18 Gluten Free Snacks for Kids with Autism

As the owner of an autism center, I get asked about gluten free snacks a lot. Many of the children at my center are following gluten-free diets and their parents are always on the lookout for tasty snack ideas that are easy to throw together and bring with them wherever they go. Print out your free printable gluten free snack ideas checklist and never run out of delicious and healthy gluten free snack ideas for your child with autism!

18 of My Favorite Gluten Free Snacks for Kids with Autism

Sliced red pepper
Celery
Cherry tomatoes

Apple slices with peanut butter
Guacamole and corn chips
Pickles
Sweet potato chips
Fresh fruit (pineapple, grapes, strawberries, cucumber…)
Sliced avocado
Popcorn
Frozen grapes
Frozen berries (raspberries, blueberries)
Raw veggies (broccoli, snap peas, carrots…)
Oven Roasted Chickpeas
Dried fruits (mango, kiwi, raisins, cranberries…)

Hard boiled eggs
Rice crackers
Cinnamon Apple Chips

Why switch your child to a gluten free diet?

Although every child is different and I am not recommending any particular diet in this post, some parents find that their children’s behaviour and concentration improves when they switch to a gluten free diet.

Learn more about the gluten free, autism diet in this post.

Parents have also found that sensory activities help their children calm down and focus

These are my favorites : 25 Sensory Box Ideas for Children with Autism

Some things to keep in mind :

If your child has tested positive for a gluten allergy or intolerance, a gluten free diet is definitely recommended.
It can take up to 6 months for gluten to entirely leave the body. If you do not see improvement in behaviours/symptoms right away, this does not mean that it is not working. Give it time…