When a Restaurant Just Can't Get it Right

Eating in restaurants with a gluten free child is not always easy, but I've always managed to find something safe for my son to eat. Most restaurants have something on the menu, or can adjust a recipe to be safe. After speaking with the server or the chef (or both!)

I'm usually relatively comfortable allowing my son to eat out in restaurants. In the four years my son has been gluten free, I have only had to leave a restaurant without feeding him once, and that was right at the beginning and more my fault than anything.

Until a few weeks ago.

We Moved to Paris!

I originally posted this on my travel site, GlutenFreeFamilyTravel.com, but thought it was worth a repost here. 

Typically the content of the two sites are separate, but there will certainly be times when something posted on one site will be reposted on the other. 

Our move to France will be a huge source of content over the next year on both sites. Our plan to move to Toulouse changed quite quickly and unexpectedly, but was accompanied by an exciting new development!

Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas!

This Letter From Santa for Kids with Food Allergies is the Best Thing Ever

The lovely folks over at Food Allergy Research and Education (FARE) have once again come up with a way for kids with food restrictions to feel not only included, but special. These are the same people who started the Teal Pumpkin Project to help make Halloween more inclusive for kids with food allergies.

Product Review: Grain Free JK Gourmet

Earlier this week I received a package containing some samples from Grain Free JK Gourmet. I'll be honest- before receiving these samples I had never heard of the company, but since I'm always up for discovering new products I couldn't wait to dig in. I received three items: Fig and Apricot Granola, GG Bites (kind of like sesame snaps), and Almond Cherry Chocolate.

Gluten Free and Grain Free is stamped right there on all the packages, so after confirming that the products are in fact made in a gluten free facility (peanut and dairy free too!) I rounded up my husband and the kids and we gave the products a try.

Quebec Winter Carnival: The Perfect Family Getaway (and how to enjoy it gluten free!)

The Quebec Winter Carnival, or the Carnaval de Québec, has been around since 1894, and has been held annually since the 1950s. A gigantic event held across some of the most beautiful and historic sites in Quebec City, the winter carnival is a must-do event for families looking for a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Located a few hours from Montreal, Quebec City is a picturesque city with a lot of history that opens its doors to the world for a 17 day party every winter. The 2015 carnival runs from January 30- February 15, featuring activities that run day and night. The 2015 theme is Bonhomme's World, exploring the magical existence of the beloved carnival mascot, Bonhomme Carnaval.

Celiac Baby Turns Four! Thank You!

Today is a special day. Four years ago I was a struggling mom trying to wrap my head around my son's new gluten free life. He was not yet two years old, and had been sick and suffering for so long that when removing gluten from his diet started making him better, I felt as though we had been handed a miracle. Parents who have watched their kids battle constant illness, who are underweight no matter what you try, who always in pain and suffering, will understand the relief I felt when the doctor was able to rule out things like Cystic Fibrosis and instead confirmed that by changing his diet we could change his health. Although I was grateful to have found the cause of his troubles, I was also overwhelmed at just how difficult it really is to eliminate ALL sources of gluten.

We Have Big Travel Plans for 2015!

We're moving to France! We applied for our long term visas (1 year) on Wednesday, and then settled in for a two week or more wait for a response. To our surprise, we received an email yesterday afternoon telling us that our visas had been approved and that we could pick them up next week. 

We're ecstatic! 

This has been a several month process of getting ready to go, and the approval process was what we were waiting on to make our dream a reality!

Homemade Advent Calendar 2014

Last year I made a food free Advent calendar for my gluten free son. It was the first year he was interested in counting down to Christmas, and I was having a hard time finding a commercial gluten free Advent calendar. Instead, I made my own version!

I will be making another homemade Advent calendar again this year, although since we're staying with my parents for the holidays and they don't have a mantel, I'll have to make a more compact version.


This post generated some great feedback last year, and several people sent me messages to let show me their homemade Advent calendars, so I thought it was worth another share this year.