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?

I would be annoyed with my mother if I found out that she had been restricting my diet for purely faddy reasons.

Is not cater for folks who weren't allergic at parties and so on for the kids.

When I do parties, I have a meaty and veggie option. There's a couple of kids in DDs class, one coeliac, who's mum brings food, and the other with diagnosed allergies who I make sure isn't given anything that would make her ill. If someone wanted a special diet for no other reason than they didn't like it, they'd have to bring their own stuff.

Your children, your choice. If you feel better feeding them gluten free that's your thing!

I agree though with PPs that it does make things awkward for school/parties etc. I know that if a child was coming to my house and I was asked to provide GF, I would assume they were coeliac and make special effort to avoid cross contamination. As in buying fresh butter as well as GF bread and the like. It might be a bit frustrating to find out you'd spent extra and gone to extra effort for no reason. Bear in mind that if there is no intolerance there's no reason why they should have to avoid gluten entirely. You can still restrict their intake and if you're feeding them GF at home but they're allowed treats when out and about (the same as with other 'healthy eating' choices) that's still a huge reduction for them.

BeeRayKay

that dihydrogen monoxide is nasty stuff though.....

Its been found in 100% of cancer patients, it is fatal if inhaled. It causes erosion and corrosion, reduces the efficiency of car brakes and tyres, and is a major component of acid rain. It's widely used as a fire retardant. Who'd eat the stuff?

This shows how ridiculous you are being here

The issue I have with non-Coeliacs choosing to become GF because they think there are health benefits (I accept that there are people who are Gluten-intolerant rather than Coeliac, but there seems to be no evidence to suggest a GF diet is in any way "healthier") is that then other people/restaurants/chefs don't take the issue seriously. They relax - it's just a preference, why should they worry? So there's cross-contamination and then the people who are actually Coeliac get glutened. Which apart from causing stomach pain and diarrhoea, greatly increases the risk of getting bowel and other cancers. It's not a fad, it's serious shit - but when other people adopt a GF diet as a fad, everyone takes it less seriously.

I will provide any food for those with good reasons or allergies but if they are just mothers with odd, unscientific, ideas they can bring their own!

Unbelievable that's hilarious!

And the health professionals just push that dihydrogen monoxide all the time! It's outrageous.

I'm GF, have been for 7 years. It was a PITA to get the hang of, but my health is so much better. DH and DD do not have problems with gluten. I do pretty much all the cooking, therefore all the meals that we share will be GF. However, I do cook items that contain gluten for DH and DD to eat. We have bread, cakes and biscuits, and I just don't have them.

YANBU if you decide, or your DP decides, to cook a single meal, which is GF, and that this is what the entire family eats. But YABU if you tell people that your DCs are GF and expect GF food to be provided for them, whether that be family, friends or school. GF can be expensive and can be a PITA to make, especially if you are inexperienced in it and are trying to make child-friendly food that fits in with what everyone else is eating.

I think YABU, because insisting on GF if there is no medical issue just makes it harder for the rest of us who do have a genuine problem.

Indeed. Dehydrogenase monoxide is a killer.

Oh eff off autocorrect. Dihydrogen, not dehydrogenase.

Ridiculous and faddy.

Ugh, my husband is coeliac and its a massive pain in the arse for him and us. Faddy non gluten eaters have made GF a more known about subject but they also confuse. How do you know whether they can eat a crumb if bread that is contaminated or whether they cannot (like my husband) as it makes them v ill and as said ^ it increases the chance of bowel cancer. Not great.

Trying to find somewhere to eat GF on a day out is a hassle, you have to plan everything and whilst on holiday last week the kids and I had fish and chips because they were desperate to have some. DH had to watch us eat, there were no GF options where we were staying. He lives in a constant state of anxiety incase he is glutened when we are away from home, I'd not wish that on anyone unless they MEDICALLY had to. So yes, YABU.

Agree that it is completely fine to be GF at home, but think its unreasonable to impose this out of home.

Even if you plan to provide your own food (and not expect other people to cater for your GF kids) I think its overly restrictive and I'd feel sorry for the poor kiddies when the Birthday cake is handed out and they are left with their GF alternative provided by Mum.

“He knows the consequences, we allow him to make his own decisions.”

Sometimes I do this with DD. She has to be able to weigh up the risks and take some responsibility - she is getting better at deciding for herself that it isn't worth the pain and vomiting.

But the point is Grandma may not ordinarily have GF pasta if no one has an issue with gluten. It's more expensive and often kept in a separate isle, so a GP might not have seen it.

A Grandma who knows her grandkids don't eat gluten would buy a bag in surely? Just as she wouldn't feed veggie kids pork sausages.

Unless you have celiac disease, completly pointless.

Utter bollocks. Tell that to non-coelic DD when she is in agony and being sick.

Your children are likely to have a reaction to gluten when they do get it if their systems are not used to it. It might be kinder to give them small amounts to let them get used to it so they can have a bit at parties, friends houses etc

^ This - a nutritionist told me the exact same thing.

I don't think it's wise to restrict their diets to such an extent so I think you're being quite unreasonable. I think it's fine to have mainly gluten free food at home if it helps you to avoid it, but I think that when out and about etc there's no justification unless they have an intolerance to it which they do not

as flapping points out, you could be creating a problem for them in future which isn't very fair on them. Kids basically live on gluteny food and at school as well this could be a problem when it doesn't need to be.

I had no idea that gluten intolerance led to a higher risk of bowel cancer!!

Most probably would Prima but it would BU to expect it unless there is an intolerance/allergy/celiac.

Correct me if I'm wrong, OP, but it rather sounds as if you have already decided that YANBU to force a fad diet on your DCs.

I'm not intrigued, are you going to introduce the raw-food veganism at the same time?

Gosh my kids don't live on gluten food!

Tbh I don't find it hard at home or about, everything is made fresh and cake / biscuits are a rare treat, not an everyday food.

How about if I say to people they avoid gluten? I'm trying to be more relaxed about it. Older dd does know that she doesn't feel great and gets a runny nose after eating gluten foods so trying to let her control what she eats.