The Olympics are approaching, and I am determined that if there was a category for feeding picky eaters, I would win a gold medal. Not because I am any better at it than other moms who have the same task, but because I simply feed the world's pickiest eaters.

My four-year-old is on a gluten-free, casein-free (gfcf) diet. That means, not only do I take the wheat protein out of his meals, he also does not eat the dairy protein casein (pronounced kay-sin). It was a long, hard road to get him completely rid of both proteins, especially because he is extremely picky anyway. When we began, there only were a few foods he would let near his plate: macaroni and cheese, pizza, string cheese and chicken nuggets. Not only was he very rigid about the texture and color of the food, he also was adamant that everything was cold. Not warm or room temperature: cold.

Then, he was diagnosed with both celiac disease and autism. The gluten went right away, of course. And as world's pickiest eater No. 1, he did not let it go without many epic battles. But after lots of shopping and many plates of food thrown across the room in a fit of rage, we found a few standards he would tolerate. And we moved on from there. Soon, he was gobbling down my gluten-free recipes and findings. Then, it was suggested to us that our son may benefit from a casein-free diet. We slowly weeded out the casein and found that after a short period, he seemed to be benefiting from this diet. For more information on autism and the gfcf diet, click here.

However, that was not the end of the Olympic efforts our family had to make. I also have a child who is 2 -- and as picky as my child with special needs. He isn't bothered by texture and color. But if it isn't sweet, his plate may end up on the floor, as well. So, determined not to make a different meal for every person in the family, I set out on a quest to find some meals to win over my very critical judges.

Here is what I found:

1. Sweet, not junk
A lot of fruits and vegetables are sweet and can be made to please my picky palates. Sweet potatoes are a big hit with both of them. I blend half a potato up in a food processor and add SmartBalance dairy-free buttery spread and a pinch of salt. My gfcf son loves the smooth texture, and I chop the other half into bite-sized chunks for my sweet tooth.

2. Make it fun
Some health food stores carry products that look fun to eat. Good Food Company carries frozen meals, cookie packets and even fruit roll-ups. It may cost a bit more, but it's worth the price if I can give something to my gfcf child that resembles what other kids are eating.

3. Pasta, pasta, pasta.
See the previous blog entry.

4. Basic meals are key
Plain chicken, hot dogs (Ballpark is gluten-free) or pork with rice and veggies can't be easier or more all-encompassing. At first, Picky Eater No. 1 wouldn't touch anything that wasn't cold, smooth or covered in cheese. But after weeks watching the rest of us eat basic meals (we gave him a small snack after he refused), he finally joined in. I'm glad we held out.

5. Be creative
We had fun finding new ways to eat old favorites. A lot of store-bought convenience foods are mighty expensive, and more often than not, don't taste like the original. Here is a chicken nugget recipe my kids dig into:

Chicken Nuggies
1 pound ground chicken
1/2 a box of gf cereal (we use EnviroKidz corn flakes, which are very sweet and sold at most large grocery chains)
SmartBalance Buttery Spread or Pam cooking spray or (not Pam for Baking, which has flour)

Place package of chicken on a cutting board. Cut into bite-sized squares with a knife. In large plastic bag, mash up cereal and place chicken cubes in, a few at time, until they are coated. Place on a parchment-lined cooking sheet. squish each cube until it resembles a "nugget" shape on the pan. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes. Let cool until desired temperature and enjoy!

Tip: Grind up fresh veggies, such as brocolli or summer squash, in the food processor and mix with ground chicken to sneak in nutrition.

If you must buy them from the store, I recommend the Bell & Evans brand or Garrett County Dinosaur bites, which are a little harder to find. I have seen them at the Good Food Co. and sometimes Whole Foods, but could not find them at the Gluten-Free Mall.