Don’t Let Gluten-Free Kids Miss Out

Resources are available in the kitchen

By Cynthia Kelly
Photos: Gluten Intolerance Group

Attending summer camp has been an American rite of passage for countless children since the 1870s when the first camps catered to boys seeking a rugged outdoor adventure. From hot dog roasts to s’mores around the campfire, food has always played an important role in the overall camp experience. However, for kids with celiac disease and other types of gluten sensitivity, these beloved traditions can cause a great deal of anxiety about what is safe to eat. 

Fifty years ago, few camps had access to staff dietitians who could advise on gluten-free meal preparation. All too often, oversight of food service fell to busy camp directors or counselors, who lacked the training to provide gluten-free meals and snacks. As a result, kids with special dietary needs either stayed at home or hauled heavy coolers full of gluten-free meals to camp.

Fortunately, food service has come a long way in the last several decades. During my tenure with Gluten Intolerance Group (GIG), which for over 40 years has been working with camps to provide gluten-free food service, I’ve witnessed numerous changes. These include the evolution of summer camps dedicated to kids on gluten-free diets and GIG’s scholarship program, which provides financial support to children who want to attend camp but lack the resources to do so. While camps may have hesitated in the past to serve kids on gluten-free diets, advocacy organizations like GIG offer programs to help camps safely offer these meals.

Room For Improvement

When I started with GIG 25 years ago, I worked as a resident dietitian for various summer camps, reviewing menus and developing recipes to make sure kids with multiple allergies or gluten sensitivity had food they could eat. For many years, I stood in kitchens for a week to 10 days at a stretch preparing meals at summer camp. I even baked gluten-free bread before it was commercially available.

Today, most summer camps offer allergy substitutions, so if a child can’t eat eggs, there’s probably something one can have. But the unfortunate reality is many of these substitutions don’t always provide the best experience for children who can’t eat gluten. Either the camper is simply told to skip the items with gluten, for example, or one is stuck with gluten-free toast while everyone else is eating waffles. Even when camps do offer gluten-free menus, items are not always served in a manner that is safe for these kids. 

While most food companies clearly identify gluten-free products on distribution lists, hosting a summer camp involves many moving pieces, and gluten-free food service is often treated as a side issue among competing priorities. Moreover, camp kitchens deal with some unique constraints that set kitchens apart from other food service. For starters, they serve a large group of very hungry customers, and mealtimes are under time constraints, so food comes out of the kitchen quickly. Because children with celiac disease can get very sick from consuming even tiny amounts of gluten, it’s imperative that camps have qualified people in the kitchens, and then train counselors and volunteers on best practices for avoiding cross-contact with gluten.

Program Support 

To help camps offer safe programming for kids on a gluten-free diet, GIG offers the following two options:

1. Camps that want support in creating and implementing a gluten-free program may want to pursue validation as a Gluten-Free Safe Spot through the Gluten-Free Food Service (GFFS) program. As part of the validation process, GFFS reviews a camp’s processes for preparing and serving gluten-free food and makes sure the program has adequate training in place for staff members. During site visits, auditors ensure that the camp is following the stated procedures, from the procurement of ingredients to meal preparation, even down to the cleaning processes.

Currently, GFFS validates two camps as Gluten-Free Safe Spots where children can eat safely year-round:

• Great Gluten Escape at Gilmont in Gilmer, Texas

• Camp NJY in Milford, Penn.

In addition to validation, GFFS also provides staff training and consulting services, which are free of charge, unless representatives physically come to the camp to work with staff members. Then, the cost is based on a variety of factors, like travel and lodging expenses. The philosophy is always to provide low- or no-cost solutions to meet the needs of those who have adopted a gluten-free diet.

2. Camps that want a more hands-on approach to gluten-free food service can engage GIG to operate a supporting meal service. Distinct from GFFS, this option provides a small, ancillary kitchen staff to prepare meals for the kids who are attending camp, as well as any counseling staff members who are gluten-free. Currently, GIG works with two camps under this model:

• Camp Sealth, operated by Camp Fire on Vashon Island near Seattle, Wash.

• Camp Kanata, part of the YMCA triangle area camps in Wake Forest, N.C.

Camps interested in being validated as a Gluten-Free Safe Spot or consulting with GFFS can visit www.gffs.org. For more information about GFFS, or engaging GIG as an ancillary service to prepare meals, contact Rob Dennis at rob.dennis@gluten.org or me at cynthia.kelly@gluten.org.

Social interaction with peers is an important part of a child’s development, but kids on gluten-free diets often miss out on the positive benefits of summer camp and the lasting memories one forms there, over fears of cross-contact. Thanks to the work of advocacy groups like GIG, kids today can have summer fun without having to worry about getting sick. Whether you’re looking for some support in launching a gluten-free program or want hands-on assistance in preparing gluten-free meals, we’re here to provide an unforgettable summer camp experience for every child who wants to participate.

Cynthia Kelly is CEO of the Gluten Intolerance Group (GIG) and is a dietitian and expert in celiac disease management. GIG’s food-safety programs, the Gluten-Free Certification Organization (GFCO) and Gluten-Free Food Service (GFFS), have been recognized leaders in the gluten-free community for more than 20 years. The GFCO certification logo is the symbol of trust for the gluten-free community, with more than 60,000 products certified worldwide. GFFS Validated Gluten Free Safe Spots, designed to establish trust with patrons in a restaurant or facility that provides safe gluten-free food, can be found at establishments across North America and beyond. For more information, visit www.gluten.org.