GLUTEN FREE • CASEIN FREE • SOY FREE

1 Going GFCFSF in 10 Weeks

 the Implementing a gluten and casein free diet may
seem overwhelming, but, when broken down into
plan manageable steps, you’ll find that it’s easier than you
think.

Before you begin, please consider the following to set the stage for
success:
• Be prepared.
w Read through the TACA website and join our Facebook Group for
tips, resources, support, and ideas.

• Pick a date to start.

w School breaks or summer are the best because your kids are with
you around the clock for ten or more days straight.
w If there is no break coming soon, pick a weekend and start. There
is no time like the present!

• Last, but not least… remember that whole, unprocessed foods are
your ultimate goal.
w Shop the perimeter of the store.

WEEKS 1 -2
Remove All Casein
• Casein is found in milk, cheese, ice cream, yogurt, butter, sour cream, etc.
• Do not replace dairy with soy.
• There are many replacement “milks” like coconut, hemp, almond, flax, macadamia nut, and rice, but the best
drink for your child is filtered or spring water.
• If your child will not give up their regular milk, you can try adding a bit of alternative milk to your child’s regular
milk. Little by little, add a bit more alternative milk and less cow’s milk. By the end of two weeks, you should
be fully converted to an alternative milk.
• Many kids like to drink their calories because it is easier than chewing and swallowing food. Feeding therapy
can help remediate feeding issues related to difficulties with chewing and swallowing.
• Ghee (if no dairy allergy) or soy-free Earth Balance are both good casein-free butter replacements.
• Be careful with yogurt. It is very high in sugar. If your child loves yogurt, try buying a plain coconut or almond
version (with zero sugar) and stirring in a bit of local honey to sweeten it.
• Cheese alternatives do not taste like regular cheese and can be pricy. Follow Your Heart is a good brand that
melts well, but know that your child will likely taste the difference. You might want to go without the cheese
alternative for a while.

2 Going GFCFSF in 10 Weeks

 WEEKS 3-4
Remove All Gluten
• Avoid all sources of gluten, which is flound in wheat, oats, barley, brewer’s yeast, bulgur, durum, einkorn,
emmer, farina, farro, graham, kamut, malt, rye, spelt, semolina, triticale, and wheat starch.
• Remember that most whole foods are gluten-free and there are numerous gluten-free (and casein-free and
soy-free) products on the market.
• Most believe the easiest meal to transition to gluten free is dinner. Start there. Try to make the same meal for
everyone to help the child feel more a part of the family. Then work on transitioning breakfast, then lunch.
• Check everything for gluten. Condiments like ketchup, dressings, sauces, and stews often contain wheat as a
thickener. You’ll even find wheat or dairy in some deli meats.
• When cooking yourself, you can use gluten-free flour, arrowroot, tapioca starch, or potato starch as a thickener.
• Don’t be afraid to ask to see the label if the label is not shown.
• You will learn about delicious gluten-free grains like quinoa, teff, amaranth, polenta, buckwheat, millet, and
tapioca.
• There are apps that can help you find gluten-free options when dining out. A favorite is Find Me Gluten Free.
• Be careful of cross-contact. For example, do not use the same spoon to stir a pot of gluten-free pasta and a
pot containing regular pasta.

WEEKS 5-6
Remove All Soy
• Soy is often found to be as problematic as gluten and casein, so it is best to remove it as well.
• Avoid edamame, miso, natto, shoyu, tofu, tempeh, tamari, and soy sauce.
• Coconut aminos is a good replacement for soy sauce.
• This study showed that soybean oil-based diets resulted in a significant dysregulation of more than 100
hypothalamic genes, so avoiding soybean oil is important. Most vegetable oils have soybean oil in them.
• Be careful of mayonnaise. It is soybean oil based. Find or make an alternative that has no soybean oil.
• Be careful with Asian foods. They tend to have soy in the ingredients.
• Be careful with energy bars and protein powders. Many are often made with soy.
• Most brands of peanut butter contain soy. Check the label!
• Soy lecithin is a food additive found in many processed foods like gluten-free waffles, etc. It is probably ok for
most kids to consume this, but beware that some kids are more sensitive than others.

3 Going GFCFSF in 10 Weeks

 WEEKS 7-8
Remove Artificial Colors and Flavorings
• Do an inventory of sugars and carbohydrates.
• In the 1970s, an allergist named Dr. Ben Feingold found that food dyes and certain other natural and artificial
components of foods caused hyperactivity and behavioral problems in children and adults. He created a diet
that avoids these foods which is called The Feingold Diet.
• Avoid:
w Nitrites and nitrates
w “Natural Flavors,” “Artificial Flavor,” and “Incidental Additives”
w Aspartame (Equal, NutraSweet)
w Splenda
w Monosodium glutamate (MSG)
w Blues 1, Blues 2, Red 3, Yellow 6
• Beware… “Natural Flavors” is often a code word for MSG or other “natural” chemicals that are harmful.
• “Flavor” can mean just about anything.
• If you don’t recognize the words on the label, avoid the food.
• You are best off with whole, unprocessed foods. This keeps it simple by taking the guessing out of the
equation.

WEEKS 9-10
Replace Personal Care Items and School Supplies
• Technically, gluten is too large of a molecule to pass through the skin’s barrier. However, we all know that kids
put their hands in their mouth. In fact, ASD kids often lick and mouth many surfaces. In addition, with the help
of steam, or even some oils (for example, when hydrolyzation occurs), it may allow the ingredients to enter
the body via hair follicles.
• Products that you use in your mouth, such as toothpaste and mouthwash and products that you apply to your
lips, such as chapstick should all be gluten-free and casein-free.
• Anyone can have a topical reaction to anything. Watch for reactions and be cautious about the soap, lotions,
and detergents that you use.
• These are gluten-containing substances to watch out for in skin care products:
w Wheat (Triticum Vulgare)
w Barley (Hordeum Vulgare)
w Rye (Secale Cereal)
w Oat (Avena Sativa)
• Watch the Play-Doh – it has gluten. There are many gluten-free play dough recipes online.

4 Going GFCFSF in 10 Weeks

tips for success
The first few weeks can be hard on both the child and the parents. It is not uncommon for children to have
meltdowns and poor behavior when the foods they are used to are removed and replaced with new things they
are not used to.

How to Make the Change Easier for You

Research Before Starting
Know what your child can and can’t have. Learn how to read food labels.

Keep It Simple
Keep the menu simple and uncomplicated by serving lots of whole foods.

Be Patient
Kids may go through withdrawal when removing a food that was acting as an opiate in their brain. This
may take about two weeks to clear. Pushing plenty of fluids to keep your child hydrated will help.

Be Committed
Both anecdotal observations and published research shows that the gluten-free, casein-free, soy-free
diet is beneficial for the majority of kids with autism.

Make Sure Your Partner Is On Board

A united front makes for a less confusing situation for your child. This diet does not allow for cheating,
so make sure everyone knows the rules.

Consider Blood Testing for Food Allergies and Sensitivities

Although the best test will always be an elimination diet, food allergy and sensitivity testing might be
helpful. More information on this topic can be found in the article titled “Introduction to a Gluten-Free,
Casein-Free, Soy-Free Diet” on our website.

Find Substitutes for Your Child’s Favorite Foods

This may not always work, but if you can find something similar to what your child was eating, it may
make the transition easier.
At the same time, you have to be careful with substitutes. Pulling one food and replacing it with another
food that they are sensitive to, can also cause issues. For example, many gluten-free foods are made
with corn. Some kids are very sensitive to corn and it can make them aggressive.

Collect Gluten-Free and Casein-Free Recipes

There are tons of websites that cater to people that eat this way. It will be easier than you think to find
delicious, kid-friendly recipes.
• Please join TACA’s private Facebook Group for parents where we post about fun recipes every
Friday.
• TACA has a recipe database you can find here.
• And again, remember tip #2 - Keep it simple!

5 Going GFCFSF in 10 Weeks

tips for success
How to Make the Change Easier for Your Child
Remove Restricted Foods From the House
If there is milk in the refrigerator and goldfish in the pantry, your child will likely find them and get
upset that he/she cannot have them. If it’s not possible to remove all restricted foods from the house,
consider locking your pantry or refrigerator so your child cannot access them.

Make Decisions About Grocery Shopping with Your Child

Grocery shopping may trigger meltdowns if your child cannot buy what they want to eat. However, in
some instances, giving your child control can really help them warm up to the idea of a new diet. Taking
your child to the grocery store to pick out new and acceptable foods may be an excellent idea.

Do Not Eat Restricted Food In Front of Your Child

Be sensitive to your child’s feelings and cravings.

Get The School On Board with Diet Changes

Get all food restrictions written into your child’s Individualized Education Plan (IEP). An IEP is binding
by law.
• Make sure school staff understands that they are not to give food to your child unless it was
provided or approved by the parent.
• Include that the school must give you a week’s notice for all food-related events so that you can
supply a substitute.

Supply the School with Allergy-Friendly School Supplies

See “School Supplies” and “Essential Handout for Teachers
and Aides.”

Using Old Containers May Help

Some kids do better with substitutes if you put them
in the old container. Get some empty, new, or very
clean containers from your child’s old favorites
and put the substitute foods in them.
• Most kids with autism are very
astute and can pick up on
this trick as their palates are
so sensitive. But, it may be
worth a try if you cannot get
them to eat the new foods.

6 Going GFCFSF in 10 Weeks

tips for success

Avoiding Pitfalls
Well-Meaning Relatives
Some relatives don’t understand the need for a special diet and don’t see the harm in cookies and milk.
Hopefully, once your child starts making improvements, they will understand the importance.

Schools and Therapy

Make sure teachers, therapists, and staff are on board with the new diet so they do not inadvertently
sabotage your efforts. As was mentioned before, make sure the school understands the importance of
adhering to the diet by getting dietary restrictions written into your child’s IEP.

Unknown Allergies
As was mentioned above, be careful with substituting foods. You could unknowingly be introducing
more allergens.

Creating a Carbohydrate Junkie

Merely substituting gluten-free, casein-free versions of the foods your child was addicted to, such as
fries, chips, bread, yogurt, and milk can be problematic. There are little nutrients in those foods and
they are all carbohydrates that feed pathogens in the gut. While those foods may be okay during the
transition period, you should focus on reducing them and introducing nutrient-rich foods like meat,
poultry, fruits, and vegetables. The goal is to create a whole foods diet without gluten, casein, and soy.
If your child still won’t eat nutrient-rich foods, you may need to consider removing all grains for a while.
Here are some alternative diets to consider.

Drinking Calories or Eating Too Many Empty Calories

Many kids with autism like to drink their calories because it is easier for them. Giving large quantities of
juice, milk substitutes, or other empty calories can cause feeding problems.

7 Going GFCFSF in 10 Weeks

trial period

How Long Do I Need to Trial the Diet?

All kids are different. Results will vary and how quickly a child responds depends on the child’s specific
biochemistry.

It can take the effect of casein about two weeks to leave the body. It can take the effect of gluten over three
months to leave the body.

However, it’s important to remember that these foods are inflammatory, and it can take six months for
inflammation for decrease.

To give the diet a fair chance, we recommend giving it six months, with no infractions, because it takes that long
for inflammation to subside and to practice the diet diligently. Remember to track progress via video, written
notebook, or even a phone app. If after six months you don’t see any improvement, talk to your TACA parent
mentor and/or functional medicine doctor and see if fine-tuning is needed. A diet that addresses different core
issues may need to be considered.

If you decide you aren’t seeing improvement and make the decision to add gluten and casein back in, it is
extremely important that you carefully observe your child’s behavior and bowel movements. After reintroducing
these foods, you may find obvious indications that the diet was working and decide that it is worth continuing.

8 Going GFCFSF in 10 Weeks

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