Hospital food & coeliac disease

If there's one thing many people loathe about going to hospital, it's the food. And if you're coeliac, it's made worse by being stuck in a place you must rely on for catering, rather than being able to nip out to the shops.

I wonder what gluten-free meal they'll give me... Please let it be icecream!

But there's good news.

The allergen laws introduced in 2014 mean hospital staff have to know what's in the food they're serving.

My own experience of eating in hospital is fairly recent (after staying in for several days post-partum).

There were a variety of options. Either my food was brought to my bed or, once mobile, I could go to the canteen and choose between pre-prepared food (like salads, yogurts and individually wrapped mini cheeses) or go to the hot counter and ask them for a meal.

I was reluctant to do the latter as I'm always nervous about cross contamination. But the staff were so lovely and helpful and promised me faithfully their cottage pie was gluten-free, even getting the giant bucket of gravy granules out to show me the crossed grain symbol.