gluten free - Stuff Parents Need

Chuck E. Chees Launches a Gluten-Free Menu

November 14, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 2 Comments

If you are the parent of a child who has dietary restrictions you know how disappointing it can be for them when they aren’t able to participate in what are the typical fun kid activities like birthday parties at themed restaurants. I am so excited to be sharing the great news that on November 13th, the New Chuck E. Cheese Gluten Free Menu was launched at more than 500 locations! Thanks to the new offerings, Chuck E. Cheese is now an even better location for more children to enjoy a typical classic birthday party.

The New Chuck E. Cheese Gluten-Free Menu

Knowing that kids are the pickiest when it comes to a different menu item, Chuck E. Cheese has definitely put hard work into creating a fun and tasty Gluten Free Menu that will satisfy the kids and adults who need it as well as appear close enough to the traditional menu that they won’t feel singled out for eating something “different”. We all know how much fitting in and being the same as everyone else can impact a young child. Parents will also appreciate the fact that they don’t have to (1) bring something from home that singles out their child (2) spend twice as much for the meal as they would the traditional menu.

The Chuck E. Cheese new Gluten Free menu consists of only 2 items at this time but they are the classic items that will appeal to almost all children and adults. They are offering a gluten free cheese pizza as well as a gluten free chocolate cupcake. While you can also partake of the salad bar offerings and request preferred toppings to be added to your cheese pizza they don’t currently have any pasta dishes available. With the launch of the new menu at only 500 locations a good response will only increase the desire of the corporation to introduce more items as time goes by.

Currently the Chuck E. Cheese Gluten Free menu is not a part of their birthday party packages but if you know you will have children in attendance at your party who are in need of gluten free food you can request that it be added separately. Being able to sit down to their own personal pizza that looks just like the other kids will surely be a plus factor for those in attendance who otherwise might feel singled out and sad they can’t enjoy pizza like the rest of the gang.

For further information about the launch of the Chuck E. Cheese New Gluten Free Menu and to see if it is available in your area feel free to contact them directly at 1-888-778-7193. Their staff will be happy to share with you full nutritional information and listen to your comments or concerns regarding this upcoming menu launch.

And don’t forget to check for Chuck E. Cheese coupons before your next outing! You can save quite a bit of money with just a few clicks!

Gluten-Free Snacks from CVS: Gold Emblem Baked Rice Crisps

October 28, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 1 Comment

Thanks to CVS for providing yummy gluten-free snacks for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are strictly my own.

My mother-in-law is in town, (which is an AWESOME thing!) and whenever she is with us, I try to make sure I have some gluten-free snacks on hand. She has a wheat allergy, and has been diagnosed with one for quite some time now. She has told me that the last few years have been SO exciting, as the number and quality of wheat free and gluten-free products on the market has exploded.

I really enjoy finding new products that she hasn’t tried yet, and I have a terrific one for her this time around! CVS stores have their own house brand of food products called Gold Emblem, and they have just launched a line of gluten-free crackers called Gold Emblem Baked Rice Crisps.

These crisps are bite-size and so perfect to have out on the table as an appetizer or just an afternoon snack. They come in two flavors: sea salt and barbecue. And they are priced nicely at $2.49/bag. My personal favorite is the barbecue flavor. The crisps aren’t drowning in barbecue, but have just enough of that flavor to be pretty darn irresistible.

I like to serve the barbecue chips with cole slaw as the dip. Cole slaw and barbecue, after all, are a marriage made in heaven!

If you are on the lookout for gluten-free snacks, or if you just want a fat-free, light snacking option that tastes yummy, definitely swing by your nearest CVS and try out the Gold Emblem Baked Rice Crisps. My family loves them, and I bet yours will, too!

Gluten-Free Diet? Try These Fall Favorites!

October 22, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 2 Comments

It’s fall and that means it’s time for some yummy and delicious comfort food and sweet treats. If you’re on a gluten-free diet it doesn’t mean you need to feel deprived! There are tons of great recipes full of warm and appetizing recipes for any occasion. These cozy recipes, with rich fall flavors, are perfect for keeping your gluten-free bellies warm and full this season!

Paleo Cranberry & Raisin Bars
Coconut Flour Mini Donuts
Pumpkin Waffles
Pears with Cacao Ganache and Cinnamon
Buffalo Chicken Dip
Bacon-Wrapped Chorizo Jalapeno Lime Poppers
Gluten Free Gingerbread
Gluten-Free Brownies
Keep it simple! Mix up a 3 egg omelette! It can be filled with just cheese and roasted veggies, or whatever tidbits you have around. Packed with tons of protein, it’s a quick & easy fall-friendly gluten-free meal!

Brandy blogs at MommySplurge and reviews subscription boxes and anything else she finds delightful. Don’t forget to check out the list of subscription boxes perfect for gluten-free eaters! She is also brand rep for Bona Clara, a gluten-free line of skincare products.

Want to see the entire 31 Days of Unforgettable Recipes series? Just click the banner below to see the full list!

Van’s Offers Great Gluten-Free Snack Options for Summer (Giveaway)

May 29, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 83 Comments

It is very likely that you personally know someone who has some sort of gluten sensitivity. That person might even be someone in your immediate family. My mother-in-law cannot eat wheat, so we try to remember to have some wheat-free options on hand every time she visits.

I recently got to experience what it was like to not only be wheat free, but also gluten-free. Tim and I practiced the Paleo diet for about a month, and one of the things you avoid on this diet is gluten. While it was tough to break old habits and stop eating things I was very used to eating (pasta, bread, carbs of all shapes and sizes), I was very pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to find YUMMY food that was gluten-free in the stores. When I asked my mother-in-law about her experience finding such products, she said that it has become significantly easier over the past few years, as awareness and diagnosis of the allergy has increased.

Gluten-Free Snacks

Van’s Natural Foods is a brand that I have purchased before and will definitely purchase again. They make a wide variety of nutritious and delicious products, including two gluten-free options I wanted to highlight today. And trust me when I say that you don’t need have a gluten sensitivity to love these. They are DELISH!!!

First up are the Van’s Whole Grain Crackers. Lately I’ve been pairing these with hummus and just keeping a platter on the dining room table for snacking throughout the day. We’ve tried the Multigrain flavor and the Say Cheese flavor, and I would buy them both again! These retail for a very reasonable $2.99 and are made with gluten-free oats, brown rice, millet, quinoa and amaranth. They are free of artificial colors, flavors and preservatives, which makes them very clean-eating friendly, too! Don’t they look yummy?

The other product we have been enjoying, especially around 3pm when you hit that slump in the day, is the Van’s Whole Grain Snack Bars, which retail for $4.49 per pack. These contain more than four times the fiber of other gluten-free bars on the market today, and they are nutrient-rich. I will usually split one with Darah along with a glass of milk. They are very satisfying!

One of the reasons I’m particularly fond of these snack options from Van’s is because they pack so much nutrition into products that are very fun to eat. I think that’s a big improvement over things like popsicles, which are of course also fun to eat, but typically just full of empty calories.

What are you serving up for snack time over the summer? Any suggestions to offer to others as they make their grocery lists?

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win 2 coupons for free whole grain snack bars and 2 coupons for free whole grain crackers (ARV $14.96)!

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I received complimentary products for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are strictly my own.