Gluten sensitivity or celiac disease affects around 3–13 of 1000 children and often leads to severe nutritional deficiencies. Being cautious about everything they eat can be quite challenging, especially when it comes to snacks since most of the packaged snacks do not ensure being 100% gluten-free. Below are some easy-to-make and quick snack recipes your kid would love to munch on.
1. Baked Cinnamon Apple Chips
These healthy, crunchy, and addictive chips are easy to make, with not more than 3 ingredients.
Ingredients
- 3 apples
- Ground cinnamon
- Granulated sugar
Directions
- Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Line silicone baking mats onto two large baking sheets, and set aside.
- Wash the apples, and slice them as thin as possible. Thicker slices would make them mushy.
- Spread these slices in a single layer onto the baking pans.
- Sprinkle powdered cinnamon and granulated sugar.
- Bake for 1 hour, flip the slices over, and bake for another 1-1.5 hours.
- Turn the oven off, and let them cool down inside the oven for an hour. This will help them become crunchier.
- Some might remain chewy, which could be left in the oven for around 3 hours to turn them crunchy.
- Store the chips in an airtight container at room temperature.
2. Sweet Potato Crunchies
These easy-to-make gluten-free crunchies can be made in less than an hour. These can be munched just as a snack or as crunchy toppings on soups or salads or as a side to sandwiches.
Ingredients
- 1 sweet potato
- Olive oil or coconut oil
- Spice powder like cinnamon/nutmeg/ginger/black pepper, etc. (optional)
Directions
- Wash the sweet potato and peel it. Cut it into juliennes.
- Preheat the over to 375 degrees.
- Add the strips into a large bowl and drizzle olive oil on them.
- Sprinkle with powdered spice of your choice, if required.
- Toss them thoroughly to ensure all the strips are coated, spread onto a large baking sheet.
- Bake with constant stirring every 10 minutes, up to 30 minutes.
- Transfer into an airtight container after they are cooled and crispy.
3. Apple Sauce Banana Spice Bread
Free from gluten, dairy, and refined sugar, this is one of the best replacements for gluten breads.
Ingredients
- 2 large bananas
- 1 cup unsweetened apple sauce
- 2 fresh organic eggs
- 2 cups brown rice flour
- 2 tbsp arrowroot powder
- 1/2 cup honey
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Grease a loaf pan and set aside.
- In large bowl, mash bananas and add applesauce, honey, vanilla, and eggs. Mix until creamy.
- Add baking powder, soda, and other dry ingredients and mix well.
- Pour into greased loaf pan and bake for 40 minutes.
- Let rest in pan a few minutes before removing.
- Serve after it cools.
4. Pizza Bites Without Crust
Pizza – one food everyone loves to eat. Kids are no exception. However, if your kid is gluten-intolerant, these no-crust pizza bites are the to-go option. They are high on protein and low on carb, which make them a healthy and filling snack.
Ingredients
- Thick cut Canadian bacon
- Mozzarella cheese, shredded
- Pizza toppings of your choice (bell peppers, onion, tomatoes, olives, pineapple, mushroom, etc.)
- Pizza sauce
Directions
- Grease a muffin tin with oil.
- Place three slices of bacon per cup, slightly separated from each other.
- Place the pizza sauce in required quantities on each cup.
- Add the toppings followed by shredded cheese on top of it.
- Bake for 27 minutes or a little longer at 350 degrees until the top of pizza turns slightly brown or bubbly.
- Use a fork to pop them out of the muffin tin, and serve.
5. Smoky Roasted Chickpeas
Ingredients
- 2 cups soaked chickpeas
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 tsp cinnamon powder
- Salt to taste
Directions
- Mix all the ingredients into a large bowl in the given order, to ensure all beans are thoroughly coated.
- Spread them onto a pan.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature.
