Food and Health Guidelines - Torfaen Family Information Service

12. Appendices
Gluten-free diets
Some children may be diagnosed with a
condition called coeliac disease that means
they must follow a gluten-free diet. Gluten is
the protein found in wheat, rye and barley
and therefore all foods which contain these
cereals must be avoided. There are a good
variety of gluten-free foods available and
advice on foods to choose and avoid can
be given by a die titian. Coeliac UK also
provides help and advice as well as booklets
outlining gluten-free foods. It is worth noting
that play-dough is made from flour as are
home-made play material often used in
childcare settings and the pasta shapes
sometimes used for collages. It is important
that children with Coeliac Disease are
supervised when using these materials to stop
small children putting these in their mouth.
Food customs of different cultures
Some ethnic communities may have different
food customs from those you are used to.
The food customs may involve what foods
are eaten, how the foods are prepared,
what combinations of foods are used or
when particular foods are eaten. Periods of
celebration and celebration foods may bring
new events to your pre-school setting.
There may be periods of fasting, though
very young children do not normally fast.
However, the meals eaten at home may be
different during fasting periods, such as a
main meal late at night or breakfast very
early. Check with parents if the child’s food
intake at the pre-school needs to be adjusted
during this time. Always consult with the
parents of the child so that their individual
food preferences and customs can be
catered for.
A guide to some of the differences in food
choice commonly observed by those from
different religious and cultural groups is
hown over the page. “It varies” means that
some people within a group would find these
foods acceptable.
12