Food For Kids

Today is part of our series called “Help my child is bringing someone home for tea”. These episodes are intended to give families who don’t have a special diet themselves the basic information they need to be able to be inclusive for other people’s children who do have a special diet.This episode is about hosting children who need a gluten free diet either because they have coeliac disease or just because they react badly to gluten. I think this is one of the ones that frightens people a lot because, like dairy, gluten is in a LOT of foods that you wouldn’t immediately think of.So for this one I asked Nicky Chilvers from Gluten Free Little Cook to run through some of the basics of coeliac symptoms and some practical ways to make sure that everyone has a child friendly tea without the worries of anyone getting sick, including less obvious things about cleaning utensils and oven tray position. It's a quick and reassuring guide to having a coeliac child to tea and of course bring their parent in on the planning.Nicky is mum to two teens; one of whom has coeliac disease. It was a shock diagnosis in 2018. There seemed little support for parents; mums especially, to understand the disease & help their child adapt. The only way to help her child was to learn about a gluten free diet & fast. Nicky then wrote a book helping parents from her own experience so they didn’t have the same struggles. A kids book was written to celebrate 5yrs of diagnosis & one for teens in 2024. When not on Instagram, she can be found in the kitchen cooking, working on her latest DIY project or out eating!DISCLAIMER: I spoke to Nikki in 2025 and she mentions a couple of specific products. Those mentions were accurate at the time of recording, but because manufacturers change recipes over time and podcasts can of course be downloaded at any time, those products might have changed by the time you listen to this. The episode is for general information purposes only. Please do check any labels on the day that you purchase a product. Nicky's website: https://www.instagram.com/gluten_free_little_cook/Nicky's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/glutenfreelittlecookMusic "Happy Days" by the fabulous Simon Falwar via UppbeathchiMentioned in this episode:DisclaimerI spoke to Nikki in 2025 and she mentions a couple of specific products. Those mentions were accurate at the time of recording, but because manufacturers change recipes over time and podcasts can of course be downloaded at any time, those products might have changed by the time you listen to this. The episode is for general information purposes only. Please do check any labels on the day that you purchase a product.

In this episode we are talking about how to keep a toddler busy in a garden, with Susan Hodkin from Two Dots Garden.This conversation explores the joys and challenges of gardening with children. ​Susan ​is the person behind the Two Dots Garden instagram account, formerly Two Dots Allotment, which grew an enthusiatic following of her fun, laid back and joyful images of growing food with her daughter and having fun with gardening projects and wildlife.​​One of the things The Foodies has always been about is getting children more in touch with where their food comes from, and so gardening and growing your own has always been a big part of that. But the reality of gardening with a toddler in tow isn't always easy and smooth, keeping them amused while you get on with essential jobs can be tricky and so any ideas for extending their interest is always welcome.​Susan now has two children and grows food with them in their garden, but this interview took place a couple of years ago when her oldest was only three. She gives some tips for all of us on keeping a toddler amused in the garden for so many hours and what life skills she thinks can be learned in a garden. In particular the ​part around letting go of control is a useful conversation for us to have with ourselves as parents as well as gardeners.Links in this episode:Two Dots Garden Instagram feed: https://www.instagram.com/two_dots_gardenMusic "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat

In today’s show, I asked Jenna Brown, who goes online everywhere under the name Food Safety Mum, about how to make sure that we handle our leftovers safely so we can waste less food but not worry about anyone getting sick, especially little ones with their less established immune systems.Jenna is an experienced Environmental Health Officer with over 14 years of experience in food safety and public health. She started the Food Safety Mum business when she became a mum herself. That understanding of how much you think differently when you have a little one to think about too, Jenna became passionate about promoting food safety in the home. She is on a mission to help parents to safely save time, money & food!Links:Jenna's website: https://www.foodsafetymum.co.ukJenna's guides to baby food and party food: https://www.foodsafetymum.co.uk/shop Jenna's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/foodsafetymumGuide to keeping rice safely: https://www.foodsafetymum.co.uk/handling-leftover-riceMusic "Happy Days" by Simon Folwar via Uppbeat