Coeliac disease is a serious medical condition that requires a long-term follow-up plan to maintain excellent health and to prevent complications from occurring. Planning your meals in advance helps to ensure you have a nutritious, well-balanced diet. You will want to include GF foods from each of the food groups, minimise salt, sugar, and processed foods, and rely heavily on nutrient[1]rich fruits, vegetables, meat, poultry, fish, nuts, and whole grains that are GF. 

Coeliac New Zealand have published this meal plan from our website recipes, please consult with your own dietitian and/or nutritionist to get an individual personalised plan for yourself. CNZ recommends you talk to your dietitian or nutritionist to discuss your diet and make a dietary plan to ensure you are receiving all the nutrients to live a healthy life with coeliac disease and also view our YouTube “webinar 5 video – understanding nutrient deficiencies” on our Coeliac New Zealand YouTube channel.

Finding acceptable energy-rich, wholegrain alternatives for gluten-containing staples is key to ensuring your child is getting enough energy to help with their growth and to fuel their brain for a busy day. But new foods such as gluten-free bread and baking may have a different taste or texture. Ensure a variety of gluten-free pastas and bread, potatoe, kumara, corn and rice are spread throughout the day. If at first your child doesn’t take to a new food, remember Nigel Latta’s rule of thumb: twenty yucks for one yum!

Vary the brands you try, vary the way these foods are prepared and couple them with other foods your child does enjoy.

Children may not like feeling different to the other children so preparing meals, especially lunchbox meals, that appear similar to others can help them feel more relaxed about their new diet. Many of the lunch ideas for this menu cycle have been designed to work as lunchbox meals. Top up the lunchbox with other gluten-free options such as yoghurt, fresh fruit, vegetable sticks, and a sweet and/or savoury snack to keep your child going throughout the day.

Breakfast is also an important meal, helping boost your child’s energy levels first thing in the morning. While a range of breakfast ideas have been provided, your child may have one or two preferences they stick to as a standard for breakfast. This is fine. All breakfast options have been designed to ensure some source of whole grains or fibre, fat and protein to give a longer-lasting source of energy.

Many of the breakfast and snack ideas store well either in the freezer or in air-tight containers so they can be used repeatedly throughout the week. A glass of milk can be added to breakfasts or between-meal snacks to top up calcium levels. For children with lactose intolerance or dairy allergy, choose a lactose-free milk or calcium-enriched dairy-free milk. Include or remove the morning, afternoon and supper snacks based on the energy needs of your child.

If your child has been diagnosed with anaemia, or low iron levels, at the same time as being diagnosed with coeliac disease, this issue should correct itself once your child starts following a gluten-free diet. As their gut begins to heal, it will start absorbing more nutrients again. Keep in touch with your medical team. If iron levels don’t improve, they will be able to discuss whether supplements are an appropriate option.