Its fine to bring my children up gluten free

[Ironfistfunkymum]

I've been gf for 6+ years, not alergic or anything but feel so much better for it. People seem generally fine with this.

However now I have children people do seem to judge bringing them up gf. But why would if feed them something that I dont think is very healthy (grains hard to digest) and something that I don't think is very ethical (wheat production is causing more deserts due to its growing conditions).

Aibu to expect people to respect my choice and leave it at that?

bertrand well, Nope, as an adult I find gluten free easy.

Are you trying to pick a fight?! All that gluten might be affecting your brain...

They are nice and can be made in advance and kept in the fridge so no faffing. You can line the tins with bacon or Parma ham too, makes a little cup.
The reason I get so annoyed by people saying going gf is easy is because I had one of the scariest experiences ever due to my own lack of knowledge when dh first went gf and I've spent the 3 years since constantly learning and changing the way I shop and cook so as not to repeat it again ever. It has not been easy!

It's a pain in the arse, especially if cooking is not your thing.
But I like the sound of your egg muffins tho, I think I could handle them!

how exactly do you change a child's mindset Rooners?

Ds is quite stoical about his allergies because he knows how he feels when he eats something that he's allergic to and he'd prefer to avoid it.

It doesn't stop his face falling when there are no dairy free ice lollies left at the ice cream van and all the other kids are tucking into ice cream, or there's only fruit for him to have for pudding, or he's having a plain ham sandwich again as that's all they can provide, or he can;t eat the birthday cake.

And that look on his face breaks my heart, which is why the OP is pissing me off so much. why put your kids through that unnecessarily?

It's much easier to rationalise as an adult as you know you will feel better for avoiding a food, but much harder for a child.

I didn't say it was easy to change a child's mindset. It is for most adults.

It must be very hard. It's one of the reasons my kids aren't gluten free outside the house

I really don't care who choose to be gluten-free or for whatever reason. However, I have had numerous bad experiences with evangelical gluten-free people who claim gluten is the cause of all ills. Some go as far to suggest my health problems would be cured if I didn't eat gluten and/or that I'd never become ill and disabled in the first place if I'd listened to their advice. Well, they can shove it up their arses.

I would be worried about what CalmYoBadSelf wrote:

I"s there any chance that not having this in their diet when young might leave them unable to process it when older?"

Aside from that, I think it is a very good decision. Gluten imho is not good for anyone. They will eat it anyway, in their friend's houses, parties, school, at relatives', etc. but they do not have to eat it at home too. The less, the better.

On the other hand, there are gluten free grains (buckwheat, millet, corn,quinoa, etc), and I don't think it is good to restrict those if one doesn't have to.

Gluten imho is not good for anyone

Do you have any evidence to substantiate this claim, whatsoever?

I reckon the people who the k gluten free is easy are eating a lot of gluten!

Coconut oil is really good for getting rid of cradle cap.

It's been a while since I've done a basic food hygiene course, is cross-contamination WRT allergies something that is covered now? It's something that should be included if it isn't.

My DD is 12 and has multiple allergies and intolerances.
It is a pain in the arse but because she can cope with traces it is manageable.
We have to do almost all cooking from scratch. She has taught herself to be a good 'free from' baker. Parties etc involve her having to take her own stuff or eat when she gets home.

It's not easy but it's worth it because of her health benefits. She engages fully with it because she fucking hates hospital and because she feels so much better.

I would never do it just to generally feel better because I spend half my life trying to widen my children's food choices and having to limit, to pack special lunches and snacks etc is a pain in the arse tbh. I'm not even a great cook. Thankfully Dh is.

This seemed a well-balanced piece for anyone wondering if they should cut out gluten/wheat products for 'health' reasons..

www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/aug/25/is-gluten-bad-for-your-health

Someone saying gluten free people eat a lot of gluten. I do not have strong views on what other people eat but I genuinely don't think I eat any. I don't eat processed food for example. I just eat what I see as normal healthy good like meat, fish, eggs, veg etc.

No bread? No sauce? No beer? No mustard?

No certainly not. Ever since I was a child I have only liked plain food and I hate alcohol. No sauces or mustard - yuck, hate them.

But I am not sitting here like some sort of God saying everyone should eat as I do. It suits me and I adore it but not everyone is the same.

Never eat out? Never eat at anyone else's house? Never have a sandwich on the motorway?

I eat a restaurant about once every 6 months or so, yes and sometimes a conference meal but I would always pick something like plain fish with veg. Why are people so astounded that other people eat differently from them? I am not throwing how I eat down the throats of anyone else or standing on the corner of the street like a bible basher saying the end is nigh unless you eat as I do? Why is it amazing that some of us don't eat sandwiches?

Just find what suits you and eat like that.

As people know on here I have also done survival stuff on my own Pacific island (which I sold last year after 10 years) which was fun and that was things like fish and crabs we caught although I always took a store of other food just in case and water is the main issue not food in that context. I found where fresh water streams out of the rainforest down the cliff and would go over there in the morning for my wash. Lovely. Although I certainly appreciate tap water at home and threaten the children if they moan about washing that I will send them down to our local river to wash clothes on the stones.

The. Legend. Is. Back.

Now With Added Dietary Advice.

Primal, your mums friend with cd eats a bit of gluten sometimes? I have cd and have since I can remember. She needs to stop doing that as she may not feel the effects but it will be damaging her insides. We have villi on our intestines which stick up. When a coeliac eats gluten they go flat meaning we can't absorb nutrients. It also increases our chances of many things later in life including cancer, infertility and miscarriages.

But that's my point. I haven't offered any dietary advice. I'm saying eat as you choose but yes some of us do eat the ways we say and aren't making it up and yes you can live in the UK very happily without doing some things others cannot imagine not having - like no alcohol or no bread or no coffee and yes it suits some of us and other won't like it, but we do exist, those who eat in the way I describe and it can suit us. Each to their own.

I am just always surprised why mothers take it so personally on mumsnet when they find someone who eats a different way from how they eat.

JB, your diet sounds perfectly normal and lovely - and more to the point, you are not making a song and dance about "bringing up your children gluten free", whilst simultaneously suggesting that those of us who are doing that, and finding it hard - for a range of reasons - are simply too stupid /lazy/poor to understand basic nutrition. Are you?

That's true.
Being a parent is hard and we all just do our best and nor is there one right path for everyone.