For parents of children with coeliac disease, deciding whether to use school dinners can be a difficult choice.
It isn't simply about finding something on the menu that doesn't contain wheat.
For a child with coeliac disease, gluten-free food also needs to be prepared, handled and served in a way that prevents cross-contamination.
So what happens when a school kitchen tells you:
“We can’t guarantee that cross-contamination won’t occur.”
For me, that changes everything.
Would you trust the meal?
As a parent, I completely understand how important it is for children to feel included at lunchtime. No child should feel different because they have coeliac disease, and where a school can safely provide a gluten-free meal, I absolutely believe children should be able to enjoy it alongside their friends.
But if a kitchen openly tells me that it cannot guarantee its processes will prevent cross-contamination, I would have serious concerns about allowing my child to eat that food.
Not because I’m trying to be difficult.
Not because I expect every kitchen to be perfect.
And not because I don’t appreciate the work school catering teams do.
It’s because my child’s health has to come first.
Coeliac disease is not a food preference
Coeliac disease is an autoimmune condition. Gluten triggers an immune response that can damage the lining of the small intestine, and repeated gluten exposure can have serious long-term health consequences. The Department for Education’s new 2026 guidance specifically states that managing coeliac disease requires strict and consistent gluten avoidance and robust cross-contamination controls.
This is why simply taking the gluten-containing ingredient away isn’t necessarily enough.
The questions become:
How is the meal prepared?
Are surfaces properly cleaned?
Are separate utensils and equipment used?
How are ingredients stored?
How is the finished meal protected from contamination?
Who is checking that the agreed procedures are followed?
These details matter.
What if the school says they can’t guarantee it?
Personally, I would rather have a school be honest with me than give me false reassurance.
If the kitchen says they cannot safely control cross-contamination, I would choose a packed lunch.
Coeliac UK recognises that some families may prefer to provide their own food and specifically advises that a packed lunch can be an option. It also recommends discussing cross-contamination with catering staff when schools provide gluten-free meals.
That doesn’t mean every school kitchen is unsafe.
There are schools and catering teams doing a brilliant job.
There are staff who understand coeliac disease, follow appropriate procedures and take cross-contamination seriously.
But there are also families who are being told that safe preparation simply cannot be guaranteed.
And when that is the situation, I believe parents are entitled to make the decision they feel is safest.
But what about the changes coming in September?
There is an important change coming to schools in England from September 2026.
New statutory allergy safety guidance will come into force, including requirements around allergy policies, training and Individual Healthcare Plans for pupils with allergies.
However, there is an important distinction for coeliac families.
Coeliac disease is not an allergy.
The Department for Education’s guidance explicitly says that coeliac disease is an autoimmune condition, not an allergic reaction, and that it should be managed through the school’s wider medical-conditions arrangements rather than the allergy safety policy. It also states that strict gluten avoidance and robust cross-contamination controls are essential.
So while the new rules are a positive step for allergy safety, they do not suddenly mean that every school kitchen will be able to safely provide gluten-free meals for children with coeliac disease.
Policies matter.
Training matters.
But what happens in the kitchen every day matters too.
Children deserve inclusion — and safety
I don’t believe the answer should simply be:
“Children with coeliac disease should bring a packed lunch.”
They deserve to eat with their friends.
They deserve safe choices.
They deserve proper support from their school.
And where a school can provide a safe gluten-free meal, children should be able to enjoy that experience.
But when a school has told a parent that it cannot guarantee cross-contamination will not occur, I don’t think a parent should feel guilty for choosing a packed lunch.
A packed lunch isn’t being awkward.
It isn’t overprotective.
And it isn’t a failure of inclusion.
Sometimes, it is simply the option that gives a parent the greatest confidence that their child’s food is safe.
My personal choice
As a parent, if I was told that the school kitchen could not guarantee that cross-contamination would be prevented, I would send my child with a packed lunch.
I’d rather know exactly what is in the lunchbox, how it has been prepared and that I have done everything I reasonably can to keep my child safe.
That doesn’t mean I don’t want schools to improve.
Quite the opposite.
I want schools to have the knowledge, training, systems and confidence to support children with coeliac disease properly.
I want children to be included.
I want families to feel listened to.
And I want parents to be able to trust that when a school says a meal is gluten free, it genuinely has been prepared with coeliac safety in mind.
Until then, though, I will choose the option I know I can trust.
A packed lunch.
Because when it comes to coeliac disease, my child’s health isn’t worth the risk. 💚
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To help you navigate school life with a coeliac child, I’ve put together a free Coeliac School Safety Pack — designed for parents and teachers alike.
It includes everything you need to communicate your child’s needs clearly and confidently at school, so nothing gets missed and your child stays safe.
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This article reflects my personal view and experiences as a parent and someone living with coeliac disease. Every family’s circumstances are different. Parents should discuss their child’s needs with their school, catering team and healthcare professionals.
Useful information: Coeliac UK provides guidance for families and schools on managing coeliac disease, including school meals, cross-contamination and packed lunches.