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As a mum of three, one coeliac, and two not, my priority at Easter isn’t just safety. It is inclusion.

I want them all to wake up to the same excitement. The same or similar treats. The same magic and no one feels “different”. 

Why Easter Is Surprisingly… Gluten-Heavy 

You would think chocolate = safe. Simple. Easy.

Oh no. Easter said plot twist.

• “May contain gluten” warnings everywhere
• Seasonal sweets and lollies with surprise ‘may contains’
• Mini chocolate eggs that look perfect for hunts… but most carry cross-contamination warnings
   

So Easter becomes a LOT of label reading. Not casual label reading, I mean full forensic investigation mode. Even on products we’ve bought before, because ingredients change. (Why do they change? Who is out here altering perfectly good treats?)

Shopping takes longer. Visits to various stalls to look out for treats. My patience and emotions gets tested. But it’s worth it.

The Egg Hunt 

Those tiny foil-wrapped eggs look ideal for egg hunts… until you realise most of them have “may contain” warnings.

So instead, we pivot. We use plastic refillable eggs and fill them with sweets we trust, (game Changer). No swapping. No “Oh wait, that one’s not yours.” No hovering mum energy ruining the fun. Removing that stress means I can actually enjoy watching them instead of playing ingredient referee and so can they!

The Easter Bunny Tradition 

We have a little tradition I love. The night before Easter, we “plant” small eggs in the garden and water them. In the morning, after the Easter Bunny’s magic dust, Easter lollies have grown, the children love it and it’s core memory material, a tradition that started as a one off and continues! Ironically? Many Easter lollies contain gluten. So when we find a safe one, we STOCK UP immediately. Because the gluten-free gems disappear fast once everyone else discovers them. Being a coeliac parent means I now have the reflexes of a Black Friday bargain hunter.

The Free-From Aisle

Free-from Easter eggs are amazing. They can also be expensive. Here’s the thing: many standard chocolate eggs are actually gluten-free. The problem is usually the extras inside - the “fun” surprise fillings.

So we:

• Check each egg individually
• Read every label, checking for BROW - Barley, Rye, Oats and Wheat or May contains
• Match similar eggs for all three children
• Avoid anything that makes one child feel singled out

Because Easter isn’t about who has the “special diet egg.” It’s about everyone having their egg. The goal - same excitement, same experience.

Hot Cross Buns (Because We Refuse to Skip Them)

Hot cross buns are a core Easter tradition in our house. And we’re not giving them up.

There are some genuinely good gluten-free options now, but it takes trial and error every year to find the right texture and taste. Some are brilliant, some are not so good, but we persist.

The Roast Dinner? Easiest Part.

Our Easter roast is actually the least stressful part of the whole weekend. It’s naturally gluten-free with a few simple swaps.

It’s the desserts where I’ve basically become a semi-professional baker.

On our Easter table, you’ll find:

• Gluten-free Mini Egg cheesecake
• An Easter Bundt cake
• Other safe bakes so everyone can dig in

No separate desserts, made safely for everyone to enjoy!

School, Parties & Why Peace of Mind Matters

Easter isn’t just about home. It’s school themed activities, party food and Shared treats. While I do everything I can to plan and prepare, I can’t always be there to double-check every label or answer every question.

That’s where something like MedicAlert gives me an extra layer of reassurance.

If there’s ever confusion, a reaction to gluten, or a mix-up, having my child’s coeliac condition clearly identified means teachers, carers, and even medical professionals have immediate, reliable information.

It’s not about being dramatic. It’s about being prepared. Because coeliac disease isn’t a preference. It’s an autoimmune condition. And cross-contamination matters. Knowing that information is accessible when she is not with me, whether at school, on playdates, or at holiday clubs, just removes one more mental tab open in my already overloaded mum brain.

The Real Goal

As a mum, I’ve accepted many things:

• I will always have 47 tabs open in my brain.
• I will overthink ingredient labels.
• I will absolutely Google “does glucose syrup contain gluten?” at 10 pm.

But what I won’t accept is one of my children feeling separate or not included at any celebration!

Easter takes more planning in our house, more reading, more baking and more forward-thinking. But when they all wake up excited. When they all run around the garden together. When they all sit at the table, eating the same food. That’s the magic, and that’s worth every label I read.