Whether your family consists of just yourself and your child with autism or you have a large family with several children and other adults, everyone needs to feel satisfied with the food they are offered.

Changing your child with autism's diet will definitely impact the other members of your family. Finding ways to make that impact a positive experience will dictate whether you are able to stick with the diet for the long run or whether it becomes too burdensome to continue.

Eating Separately

Take advantage of those times when your family is not eating together to provide the family members not following the gluten- and casein-free diet with their familiar and favorite foods.

Your other children can bring sandwiches on wheat bread, yogurt containers, and cheese and crackers packed in school lunches. Other adults in the family can eat gluten- and casein-containing foods at work or when the children are at school or at play dates.

Family members who are not making the change in diet will not feel cheated if they are still able to enjoy favorite foods away from the family member who is making the change.

One of the most important things to keep in mind is that it is counter-productive to introduce gluten or casein through crumbs or dirty work surfaces. Making the change in diet can be hard work, and the last thing you want is to undermine that effort by inadvertently keeping gluten and casein in your child's diet. Therefore, if you are preparing foods that contain gluten or casein for other members of your family, it is imperative to preserve the integrity of the gluten- and casein-free food-preparation space.

Use separate cutting boards and utensils for foods that contain gluten or casein. It is a good idea to get a second toaster or toaster oven to prevent crumbs from mixing. Make sure that all surfaces that might be contaminated with crumbs are cleaned up thoroughly. Use separate sponges or dish brushes when washing dishes that were used for foods with gluten or casein. Remembering to prevent contamination when cleaning up will help your transition to the gluten- and casein-free diet go much more smoothly.

It can be helpful for everyone in your household if you keep a supply of foods for the gluten- and casein-free diet in a separate area of a cabinet or pantry. That way, your child can help herself to food or a caregiver can provide a snack confident that the food is part of the diet.

It is also extremely important not to introduce gluten- or casein-containing crumbs into jars that are also going to be used for anyone following the gluten- and casein-free diet. For example, you should not put a knife with wheat-toast crumbs into a jar of peanut butter that is then going to be used for a child following the diet. It is a good idea to keep separate jars of condiments for those who follow the gluten- and casein-free diet and those who don't.

Eating Together

Life is busy enough without having to make two separate dinners every night. If you are preparing tasty dishes, there is no reason why the whole family can't enjoy gluten- and casein-free dining. If you're serving yummy pancakes, smoothies, or muffins for breakfast, no one will probably even notice the change. Think about what your family likes now and take those ideas into your new menu planning.

For example, if your family loves Mexican food, instead of serving the cheese enchiladas that you've traditionally prepared, try making the Taco Dinner that is free of casein and gluten. You might just find a new family favorite without anyone feeling like they're making a sacrifice. Focusing on good flavors and varied ingredients will help ensure success.

Planning ahead is an important strategy for success. In order to ensure good nutrition, you need to include a wide variety of foods. This is especially important because the gluten- and casein-free diet is a limiting diet that already cuts out several otherwise available foods. Looking at the full day's menu, or even the full week's, will allow you to double-check that your child is receiving a full range of vitamins, minerals, protein, and fiber.

For example, a typical day on the gluten- and casein-free diet could include Granola with soy milk and fruit for breakfast, a cup of Minestrone Soup with gluten-free crackers for lunch, a rice cake with sunflower-seed butter or peanut butter with a cup of calcium-fortified juice for a snack, and Tofu Spinach Lasagna with a Green Salad with Mock Caesar Dressing for dinner. Finish it off with a cup of hot chocolate and a dish of fresh berries for dessert and you have a delicious and well-balanced diet for the day.

Communication is just as important as good cooking for your family to buy into the gluten- and casein-free diet. Most parents try the diet for their child with autism with the hope that they will see improvements in troubling behaviors and symptoms. These behaviors and symptoms impact everyone in the household. If you explain the reasons why you are making these changes and enlist the help of other family members, you might well find that they are as eager to give it a try as you are. Throwing in the occasional yummy gluten-free Chocolate Chip Cookie won't hurt either!