Sending Them Off to Camp

Well, the girls are all signed up for camp again this year. I would be lying if I said that going to sleep-away camp for two weeks gluten-free and soy-free is a piece of cake. It is hard work!!! But thanks to my good friend Steve the Cook at camp and my amazing organizational skills, (and for those of you who know me, you know that I am NOT kidding), I manage to create a safe place for my kids to eat, which allows them to have a blast at camp! Since lists seem to be a big hit in my articles, I will give you the Top Ten Things to Do to Prepare Your Child for a Gluten Free Camp Adventure.

Whether they are going to a day camp or an overnight camp, or whether they are going for a Girl/Boy Scout Trip or a Summer Camp, these are things that you can do to make the experience a good one. And I wanted to give you my yummy Gluten Free Hamburger Bun recipe. These hamburger buns are amazing and great to take to camp so your kids feel like they are eating like everyone else!

TOP TEN THINGS TO DO TO PREPARE FOR CAMP

1. Call the director of the camp. Find out what the food situation is. Is there a cook or chef that you can talk to about food allergies? Make your child known, so they know they need to be aware of their diet.
2. Get the menu. Whether it is for one day or two weeks, find out what the other kids will be eating during that time. Make sure it is clear that you need to know exactly what they are serving so you can plan accordingly.
3. Buy 1 gallon and 1 quart baggies for storage and a sharpie for labeling. Buy an insulated cooler bag or large cooler for transporting foods cold to the camp.
4. Supplement, supplement, supplement. Your job is to make your child feel good about what they are eating. Kids hate standing out, so try to bring foods like what the others are eating.
5. Find recipes. Preferably, some of mine will come in handy! I know I have provided you with pancakes, waffles, breads, soft pretzels, granolas, and four or five cookie recipes!
6. Okay, here is the tricky part. I like to label each baggie with four things: Child’s name, the date, the day of the week, the name of the meal. Yes, for a two week overnight camp, I DO have 56 baggies for two children including a snack!
7. Each Day of camp goes into a larger baggie labeled for that date. This is just so there are not little baggies floating all over the place. There are 14 large baggies that I can then store in my cooler bag.
8. Fortunately, there will be foods that your child can eat; fruits, vegetables, yogurts, cheeses, nuts, if your child’s diet allows for it. So all you need to do is replace the GLUTEN item in each meal.
9. There are a few additional items I pack on the side just to be safe: Rice milk, salad dressing, peanut butter, fruit snacks, protein bars, and yogurt because our camp only provides sugar-free yogurt.
10. Once you have packed all the food, personally take the food to the cook and discuss any issues that might come up. Make sure you exchange phone numbers and emails for last minute emergencies. Good luck!!!!!!

Gluten-Free Hamburger Buns

Ingredients:
¾ cup rice flour
¼ cup potato starch
½ cup tapioca starch
2 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon xanthan gum
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon honey)
2 eggs
1/3 cup butter
½ cup rice milk

Directions:
Mix wet ingredients with dry ingredients. Spray parchment lined cookie sheet with olive oil and then spray inside of muffin rings. Put 2 very large spoonfuls of batter in each, make sure the rings are not to close to each other. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. And bake immediately for approx. 13-15 minutes, should get nice and golden brown on top. Makes 5 buns. Take out of muffin rings and let cool completely.