Explaining "Special" Diets and Food Intolerance to Children

In September my new book will finally launch. I say finally, because it was 8 years in the making - beginning as an idea in my friend Alessandra's living room in Rome in 2006. As I drove through the mountains looking at the sheep on the hills I figured that sheep, who do little more than graze all day might make good creatures through which to tell a story about food intolerance and living among the herd. 

I had lots of ideas. Most were fairly lame. When I returned home to Toronto a year later, my dear friend Robin would bring up the story  and we'd talk about where it was going. For a long time, it was going nowhere. I knew that Woolfred, the main character was struggling with his intolerance, and that there were elements of isolation. I knew that Woolfred would have to "overcome" his challenge. Truth is - I had no idea what the message was supposed to be. It's not so bad? Get over it? I played with lots of complicated scenarios where Woolfred could end up being a hero. Nothing really worked. Nothing was credible. There was no happily ever after ending. 

Interestingly, it was through writing this book - more than 40 years into having celiac disease that I came to understand how I really feel about having grown up with a food intolerance.

When I think about my personal childhood experience, I've got some very vivid memories. No one wanted to have me over, or pray, have to feed me. I remember a friend's mother being put in the situation of having to make me dinner one evening when my mother was held up. The rest of the kids were served fish sticks and fries (it was the 70's). For me, she unwrapped an entire brick of cheddar cheese and served it on a plate with a knife and fork, explaining - that at least she knew this wouldn't kill me.

Or, there was the time in 3rd grade where I stole a box of the Girl Guide cookies from the case I was supposed to sell. (That's quite a test for a celiac child - here's a carton filled with boxes of cookies!!) I snuck a box into the washroom, locked myself in a stall and ate both the vanilla and chocolate rows as fast as I could. An hour later, I was outed, when I threw them up in the school lobby and everyone had to walk around the mess on the way out the door. 

My food was always referred to as "special" - don't touch that, it's Claudine's "special" hot dog bun, or cupcake. The term was meant to make me feel better - but it didn't. It made me feel like I was inadequate in some way... and needed "special handling". Today the "special" stuff looks just like regular, and there is often more than one kid in the class with an intolerance. I'm sure that this makes it easier - but the feelings associated with being called out are about human interaction and less about the food itself. We want to be known for what we can do - not for what we can't. 

In the end, the story I wrote is Woolfred Cannot Eat Dandelions. He is no super hero - just a sheep with a food intolerance. What this means for him, will be revealed in short order. 

You can read more on the publisher's website HERE.

New Children's Book about Food Intolerance - Coming Soon: Woolfred Cannot Eat Dandelions

Woolfred Cannot Eat Dandelions; A Tale of Being True to Your Tummy is published by Magination Press - an imprint of the American Psychological Association. The official release date is September 15, 2014. 

While not gluten specific, this is a tale that any kid with ANY kind of dietary limitations might relate to. It's based on my own experience growing up and figuring out how to deal. It doesn't matter that today, there are more options than there were in the 70's, or that food intolerance is more common. This is about approach, feelings and being human (even if told through the eyes of sheep!). 

I'll post more on Woolfred when officially released this fall. You'll find a link to the APA publishing site HERE, Amazon.com HERE and Amazon.ca HERE where it is available for pre-order. 

gluten-free birthday party - let them eat cake!

My super talented cousin Moya made this cake for her birthday earlier this month. She's clearly an ace with the fondant icing, and sent it to me because Hello Kitty always makes her think of me. When I found out it was gluten-free, I had to ask why.

Neither Moya nor anyone in her immediate family needs to avoid gluten, but recently she's hosted some of the most celebrated kiddie parties in Ottawa. What she learned is that a very high ratio of her boys' friends are not eating gluten. Thirty percent to be exact.

Given these stats, she had contacted me looking for cookie recipes. Apparently, parents offered to send their child to the party with their own treats (typically a good defense)... but Moya was determined to make her kids' parties inclusive. The cake would be gf too.

At Seth's 5th birthday, the theme was Star Wars. The cake - a very manly looking Millenium Falcon. She tells me that the cake was such a hit (not just cool - but tasty too) that she decide to make her own cake (see the much girlier version at the top of this post) with the same gluten-free recipe. You can find that recipe by clicking HERE.

When you are a little kid (or a big one for that matter), not being able to participate in ceremonial food is even harder than avoiding the day to day stuff. Ceremonial food - like birthday cake is a very emotional time (complete with fire and wish-making no less!). Watching, but not partaking, particularly as a kid can feel very alienating within the tribal atmosphere. Kudos to my cousin Moya who has always been as sensitive to the hearts of those around her - as she is to their stomachs. 

gluten-free birthday party...time warp.

gluten-free party circa 1975 that's me on the far right.

This is my seventh birthday party. Back in the day, being celiac on your birthday meant that you were special in more ways than one. Your hot dog was "special" your bun was "special" and your cake - was "special"... meaning gluten free (and often funny looking). Mum got full marks for pulling it off. 

Nowadays... a full on gluten-free birthday party could be thrown without comment. You can find gf versions of pretty much everything - and if you don't mind the expense... every kid can eat what the "special" kid is having.  

Today marks my 44th birthday... and everyone celebrating with me will be "having what I'm having". Times most certainly have changed!!

gluten-free gingerbread house kit... home sweet home!

I walked by the kit twice before I finally picked up the box and gave in to the urge. I have never actually built AND eaten a gingerbread house in my life. El Peto just made it too easy to walk away. 

While this model won't make it into Architectural Digest... I'm pretty pleased with myself for making the effort - and will be just as pleased to demolish it over the holidays and eat the cookie slabs (as opposed to just picking off the decorations!). Do you have any classic yuletide favorites you are looking to find, or replicate this holiday season?

www.claudinecrangle.com

happy gluten-free halloween!

I had Hollie Hobby fever in the 70's. This shot was taken on Halloween, but that "costume" got sported pretty much anywhere I could pull it off for the rest of the year. When I outgrew it, I asked my mum to sew me a new one. There are family pictures of me at Christmas wearing that bonnet. Super geek!!

Little House on the Prairie fantasies aside, I was crazy for Halloween (what kid isn't?). Dressing up, clearly being a year round activity for me... October 31 was all about the candy stash. 

I grew up in a home that saw little junk food on the shelves. There was no pop in the fridge. You know, the type of home where the popsicles were homemade (with juice). Today - I am grateful to my mother for her good care. As a 9 year-old I just wanted to eat as much crap as I could get my hands on. Halloween was license to fill. 

It was also a time of extreme gluten alert. My brother Paul learned early that in our house you didn't eat anything until you got home. Upon return the treats got dumped together in a pile, mixed up and sorted by the parents. As most items didn't have info on the individual portions mum had to "know" what was safe (often by reading the bags in the stores well in advance). The split was always even, but he got all of the chocolate bars with gluten, me without. There would be "negotiations".  When we got bigger - we would dump our piles and make parental moderated "trades". I always remember my brother as the candy hoarder. He could keep his box of goodies going for weeks. Me? Gone within a couple of days. Nothing much has changed.

Today when I buy Halloween treats to shell out I try to buy at least some that I can't eat. This is the only way to ensure that there will be something to dole out on the big night.