Thanksgiving And Family...

[GFinDC]

Hi BC,

Hashimoto's is associated with celiac disease. They are both autoimmune condtions. The odds of having another autoimmune condition are higher for people with celiac disease too. There are several people with Hashimoto's Thyroiditis on the forum.

[Cara in Boston]

My son and I are the only two gluten free in the entire extended family (although many others probably should be . . . ) and he is so sensitive that he cannot eat anything prepared in someone else's kitchen - even if no gluten ingredients are used. I usually cook a gluten free "Thanksgiving" earlier in the week to have at home with my immediate family and we save leftovers to bring as our meal to the "real" Thanksgiving. I try to make similar foods so at least at the table, it looks like we are eating what everyone else is having. (but we would both probably prefer lasagna or something)

I found that bringing a side dish to share doesn't always work out because unless we get to it first, it almost always gets contaminated somehow (there are about 40 people there, so someone always switches a serving spoon or something . . .)

We each have one of these:

Open Original Shared Link

and it is AWESOME. It is pretty compact, so whipping it out to plate our dinner is usually quick and inconspicuous. We've even used them at formal weddings and other functions. They keep food hot for HOURS. Even when we get home (7-8 hours later) the leftovers are still warm.) They hold plenty of food. Sometimes I just open one and can fill both our dinner plates.

No one should feel weird bringing their own food. Expecting the host to be able to safely prepare food for you (in my opinion) is rude. You are doing what you need to do to stay healthy and you are not creating any extra work or stress for anyone else.

I also always bring one or two desserts to share. That way there is something on the dessert table for my 7 year old to choose and he doesn't feel like he is missing out on anything.

To be honest - it has been GREAT bringing our own meal. Everything is made the way we like it!

Cara

[ButterflyChaser]

I felt very reassured reading all this, and I think Cara expressed my feelings well in saying that expecting others to cook in compliance with your restrictions is rude.

I just called my friends and told them, and they said it wasn't a problem, and that they had had some family members who had had to "bring their own," even if that person wouldn't be there this year. So now I only have to device some mini and portable Thanksgiving menu that can survive some travelling...

[Trudyjerry]

I would never invite anybody into my home, knowing that they have dietary restrictions without being willing to make some concessions. Personally, I think that it's rude to invite someone under such circumstances and thinking that they would not bring something safe to eat and be willing to make themselves sick.

[kareng]

I would never invite anybody into my home, knowing that they have dietary restrictions without being willing to make some concessions.

that works well for someone who can't have dairy. You can make baked potatoes instead of Au Gratin. They can have the asparagus but not the broccoli with cheese. For Celiacs who need to be sure there isn't a crumb of gluten, it unrealistic to expect them to buy new muffin tins, colanders, cutting boards, mayo, etc.

My SIL is coming over. she is extremely allergic to cats. Gracie will be in the basement and my SIL said she would be fine using a wooden or leather chair ( cat hair not sticking to it). that is a reasonable accommodation. if she expected that I get rid of the cat and get new furniture, that would be a bit much.

[Hala]

Thank you! I feel a bit better now. Though I have improved, I still struggle not having to justify why I eat the way I do. It is a very charged topic for me, because at the onset of my autoimmune disease no one - friends, doctors - believed I was sick and they just insisted I had an ED, and I "ate like a rabbit" - because eating leafy greens and simple food is part of the cultural heritage of the poor, rural area I come from.

Even if I am overweight now, and having always been known as a connoisseur and a great cook, I still feel like I have to justify myself, probably because such misconception was, in my case, almost lethal, because they let me get to a BMI of 13 before someone did blood tests.

I think I need to stop apologizing because I have auto-antibodies...

Hi, sorry to drag up an old post, but I was wondering how long it took until you started to gain weight?

My weight dropped really dramatically before I was diagnosed with coeliac disease. I've been gluten-free for around a month now and I'm still not gaining much weight! I have a BMI of 13 too and I'm scared