Going Gluten-Free: A guide to helping your children transition to a gluten-free lifestyle.

Hey there! Thanks for visiting Atypical Dish. I’m Amanda, mom of two neurodivergent kids and work-from-home ADHDer. I’m passionate about helping families discover new ways of supporting their neurodivergent kiddos using nutrition.

Many neurodivergent kids have undiagnosed food sensitivities. Unlike allergies, food sensitivity can be harder to recognize. For our neurodivergent children, these sensitivities may manifest in GI symptoms, like recurring stomach aches, diarrhea, or constipation. These children may have ongoing, unexplained, itchy, or bumpy skin.  Others have behavioral challenges that have been attributed to their given or presumed diagnosis, such as explosive or oppositional behavior, trouble regulating emotions, difficulty focusing, trouble falling or staying asleep, anxious thoughts, or sensory seeking or avoidance.

To read more about food sensitivities, I can’t suggest enough that families check out “Cure Your Child With Food” by Kelly Dorfman, MS. LND. This is an excellent resource for learning more and helping start a conversation about possible sensitivities with your child(ren)’s care team.

Of the many food sensitivities out there affecting neurodivergent people, gluten is one of the most common. I started my gluten-free journey in 2020 and helped my children transition to a gluten-free lifestyle the following year. Although I have celiac disease and my children are both sensitive to gluten, we all experience different symptoms if we eat glutenous foods. Since going gluten-free, we’ve all seen improvements in our unique GI, dermatological, and behavioral symptoms.

Whenever our diet comes up in conversation, I hear a lot of feedback from parents who assure themselves their kids could never go gluten-free. And I get it. Going gluten-free is tricky, but no trickier than anything else that we face daily as we raise our differently-wired kids.

Today, I want to share some tips and insights in this gluten-free guide to help you transition to a healthier, calmer lifestyle to help families who are considering making the change or those who have already taken the plunge.

What I wish I had known before we went gluten-free

The biggest challenge to switching to a gluten-free diet is that you remember just how delicious gluten is, and so will your kids. It’s nearly impossible to get your child(ren) to go directly from eating a diet that consists of a large amount of gluten-containing foods to eating the same diet just prepared with gluten-free substitutions. They will taste the difference, and getting them on the gluten-free train will be more challenging.

Instead, try to avoid gluten-free substitutions for bread, pasta, and pizza dough for at least the first two weeks. Instead, start small by substituting gluten-free crackers and baked goods (like muffins, waffles, pancakes). In a subsequent post, I will put together a list of some of my favorite store brands.

To get started, look at the options at your local grocery store. Each store is different. Sometimes, the gluten-free items are mixed right in with the typical gluten items, but in other stores, they’ll be in their own section. You might consider joining a gluten-free social media group to see where people like to shop in your area. Where we live in Massachusetts, I like to shop at Market Basket, Trader Joe's, Target, and Whole Foods, and order from Thrive Market.

You know your child(ren) best. Choose the options they are most likely to accept and try. Look for new tasty items, not what is marketed as the gluten-free alternative to their favorite snacks. If you have a huge Chez-it fan at home, I can almost guarantee they won’t be excited about the cauliflower version. Eventually, they’ll get there, but not on day one.

If avoiding bread, pasta, and pizza seems daunting, here are some meal suggestions to help you get started.

MEAL INSPIRATION

Breakfast ideas: oatmeal with berries, eggs with bacon and fruit, muffins or waffles (a great place to sneak in some vegetables if you’re making from scratch), or a quick yogurt parfait for busy mornings.

Lunch ideas: My kids love homemade “Lunchables” packed in Tupperware with individual compartments. Some favorites include hummus with veggies and gluten-free pretzels, hard-boiled eggs with almonds and fruit, sliced turkey roll-ups with pickles, tortilla chips with black beans and guacamole, and almond butter and chia seed jelly cracker sandwiches.

Snack ideas: Fresh fruit or fruit cups, veggie sticks with hummus, granola bars, nuts, and chips and salsa.

Dinner ideas: Turkey tacos with gluten-free corn tortillas, DIY salad bar with gluten-free chicken fingers, fish and chips, burrito bowls, and pork loin with sweet potatoes.

Reading Food Labels

One of the most essential skills you’ll need to master when transitioning to a gluten-free diet is reading food labels. Gluten can hide in many processed foods under various names. Here are some tips to help you become a gluten-free pro:

Look for Certified Gluten-Free Labels: Products with a certified gluten-free label have been tested and meet strict gluten-free standards.

Check the Ingredients List: Look for wheat, barley, rye, triticale, and malt in the ingredients list. These grains contain gluten.

Beware of Hidden Gluten: Gluten can hide in ingredients like modified food starch, dextrin, maltodextrin, and some flavorings. If these ingredients are derived from wheat, they should be labeled as such, but it’s always good to double-check.

Understand Allergen Statements: Many products will have an allergen statement that lists common allergens, including wheat. If you see “contains wheat,” it’s not gluten-free. However, remember that “wheat-free” doesn’t necessarily mean gluten-free, as the product could still contain barley or rye.

Research and Use Apps: Some apps can help you scan barcodes and identify gluten-free products. These can be very helpful when you’re shopping.

Contact Manufacturers: When in doubt, contact the manufacturer directly to ask about gluten content. Many companies have customer service lines dedicated to answering these questions.

You’ll also want to be aware of cross-contamination, which occurs when a product is prepared in a facility that also produces gluten ingredients. Oats, for example, have a high cross-contamination rate and should generally be avoided unless they are certified gluten-free. Some labels include language like “Processed in a facility that also processes wheat.” My children are usually okay with these products, but every child is different. I would avoid these foods until your child has been gluten-free for at least six to eight weeks. Then, reintroduce and see if you observe any adverse reactions.

Tips for success:

Do it together. Join your child(ren) on this journey. If you don’t need to be gluten-free, you don’t have to make this change forever. But in the first few weeks and months, especially when you’re eating a meal together, it will be much easier if everyone in your house eats the same meal. Kids don’t like being singled out or made to feel like they are different…who does?

Get your kids involved. Talk to them about why you think going gluten-free could be good for your family. Most kids are aware of their challenges. If there is a particular challenge you would like to see if gluten affects it, start the discussion there.

Hey, you know how sometimes eating new foods can be challenging? But we also know that to get all the fuel our bodies require, we need to eat a balanced diet that includes fruits and veggies. Some people have found that when they go gluten-free, it’s easier to eat those trickier foods, and they end up feeling better in a lot of ways.

Getting their buy-in will be crucial to their success outside the home. You can force them at home, but it’s hard when you’re not there with them to help them make good food decisions.

Be sure to keep them involved throughout the transition process. Children can help with meal planning and prep. You can look up recipes together and decide on meals everyone is willing to try, cook and bake together, or pretend to be food critics. At the end of a meal, rate and review it. Your kids will like the activity, plus you can gather some data to help you shape future meals.

Go cold turkey. Purge the glutenous goods from your refrigerator, pantry, and cabinets. Look at all the food labels in your house and eliminate everything that has gluten, especially the must-have items that are usually on your kid’s list of favorites. It’s too easy to slip in a gluten treat when they’re still in the house. You can donate unopened, shelf-stable foods to your local food pantry or offer refrigerated items to your friends or neighbors.

This option can be too costly or feel too wasteful for some families. If that’s the case, start a bit slower. Instead of getting rid of all your gluten items, start by no longer buying goods made with gluten. Eventually, you’ll cycle out everything that has gluten and have a gluten-free fridge and pantry.

Conclusion

Transitioning to a gluten-free diet can be challenging, but if your child has a gluten sensitivity, it can be life-changing! If seeing a physician who treats with a holistic or integrative approach is possible, that is the best place to start getting professional support for your family. If not, ask your child(ren)’s pediatrician before making significant dietary changes. If they have concerns about a gluten-free lifestyle, ask them to clarify their concerns so you have all the information you need to make the best decision for your child(ren) and family.

As you start this journey, remember that patience and persistence will pay off. It can seem like such a long road when you start out, but you’re not alone. Stick with it, and let me know how it’s going.

Best wishes,

Amanda

Photo Credits:

<a href="https://www.vecteezy.com/free-photos/temper-tantrum">Temper Tantrum Stock photos by Vecteezy</a>