Gluten Free Facts for Healthy Kids
What is Coeliac disease?
Coeliac disease is a digestive disease that damages the small intestine and interferes with absorption of nutrients from food. People who have coeliac disease cannot tolerate a protein called gluten, which is found in wheat, rye and barley. Treatment of coeliac disease is by a lifelong diet free from foods containing gluten. People with coeliac disease are unable to eat any foods containing wheat, rye, barley and oats.
How do I know if a product is gluten free?
The Australian Foods Standards Code requires that any sources of gluten in a food or drink be clearly listed in the ingredients on the label:
- Food labeled as 'gluten free' must not contain any detectable gluten and no oats or malt
- Food labeled as 'low gluten' must contain less than 0.02% gluten
The gluten content must be added to the nutrition information panel of a food labeled gluten free or low gluten. Most children with coeliac disease can only eat GLUTEN FREE foods.
The best way to check if a product is gluten free is to check all the ingredients. It is very important to read the labels of all packaged or prepared foods.
What gluten free foods can I sell in the school canteen?
- Fruits and vegetables - fresh, canned or frozen, nuts*, avocado
- Meat products and alternatives - fresh meat, chicken, ham off the bone, fresh or canned fish, eggs
- Dairy products - milk, yoghurt, processed or block cheese and some soymilks
- Cereal and baking products - corn (maize) flour, soy flour, lentil flour, rice, rice flour, rice bran, potato flour, buckwheat, millet, amaranth, breakfast cereals made from corn and rice without malt extract, polenta and psyllium
- Bread and snacks – gluten free bread, popcorn, most rice crackers, corn cakes, rice crisp breads, corn tortillas and corn taco shells.
- Pasta and noodles - gluten free pasta, rice noodles, bean vermicelli and 100% buckwheat noodles
- Condiments - tomato paste, tahini, jam, honey, nut butters*, cocoa, all kinds of vinegars (except malt), some sauces and some salad dressings
- Drinks - water, milk, fruit juice, vegetable juice
- Butter and margarine
* Check your school nut policy.
Consult with Parents/Carers
Having a selection of foods in the school canteen available for children with coeliac disease is a benefit to them. It is advisable to check with parents/carers what products are allowed. It is a good idea to have a clear list in the canteen of the products permitted to be sold to the child.
Where can I get more help, information and recipes?
The Coeliac Society of Australia
www.coeliac.org.au
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