Your Gluten-Free Summer Begins Here!

It’s Memorial Day Weekend!

 

Lots of thought and remembrance goes into this weekend.

 

Are you prepared for your gluten-free summer fun to begin?

 

Soon, school will be ending,  hot days will be arriving, and we’ll be having fun in the sun.

 

Like most typical families, you probably have a busy summer planned.  We are ready for the fun-filled relaxing days of summer, even as we run from camps to vacations, to outings, to classes, to lessons!

 

Summer fun = getting ready = relaxing

 

Most important for your summer fun –

BE PREPARED!

lots of GF snacks

 

Don’t get stuck without snacks when you are out and about.

 

This is when we all make terrible food choices! 

And, with food allergies, this limits you even more.

 

As summer draws closer, hunt for good travel snacks – those that hold up well all day. 

 

Keeping a cooler for cold items is a great tool. Coolers are perfect for day trips and long car rides.

 

What to do?

 

Look for good quality, nourishing, healthy snack choices.

 

**Find snacks that have limited ingredients on the label – 5 or less is best, with real food words. Can’t pronounce the ingredients, don’t buy it!

 

**Choose Non-GMO and organic when you can.

 

**Sugar should not be the first ingredient. Don’t choose products with high fructose corn syrup and corn syrup.

 

**Watch the oils used in your snacks.  Many oils cause inflammation and health risks. Multiple snacks are made with cottonseed oil, which is not a food source and is heavily contaminated with pesticides since it’s not regulated with food. (Check the ingredients in your chips!)

 

**Keep your water bottle with you to keep hydrated! 

 

Sometimes we think we are hungry when we really just need to drink some water.

 

Better Choices

 

Dried chickpeas, roasted edamame, organic applesauce, fruits, and veggies are all good bets.  Nuts and dried fruits are great, just watch for extra sugar or additives.  Pick up a pre-made trail mix or make your own.

 

Fig bars

As these Fig Bars are tasty and definitely HEALTHIER, they still may not be the healthiest choice.  The bars are made with some powerhouse flours (teff, amaranth and oats), yet are high in sugar at 10 grams PER COOKIE.  Be careful when reading serving size.  I got caught here thinking that 10 grams were for two fig bars.  It is only for ONE! Although they have healthier ingredients, they are not the best choice.

 

kind bars

We love the Kind Breakfast Bars.  They are gluten and dairy-free, non-GMO, and made with beneficial flours like oats, millet, buckwheat*, amaranth, and quinoa. The sugar is listed as 8-9 grams, per two bars as a serving.  Not a bad choice.  Definitely better than many bars on the market.

 

bar

The Wegmans Wholesum Bars are similar to Kind Bars.  They range in grams of fats and sugars (5 grams-10 grams, depending on the bars). Some list trans fats on their label, which you do not want to consume.  Be careful reading the labels.

 

While bars are great for snacking when out and about, watch the loaded sugars, unhealthy fats, and fillers found in most bars today. You don’t need to eat a bar every day with so many other choices out there!

 

gluten-free farmer's market

Don’t forget your favorite whole food choices – fruits like apples, bananas, blueberries/strawberries, and of course your veggies. Find them all at your favorite Farmer’s Market! 

 

Cut up some carrots, cucumbers, and celery ahead of time, add in some garden ripened cherry tomatoes and you have a nice snack to go.  If taking your cooler, add some hummus or guacamole for dipping and you have a nutritious snack for your trips.

 

You can also tote around your home-baked snacks, or homemade raw goodies, like date balls.

 

Making snacks and meals yourself puts you in charge of what’s in them – which definitely helps in making a better choice.

 

IMG_3396

 

The trick is to be a step ahead to stay on track for

your healthy gluten-free summer fun!

 

Go get ready!  Summer is coming!

 

Join us in the GF Moms Facebook Group:

 

Gluten-Free Facebook Group Support

 

*Buckwheat – although it sounds confusing, buckwheat is actually gluten-free. When purchasing, make sure it’s labeled gluten-free.  Check the manufacturing process as it can sometimes be combined with wheat flour.

(Featured image USA Flag by Micheal Elliot courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net)

 
 

This information is provided for educational and informational purposes only, to educate you about gluten-free living and as a self-help tool for your own use. It is not meant to diagnose, treat, prevent, or cure. Use this information at your own risk based on your own judgment. Always seek the advice of your own Medical Provider regarding any questions or concerns you have about your specific health or any medications. This information is not allowed to be reproduced, replicated, or sold.

Stop Hidden gluten for good
Jennifer gluten-free living

Hello, I'm Jennifer

Health Coach, Wellness Cooking Instructor, Blogger, Busy Celiac Mom and Educator of Gluten-Free Wellness,

teaching you that living gluten-free doesn’t have to be stressful or overwhelming!

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