Well, only two hours left of the first day of GFCF (gluten-free/casein(milk)-free) for us. I’d say that we did pretty well for our first day. We’ll definitely find our way in this. It’ll take some getting used to and we’ll endure some snags. This morning, I feel like I was ready for a gfcf breakfast smorgasbord. For those who aren’t related to me, you won’t know my obsession with smorgasbords. It’s not an obsession, rather a repulsion. All of that food laying out there. Half of it will go to waste because the Health Dept won’t let it sit out again so it’ll be thrown away. Wasteful. Mottainai. One of my favorite Japanese words that translates to English accd’g to Wikipedia as this: ‘a sense of regret concerning waste when the intrinsic value of an object or resource is not properly utilized’. Love that word. No better way to describe serious utter wastefulness.

So…I set out to meet every dietary need of every family member this morning, the GFCF way. I had GFCF pancakes, waffles, pancake and waffle mixes, bread with soy butter (you can start gagging now), a handful of cereals and granolas, soy yogurts (more gagging), juices, rice milk, almond milk. J has a cold and food is the last thing on his mind so he forgoes the yummy display of food. O ate the pancakes (Trader Joe’s GFCF version), with pure, organic maple syrup. E had the same. What I didn’t anticipate, but apparently should have, is the fact that the chocolate chips that Oliver sometimes gets on his pancakes (thanks, Grandma!!!) have milk in them hence the whole ‘milk chocolate chips’. So, after a bit of whining, I caved and decided that it wasn’t going to be the biggest thing if on the first day that’s the only flub up that we have.

Packed up the little guys lunches and made an executive decision to allow the other family members to eat whatever the want outside the house, but GFCF during the waking hours of O. Seems fair. So, I reached into the back of the deli box in the fridge and grabbed a string cheese for E’s lunch. Don’t tell O!

I communicated with one of his pre-k’s that this is our current route. They were more than receptive to this and very welcome to helping us with the change. I fully expect to provide all of his snacks, but they provided me with the Dept of Health licensing standard that requires that two food groups need be presented in a proper snack. Hence, a grain and a dairy. A protein and a fruit..etc, etc. And they also gave me their month long snack schedule so I can plan around that. Very helpful! I have to fill out some paper work so that they have it on hand for their licensing. I will also need to add this to his IEP for the Seattle School District. All very doable. Very, very fortunate to have such compassionate people on board with us. Apparently, there was only one slip up at lunch where O was offered rice milk and didn’t like it. (I’m sure that was the polite way of describing what he really said which usually involve the words ‘hate’, ‘gross’, ‘disgusting’) I guess that he poured himself a half a glass of real milk.  No big deal. Again, it was our first day.

In the past two days, I have combed Trader Joe’s, Costco, Safeway, and Whole Foods for their gluten free/casein free foods. I think that we could feed a small GFCF army.

I would like to ask the kind soul who invented rice cakes, ‘WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING?!!!’ That stuff is so disgusting. Makes me feel like I’m on weight watchers. God forbid. I’m NOT eating that and neither are my kids! I’d rather eat air.

O had a great attitude today. He did fantastic at school. Did super well at home. One of the teachers in one of the other classrooms offered him a graham cracker. I think that she must of felt like I was attacking her as I was yelling, ‘NO, NO WHEAT!!!’. I’m crazy. I guess that I’m committed to being crazy for at least the next 6 1/2 weeks.

Yep. Started off Lent praying for all of this to happen for us this morning at mass. I know that this is a good thing. As long as we don’t have to eat rice cakes!