Gluten Free Diets We have 3 daughters (twins aged 6 and a 3-year-old), who have been diagnosed with the coeliac disease. All 3 are on strict gluten-free diets. The problem with gluten-free diets (and other food allergies and intolerance) is the social isolation element that goes with eating, food and social interactions. Going to a restaurant with 3 small children on gluten-free diets is no small feat! Children?s menu?s always feature spaghetti (pasta contains flour), or hamburgers (contain rusk), or meatballs in tomato sauce (again contain flour or rusk for binding). Why can?t restaurant menus change their children?s menus to feature foods for children?s gluten-free diets, such as chicken breasts, drumsticks or small steaks. Gravy and sauces could be adapted by using cornstarch. Pancakes and waffles can be made according to gluten-free recipe by using rice flour and buckwheat flour. When we eat in a restaurant with our children they end up (always) having omelet with chips; followed by ice cream (without sauce or biscuit/wafer!). There are a number of arrangements in force at school to ensure compliance with the gluten-free diets of our children. As the girls are in 3 different classes, I keep track of over 60 birthdays to ensure the girls follow their gluten-free diets when the children are treated to birthday cake at school. What will I do in a couple of years when they go on overnight trips, camping trips and other excursions with their classmates? I shall have to persevere and ensure the school, teachers and facilitators are provided with gluten-free foods, recipes and food lists. I?m sure that together we will find a way. Already I notice a lot more awareness of the coeliac condition than a few years ago. However, there is still a lot of ignorance on the subject. People unfamiliar with the gluten-free diet don?t realize how many products contain wheat, barley, oats and rye ? as well as other derivatives such as wheat starch, rusk, semolina, conscious, etc. Recently I met a lady who thought they could eliminate gluten from bread just by toasting the bread! Luckily, coeliac patients on gluten-free diets can rely on organizations like the Coeliac Society who provide information, such as a gluten-free food list, support groups, gluten-free recipes and other useful information.

Gluten Free Tips #1 Advise the chief. When you go to a restaurant or when you go to a friends tell the chief that you are allergic to Gluten. Most will be very aware of the condition, it is covered in most culinary courses, and they will be only too happy to help you. Gluten intolerance is only one of a hundred food intolerance in modern society so catering for a guests food preferences is all part of the standard service for a modern restaurant. this.

Gluten Free Tips #2 Read the label. These days most manufacturers print the full list of food ingredients on the food packaging for the foods you buy in the shops. Read the ingredient and reject any food products that are not clear. There are many suppliers so reward the ones who try to help you.

Gluten Free Tips #3 Take restaurant cards on holiday. When you go on holiday to a place that speaks another language you do not want to trust to your rusty language skills to explain to the waitress that you are gluten intolerant. Take a foreign language prepared card outlining your condition. In this way you do not put the waitress under pressure, the details are clearly explained in the local language and the card can be passed direct to the chief avoiding any miscommunication.