If you or someone you love has been recently diagnosed with coeliac disease, you could be eligible to receive gluten free foods on prescription. Simply select your country of residence, and, if you live in England, fill in your postcode to check if your area is prescribing.
Your country is prescribing gluten free foods*. Request your Glutafin Taster Box by clicking the button below to sign up.
* Please note: local policies are constantly updated, and issuing a prescription is at the discretion of your GP.
Starting university is an exciting time with new digs, new friends, new challenges and new opportunities. For most students, it’s also a whole new experience of living away from home.
If you’ve been diagnosed with coeliac disease, starting uni may be the first time you’ve had to take responsibility for what you eat, from budgeting and shopping to food preparation and storage. It can feel a little overwhelming, especially if your family have always taken care of that stuff for you, but don’t worry, because living gluten free at university is easy if you follow these simple steps.
The first thing you should do when you arrive at Uni is let your housemates know about your condition. While your family and friends at home all know how to keep you safe, the people in your shared house or halls may never have come across coeliac disease before. Don’t be shy or self-conscious about it. Most people will be interested and understanding, and they will go out of their way to help keep you safe and gluten free once you’ve told them how to do that and why it’s so important.
Your kitchen at home may have been a model of a gluten free zone, but it’s unlikely that a shared uni kitchen will even come close. That means that it’s down to you to keep yourself safe. Make sure you have your own shelf in the fridge and cupboards (preferably the top shelf so nothing drips or drops into your food). Consider keeping a small fridge in your room to ensure your essentials like butter and jam remain free of gluten crumbs until you feel comfortable putting them in any shared living areas. It’s also worth investing in your own toaster and a chopping board or two, and your own set of plates, cutlery and cooking utensils. Make sure your housemates know that these are yours and yours alone.
If you do share kitchen stuff, you’ll need to get into the habit of washing utensils, pans and plates before you use them, as well as after, to avoid any risk of cross contamination. Lining oven dishes and grills with foil will help reduce the risks.
Starting uni may be also the first time you’ve had to shop for your own food. As someone who has been diagnosed with coeliac disease, it’ll be tempting to head straight for the ‘free-from’ aisle for ingredients for your gluten free recipes, but unfortunately, your budget won’t last long if you do.
It makes much more sense to start with naturally gluten free foods, like meat and fish, potatoes and rice, fruits and vegetables, and only splash out on things you absolutely need from the specialist section. You can save even more by learning what time your local supermarket reduces short date foods. You’ll often find gluten free ready meals, as well as gluten free bread, with those lovely yellow stickers on towards the end of the day. Buy it all and freeze it!
Most students don’t bother finding a local GP until they need one, but you should make registering a priority. Not only will this give you the peace of mind of having a local doctor who knows your situation if you need them, but they may also be able to offer you gluten free foods on prescription. Provision varies across the country, so you may find that you qualify for prescription foods at uni that you don’t get at home.
Finding your feet at uni can be fun, and you’ll want to fit in with your new friends. But don’t be tempted to eat something you shouldn’t just to join in. It can be tough when everyone hits the burger bar after a night out, or orders a pizza for a night in, but you need to be strong and resist if you can. Research gluten free party snacks and drinks so that you’ve always got something safe to enjoy when you go out or have friends round. Sticking to your gluten free diet will help to you to feel well and stay healthy, so you’ll be able to fully enjoy your University experience.
It’s worth remembering that around one in a hundred people have been diagnosed with coeliac disease, so you’re not alone. During freshers’ week, see if there is a coeliac society on campus. If not, you could think about starting one. Linking up with other people in the same situation means you can share support, ideas and tips on local eateries, and you won’t feel like the odd one out when you go out socialising with them.
You’ve worked hard to get the grades to go to uni, so don’t let being diagnosed with coeliac disease spoil your fun. Follow the simple tips above and you can eat well, enjoy life and stay safe right through to graduation.
