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Introduction
This leaflet has been written to help you exclude wheat from your child's diet.
Your paediatrician will give you information on how long you need to exclude wheat. Usually this will be for 6-8 weeks initially. Your child may be referred to see a dietitian for further advice.
1. Learn Which Foods are Wheat Free
- Wheat is a grain and as wheat flour is the main ingredient of many foods such as breads, chapattis and naan breads, breakfast cereals, biscuits, crackers, crumpets, scones, pancakes, wafers, cakes, pizza, pasta, pastries and Yorkshire puddings.
- It is also found in many convenience foods such as soups, sauces, spices, malted drinks, processed meats and ready-made meals
- There are lots of naturally wheat free foods. All types of plain rice, potatoes, corn (maize), plain meat, fish, chicken, eggs and pulses, as well as milk, most yoghurts, fresh fruit and vegetables are wheat free
- Rye, oats and barley can be included.
2. Ingredients or Foods to Avoid
- Under current EU law, wheat, along with the other common allergens must be clearly labelled on packaged foods and drinks
- Any ingredient containing wheat is usually in bold, italics or highlighted
- Foods sold without packaging e.g. in restaurants, cafes or delicatessens must be able to give you information about ingredients at the point of purchase.
- The foods listed below will help you spot ‘hidden’ wheat:
|
Breadcrumbs |
Kamut |
Wheat germ |
|
Bulgar wheat |
Rusk |
Wheat gluten |
|
Couscous |
Semolina |
Wheat malt |
|
Durum wheat |
Spelt |
Wheat starch |
|
Hydrolysed wheat protein |
Triticale |
Whole wheat |
|
Flour/unbleached flour |
|
|
3. Are There any Alternatives?
There are many foods that can be used as a substitute to wheat that will provide variety to your child’s meals and help get all the nutrients required from the diet. These include:
Grains
- barley
- corn
- maize
- millet
- quinoa
- rice and rye
Flours
- barley
- bean
- buckwheat
- corn
- gram
- lentil
- millet
- pea
- potato
- rice
Flakes
- barley
- buckwheat
- millet
- rice and soya
Others
- Amaranth
- ground nuts e.g. almonds
- oats
- polenta
- sago
- soya and tapioca
4. Supermarket and Supermarket Websites
- Most major supermarkets stock their own wheat free products and some branded wheat free products. These will likely be in a special ‘Free From’ section (not all free from items will be wheat free, so check the labels)
- There are many products available that are in the usual sections of the supermarkets.
- Availability may vary so you may need to use more than one supermarket to get what you want
- If you are shopping online, use the ingredients list on specific products to help you select suitable food
- Some products labelled ‘gluten free’ may not be wheat free as they may be made from wheat starch, so would not be suitable for a wheat free diet
5. Baking
- Wheat free flours have different baking properties to wheat flour, but with practice can make tasty biscuits, cakes and pastries
- Be extremely accurate with weights and measures - always use scales and measuring spoons
- Use a wheat free baking powder, available from most large supermarkets and health food shops
- Ready blended self-raising and plain wheat free flours are available
- Xanthan gum is a useful ingredient that can be added to improve the texture and help to bind the mixture
- When making your own pastry, chill for 20 minutes before rolling it out between two sheets of cling film to stop it from sticking
- Good flour combinations are rice and soya flour or potato and polenta flour. You could also try a ready-to-roll wheat free pastry.
Contact us
If you have any queries relating to this information, please contact the Dietetics service.
About this information
Service:
Dietetics
Reference:
DT/092
Approval date:
22 May 2026
Review date:
1 May 2029
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Important note
This page provides general information only. It is developed by clinical staff and is reviewed regularly every 3 years for accuracy. For personal advice about your health, or if you have any concerns, please speak to your doctor.