroccan stew or Indian curry cooked in your kitchen while following chef-designed instructions. It’s an entirely new way of discovering food that’s safe to eat for everyone!
You can also plan your meals according to your weekend activities. If you’re going on a hike on Saturday, you can opt for a quick-to-cook recipe (some services even offer 10-minute kits) that’s easy to pack and enjoy in the middle of nature.
So, do meal kits make sense? It depends on every family’s needs and plans, but we think it’s a great option for when time is a scarce resource. You have access to all sorts of healthy dishes from around the world, prepared by culinary specialists and portioned so they’re ready to go.
Are Gluten-Free Meal Kits for You?
If you’re considering a gluten-free meal kit subscription for your family, it’s important to weigh the pros and cons. We already mentioned the pros (time-saving, meal variety, options for specific dietary restrictions, and convenience), so let’s see the other side of the coin.
Cost Considerations
With meal kits, the price tag is often higher than when purchasing ingredients separately. If you’re on a tight budget, it may be challenging to find a meal kit that fits your needs. However, it’s worth considering that meal kits reduce last-minute grocery runs that can add up both in cost and stress.
You’re also saving on fuel since you don’t have to go shopping as often. This also means fewer impulse buys, which adds up to the savings.
Ensuring Gluten-Free Certification and Safety
Not all meal kit services are created equal. Some use clever marketing terms like “gluten smart” or “no added gluten” to mask the fact that their meals may contain gluten in small quantities. While some kids may be fine with a smaller quantity, this is not always the case, so it’s best to be cautious.
To make sure your meal kits are truly free of gluten look for services that are gluten-free certified. This means they have a special prep process in place for gluten-free meals to avoid cross-contamination. So, before you commit to any long-term subscription, check if the meals are prepped in a dedicated gluten-free facility.
If you’re not 100% sure about whether a service is safe for your kids, check customer reviews and community forums. Parents with similar challenges are happy to share tips and brands that can make your life a little better.
In Conclusion
Meal kit delivery services can be a game-changer for busy, active families that try to navigate the gluten-free tightrope. They offer not just meals but also time, variety, and peace of mind, which is so important for the happiness of the entire family.
So, if you want to try these services, look for a brand that’s officially gluten-free certified and offers a diverse selection of easy-to-cook gluten-free meals. We’re sure you’ll love it!
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