20. June 2026
A Nana's Perspective: Bringing Families Back Into the Kitchen After Diagnosis
When my grandson Jack was diagnosed with coeliac disease at the age of five, my heart broke for him.
Like any grandmother, I wanted to make everything better. I wanted to reassure him that things would be okay, but I could see how much had suddenly changed for him and for our whole family. Jack has always loved food. He enjoyed family meals, treats and baking activities just like any other child. Overnight, foods he had always enjoyed were suddenly no longer safe for him.
As I watched my daughters (Jack's mum Jennie, and his aunty Caty) navigate this new world, I quickly realised that a coeliac diagnosis brings far more than dietary changes.
- There was the constant worry about whether food was safe
- There was the anxiety around cross-contamination
- There was the challenge of finding alternatives that actually tasted good
And there was the cost. I was shocked by how expensive many gluten-free products were. Time and time again, I saw Jennie spending far more than she should have had to on specialist products, only for Jack to be disappointed when they didn't meet expectations. And none of the rest of the family were going to make use of the leftovers either - unheard of in our house!! Food waste was on the rise.
What affected me most, however, was seeing Jack realise that some of his favourite foods were now off the menu. No grandmother wants to see a child feel left out.
Coeliac disease threatened to ruin our family baking tradition
For our family, baking had always been something special. I loved baking with my daughters when they were growing up. Some of my happiest memories are of us making cakes, biscuits and treats together, with flour on the worktops and laughter filling the kitchen.
As my daughters became mums themselves, I loved watching those same traditions continue with my grandchildren. There is something magical about children baking. They don't worry about perfection. They simply enjoy the process, getting messy, mixing ingredients and proudly showing off their creations.
After Jack's diagnosis, it suddenly felt as though some of that had been taken away.
I hadn't explored gluten-free baking before and I was very conscious of the risks of cross-contamination. I worried about getting something wrong, or accidentally making Jack poorly. Something that had always felt simple suddenly felt complicated.
I know I wasn't alone in that feeling. Many grandparents, relatives and friends want to help but are nervous about preparing food for someone with coeliac disease. The fear of making a mistake can sometimes stop people from getting involved altogether.
From challenges to triumph - the gluten free baking solution
That's why I was so excited when Caty and Jennie came up with the idea of creating gluten-free baking kits.
From the moment they told me about it, I thought it was a wonderful idea. Not only would the kits provide safe, delicious gluten-free baking, but they would also help educate families about coeliac disease in a practical and positive way. Most importantly, they would give children confidence.
A coeliac diagnosis can sometimes make children feel different. It can make them anxious about food and uncertain about what they can and cannot eat. These baking kits do the opposite. They empower children to get involved. They show them that gluten-free food can be fun. They reassure families that baking together is still possible. And they encourage everyone back into the kitchen, where so many treasured memories are made.
As a Nana, that means a great deal to me. Because baking isn't really about cakes, biscuits or brownies. It's about family.
If these kits help even one child rediscover their love of baking, or help one family feel less anxious about navigating coeliac disease, then I think they will have achieved something truly special.
And if they result in a few (gluten free!) flour-covered faces and happy smiles along the way, then even better.
After all, that's exactly what kitchens are for.