Celiac disease affects 1 in 133 people in the United States, according to the National Institute of Health. Gluten intolerance may affect as much as four percent of the population. With the need for gluten-free food options on the rise, many food-centered events that used to exclude people on gluten-free diets can now include everyone. No parent, teacher, or youth group leader wants a kid to feel excluded. With a simple shift toward these restaurants you can order regular pizza as well as GF pizza to include everyone.
A Few Words of Caution - Gluten-Free Crust Doesn't Mean GF Pizza
Before you order a gluten-free pizza for a party, be sure to ask if all the ingredients on the pizza are GF as well. Some pepperonis, for instance, have gluten in them. You may find that the only safe pizza for a kid with celiac disease or gluten intolerance is a cheese pizza. That's OK, though, because most GF kids will be thrilled to find any safe pizza at a party at all.
It's best to consult with the child's parents in advance to ask about safe options.
Pizza Night? Try These Restaurants with Gluten-Free Pizza
Ordering pizza for a crowd at a party at home, at an entertainment center, or church event doesn't have to exclude gluten-free kids. Some local pizza joints have GF pizza; check your local Yelp listings to find these smaller restaurants. SOme national chains now offer gluten-free pizza, such as:
- UNO Chicago Grill. This national chain now offers an outstanding gluten-free menu with three GF pizza selections that are safe for a celiac diet. Choose from cheese, pepperoni, and veggie options. Order online and they'll even deliver it to your car at the front door of their restaurants.
- Boston's. This nationwide chain offers more pizza variety for folks on a gluten-free diet. Like barbeque chicken pizza? Check it out - it's GF! Boston's has the old standard cheese and pepperoni as well, of course, but more exotic flavors like Florentine and Hawaiian for variety.
- Godfather's Pizza. A Chicago-style deep dish pizza that is gluten-free? Kids and adults will love it. All pizzas are prepared offsite in a safe manufacturing environment, then kept frozen at the Godfather's retail location. Check the store locator link to see whether your local store offers gluten-free pizza; not all locations do.
Safe Serving Tips for Celiac Disease
You've checked with the parents and ordered the pizzas. A few more small tips to keep the food safe for gluten-free kids:
- Don't use the same pizza cutter for regular pizza and GF pizza. You'll contaminate the gluten-free pizza.
- Carefully label the GF pizza. You don't want other kids to wolf down the only choice the GF kid has for dinner.
- Decide how to handle leftovers. If you have gluten-free kids to your house frequently, it might be worth it to freeze leftovers and use them for future playdates. For church and school events, consider offering the GF pizza leftovers to the gluten-free child.
Know of a local or national pizza restaurant that offers gluten-free pizza? Leave a message in the comments.
Melanie Zoltan - Melanie Zoltan is a former college professor and administrator who has written for About.com, PCWorld, Brain Child, Thomson Gale, and ...
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