Hopefully, t\hese ideas wiill help you celebrate a happy, healthy, and totally  gluten free Easter:

  Look at this article “Fifty Ways to Fill an Easter Basket” which sidesteps the whole problem of food sensitivities by filling the basket with non-edible items like stickers and beads. A suggestion: copy and save this list. It will come in handy in October when we face the challenge of trick-or-treating.

  The Twin Groves School District in Illinois has posted a collection of Easter recipes. I usually don’t recommend recipe collections that are not totally gluten free, but I am making an exception here because I am totally in favor of families working together. The substitutions will be simple: You will need gluten free licorice to make the bunny whiskers, gluten free bread for the sandwiches, and a gluten free flour mix for use instead of all-purpose.

Here is a recipe for “Easter Eggs” made with chocolate chips and peanut butter.. Chocolate chips are probably OK, but if you are concerned, use this link to purchase them from The Gluten Free Mall.  All major brands of peanut butter are gluten free; you may be concerned about the oils in the  cut-rate  brands.

  Easter baskets specifically designed for gluten free children are available. If you are presenting a gift basket to a celiac adult, I suggest you purchase this gluten free “bakery pack” and design your own gift. Both items are available from Amazon. Click on the picture that interests you:

  Whole Foods Market has posted recipes for marinated leg-of-lamb and traditional holiday ham. If you choose the ham recipe, read the first sentence of the directions carefully to understand exactly how to make it gluten free.

  My final suggestion involves an Easter experience in which children (with support from their parents) bake cookies on the day before Easter and relate each step to events in the death and resurrection of Jesus.

published: 02/13/08