The Challenge: Gluten-free Teens
It’s not easy to get kids to eat right! Parents provide delicious and healthy meals, but they’re competing with fast food restaurants and junky snack food. Give most kids a choice between French fries and steamed vegetables, and most of them won ‘t pick the veggies!
It’s especially important that kids with wheat allergies eat gluten-free foods. It’s not always easy to convince teens of this, though, especially when their friends chow down on burgers and milkshakes. You can encourage your teen to stay on a gluten-free diet by pointing out the painful symptoms that follow a splurge. Education is important, too; the more your kid understands about wheat allergies, the more likely s/he is to eat healthfully.
But it’s also important to realize that, when it comes to eating, your child has more power than you do. No parent wants to hear that—but it’s true! You can prepare healthy meals, but you can’t force your teen to eat them. And when your child leaves the house to visit a friend or go to school, his or her eating choices are completely out of your hands.
In fact, teens respond negatively to nagging, and to adult attempts to control them. And because gluten-free eating is so important, parents may have to use tactics that are…sneaky.
Kids like to cook, so ask your teen to experiment with new recipes. He’ll be more likely to like food that he made himself—and he’ll learn to ‘tweak’ recipes to make them tastier. Your teen will learn basic cooking skills that are valuable not only for people who follow a gluten-free diet, but for everyone. In fact, look for a class in gluten-free cooking, and sign up with your child. You’ll both learn something!
Involve your teen in other ways, too. Give her a chance to plan meals, or invite him to do some of the shopping. As you give your teen more power over the food your family eats, he’s more likely to take responsibility for his own food choices.
If your kid is computer-savvy, ask her to search for gluten-free recipes. She’ll find dishes that she enjoys—and maybe some information and support, too.
Your teen is more likely to stick to a gluten-free diet if the whole family joins in. Be sure to rely on the nutrition-laden, gluten-free food that your child enjoys. Fruit juice can be made into ‘slurpies’, and smoothies are a great way to make sure your teen gets enough fruit. If your child has favorite vegetables, use them often with rice or another gluten-free grain on the side. Gluten-free pizza crusts can be a great vehicle for vegetables.
It may take time, but teens want to feel good. Giving her the education she needs to make healthy choices—and letting her ‘own’ her gluten free diet—will pay off in the long run.
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