Don’t know what’s for dinner tonight? These easy Gluten Free Pizza Buns to the rescue!
When I was a kid, my Mom used to make Pizza Buns for a special Saturday night treat occasionally. I don’t know if Pizza Buns were only served in the ’80’s, but I’ve never made Pizza Buns for my kids before. Since the ’80’s are reappearing in fashion again (florescent, anyone?), why not in food too.
By using Udi’s Hamburger Buns, making Gluten Free Pizza Buns is really easy to do too! You can mix the topping together ahead of time, and quickly top the buns before baking. By having the prepared filling ready in the fridge, and some gluten free hamburger buns on hand, you can bake a full tray in no time, or make up one or two buns at a time for those nights when everyone needs to be at a different place at a different time. If you have a counter top toaster oven, the kids can even make themselves for an easy after school snack.
Gluten Free Pizza Buns
By having the prepared filling ready in the fridge, and some gluten free hamburger buns on hand, you can bake a full tray in no time, or make up one or two buns at a time for those nights when everyone needs to be at a different place at a different time. If you have a counter top toaster oven, the kids can even make themselves for an easy after school snack.
Ingredients
- 4 Udi's Gluten Free Hamburger Buns
- 8 oz (213 ml ) canned pizza sauce
- 1 1/2 cups (160 g) shredded cheese (mozza, cheddar, Parmesan, or a combination of all 3)
- 1/2 cup (75 g) chopped green pepper
- 1/2 cup (75 g) diced gluten free pepperoni
- OPTIONAL: crispy fried bacon, diced onion, sliced mushrooms. You may want to cook these before adding them to the topping mixture.
Instructions
- Place the hamburger buns, cut side up, on a foil lined baking sheet. Place under your oven's broiler to slightly toast the buns (optional, but good).
- Stir together the pizza sauce, cheeses, green pepper, pepperoni, and any other toppings you are using.
- Divide the toppings between the 8 bun halves.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes, or until the topping is hot and the cheese is melted. Serve immediately.
I’ve mentioned in the past, my kids aren’t required to eat a gluten free diet. Neither of them have been diagnosed with celiac disease (yet), and eating gluten does not seem to affect them in any way. But, that doesn’t mean that we let them eat all the gluten they want either.
Here are 5 reasons I think kids should eat gluten free (even if they don’t have to):
- Reduce the chance of cross contamination. If your kids aren’t running around the house, leaving their trail of gluten-filled crumbs, or dipping (and double dipping) their knives into the peanut butter while making a sandwich, you lessen your chances of coming into contact with gluten.
- Only prepare one meal. At our house, I only prepare one supper and that supper is free from all gluten. At the very beginning of my gluten free journey, I attempted to cook pasta for me and pasta for them, and it was just too much work to ensure that I didn’t accidentally gluten myself. Now, we all eat gluten free at supper time, or anytime we have a shared meal.
- It teaches your kids empathy. When your child eats the same diet you do, and realize that eating gluten makes you sick, it makes them think of others besides just themselves. When my son was 4 years old, I overheard him talking to one of his friends about a local restaurant. I know my kid would have loved to eat at this place because it has burgers, fries, and an indoor playground, but instead I heard him tell his friend “we don’t eat there, they don’t serve gluten free food”. Of course, his friend, who is 3 years older than him, was completely stumped by this answer, but it made me smile to know that my son got it. He understood that the need for a gluten free diet was serious, and that this was something that affects the whole family, not just me. I think this insight will also affect how he reacts to classmates who have food allergies.
- They may not need it now, but they might one day. Unless you have had genetic testing done to rule it out, if you are diagnosed with Celiac disease, your child has the potential to one day have it as well. Wouldn’t it be better for your child to be used to eating gluten free pizza, muffins, and cookies from a younger age, than to have to suddenly begin a strict gluten free diet in their teens? Let them know that eating “gluten free” doesn’t mean being sentenced to bland and boring food.
- It’s no big deal. Today, a gluten free diet can look a lot like the standard American diet. If it is easier for you to prepare a gluten free meal for your little gluten eaters, they won’t be missing out. When I bake treats for my kids to share with their classmates, I bake gluten free treats. Cookies and cupcakes have all gone to school, and not one kid ever said “Yuck, these are gluten free!” They have no clue. To them, it’s just a special treat. They don’t care if it doesn’t contain gluten, and I can still keep my kitchen clear of gluten while providing a snack for my kids to share with their classmates.
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of GF Kids & Family. The opinions and text are all mine.
