Thanksgiving Day Food

[I-want-nachos]

I am 22 years old and have really sensitive gluten intolerance. I was first diagnosed about 5 months ago, and I am right now on the longest non-sick kick in years (1 month! woo!) Friends of mine are having a thanksgiving celebration latter tonight and went to lengths to prepare some gluten free options. A girl that lives with my friend is also GI, but I am still really nervous about eating anything there (and I've expressed this to her). 

 

I know she's making a cheesecake that is gluten free and presumably there will be mashed potatos, cranberries, etc. Is it safe to eat those foods? I am just so sick of being so paranoid about everything I put in my mouth. I just want to be able to enjoy a meal with friends without having to worry the entire time if I am going to be sick after. My symptoms don't tend to make themselves apparent until about an hour after the gluten has been ingested, and then they get progressively worse and worse for 3 or 4 days. 

 

I also just feel like i look absolutely insane and obsessive. I haven't eaten anything that I haven't prepared myself in the last month and its been great. I feel awesome. I don't want to risk feeling sick for some cheesecake and potatos, but ughh, I want some so badly :c 

 

I don't know what to do. I was talking about this with my boyfriend and he was assuring me that it would be fine and that our friends wouldn't ever try to do anything that would make me sick, and that I should trust them, etc. But its not them I don't trust- I just don't trust my body. I react to so little gluten that someone non thinkingly putting a serving spoon into mashed potatoes that has touched regular pasta will get me ill. 

[kareng]

If you are sure the some foods are gluten-free, why not ask if you could serve yourself first? Or straight from the pan in the kitchen?

I would worry about cc. My neighbor wanted to make gluten-free latkes so I gave her some rice flour. She knew to fry the gluten-free ones first but hadn't thought about her colander. She drains and squeezes the moisture out of the potatoes in her colander. She also uses the colander for pasta, and it's very hard to get them really clean

[KCG91]

If you are sure the some foods are gluten-free, why not ask if you could serve yourself first? Or straight from the pan in the kitchen?

I would worry about cc. My neighbor wanted to make gluten-free latkes so I gave her some rice flour. She knew to fry the gluten-free ones first but hadn't thought about her colander. She drains and squeezes the moisture out of the potatoes in her colander. She also uses the colander for pasta, and it's very hard to get them really clean

 

Serving yourself first has just ticked my final Christmas Dinner worry list. Me and my Mum are cooking it (and she is good about CC) but it's the feeding frenzy at the table and possible double dipping/gluten dropping onto non-gluten food that worried me. Sorted - plate up in the kitchen! Simple idea but it's made me happy.

[I-want-nachos]

I ate the foods that I was told were gluten free (mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, some really yummy carrots, and a specially prepared cheesecake) but am now feeling quite sick. Boo. This is the first time I've really had the opportunity to eat food prepared by other people after becoming gluten intolerant, and I am def not doing it again. 

[WestCoastGirl]

The collander example listed above is probably the biggest problem when eating at someone else's house. People don't use separate utensils, separate pans, separate serving spoons, etc. Most people also think "a little" can't hurt. It's not a very well-understood condition except by people who have it.

 

I'm really sorry you got sick.

[I-want-nachos]

I don't usually have a problem using the same washed utensils and pans (I haven't changed out any of my utensils since becoming intolerant, I use all of the same pans to cook in that I used pre-gluten intolerance), so I suspect someone accidentally switched spoons or similar. 

 

My boyfriend and I were planning on going out to eat for our anniversary on Monday, and now I am becoming increasingly paranoid about that Esp because I am still in recovery mode from thanksgiving. he was really thoughtful though and searched high and low for a pizza place that had a gluten free crust option. 

 

I don't want to be sick on our anniversary. 

[notme]

boo  

 

at dinner buffets, i play the 'cc game' also known as 'can't eat that' - i look at the buffet items and pick out the ones that MIGHT be safe, like green salads, plain chicken, veggies etc and then i watch as (somebody drops a crouton in the salad, somebody switched the spoon from the gravy into the chicken, etc) it turns to poison right before my very eyes!!  

 

then i eat what i brought from home    heathens.... and their gluten...  lolz

 

hope you feel better

[kareng]

I don't usually have a problem using the same washed utensils and pans (I haven't changed out any of my utensils since becoming intolerant, I use all of the same pans to cook in that I used pre-gluten intolerance), so I suspect someone accidentally switched spoons or similar. 

 

My boyfriend and I were planning on going out to eat for our anniversary on Monday, and now I am becoming increasingly paranoid about that Esp because I am still in recovery mode from thanksgiving. he was really thoughtful though and searched high and low for a pizza place that had a gluten free crust option. 

 

I don't want to be sick on our anniversary.

It's Ok to use pans that can be washed well. My example of the colander is a different story. No one can scrub the pasta slime out of every little hole, so they wouldn't be safe to use for gluten-free food.

Please be careful with pizza places that have a gluten-free crust. Many have a gluten-free crust & gluten-free ingredients but poor gluten-free practices. For example, they have some regular dough on their finger/ gloved hands and put it in the cheese. Now all the cheese in that container has flour in it. A good gluten-free pizza place will have a separate tub of cheese, pepperoni, etc. That is why many good places with gluten-free pizzas only have a small amount of topping choices. If you have a California. Pizza Kitchen near you, they have recently started serving a gluten-free pizza that is truly gluten-free. There are only 4? choices as they are now very careful with thier gluten-free procedures.

Outback Steak house have a good gluten-free menu, too.

[I-want-nachos]

It's Ok to use pans that can be washed well. My example of the colander is a different story. No one can scrub the pasta slime out of every little hole, so they wouldn't be safe to use for gluten-free food.

Please be careful with pizza places that have a gluten-free crust. Many have a gluten-free crust & gluten-free ingredients but poor gluten-free practices. For example, they have some regular dough on their finger/ gloved hands and put it in the cheese. Now all the cheese in that container has flour in it. A good gluten-free pizza place will have a separate tub of cheese, pepperoni, etc. That is why many good places with gluten-free pizzas only have a small amount of topping choices. If you have a California. Pizza Kitchen near you, they have recently started serving a gluten-free pizza that is truly gluten-free. There are only 4? choices as they are now very careful with thier gluten-free procedures.

Outback Steak house have a good gluten-free menu, too.

 

The thing about poor gluten free practices is what I am worried about. I'd be down if they have a totalllly separate area that they prepare the pizza in and totally separate toppings that they select from. We do have a California Pizza Kitchen semi near by, that might be a good bet for latter. I think we'll stick with eating at home for this meal anyway. I've been using the colander that I used before going gluten free- I wonder if that's why I've been having very minor digestive problems still? Now I am getting paranoid about my kitchen utensils :c I guess I am going to buy a new colander. Researching all of this is so exhausting. 

 

I don't get sick at all though from eating at chipotle, even if they don't change their gloves before sticking their hand into the cheese bin that floury-tortilla touching gloves have touched. I don't want to risk it though obviously. 

 

Is there a list on here of what kitchen bits are essential to replace? I am a super poor very recent college grad, so I don't exactly have piles of money laying around or anything, although of course I could afford a new colander and cutting board. 

[kareng]

The basic rule is - can you clean it well? Meaning - does it have a smooth, scrubable surface? Little cracks or holes are not scrubable. A colander - $3 at Walmart. Cutting mats 2 for $1 at the Dollar store.

For me, I find that it might not be the one little gluten incident that gets me - but 2 or 3 a day or over a couple of days. So...an accidental teeny bit of gluten from the colander and nothing else for days....I might be OK. But a colander hit and flour in the pizza cheese...UGH!

Eat at home for a while, that will save money to buy new kitchen stuff. It can be quite romantic at home - get some candles, wine, a blanket picnic in front of the fireplace or TV , cheese and crackers, fruit.........

And Christmas is coming.....so maybe santa will bring you some kitchen stuff?

[I-want-nachos]

The basic rule is - can you clean it well? Meaning - does it have a smooth, scrubable surface? Little cracks or holes are not scrubable. A colander - $3 at Walmart. Cutting mats 2 for $1 at the Dollar store.

For me, I find that it might not be the one little gluten incident that gets me - but 2 or 3 a day or over a couple of days. So...an accidental teeny bit of gluten from the colander and nothing else for days....I might be OK. But a colander hit and flour in the pizza cheese...UGH!

Eat at home for a while, that will save money to buy new kitchen stuff. It can be quite romantic at home - get some candles, wine, a blanket picnic in front of the fireplace or TV , cheese and crackers, fruit.........

And Christmas is coming.....so maybe santa will bring you some kitchen stuff?

 

Yeah you're totally right on. I guess I am gonna hit up the dollar store tomorrow for some new cutting mats and a new colander. 

 

I am still feeling sick from Thursday so the idea of those things is making me sort of nauseated lol, but hopefully by monday that won't be true. I think a romantic night in might even be nicer than going out, and to top it off I won't be s$#&ting my guts out or passing out anywhere. Sooo romantic  

[GF Lover]

Hi Nachos,

 

Read the Newbie 101 thread under the Coping Section.  It will further expand on things that need to be replaced as well as Information that all new Celiac's/NCGI's need. 

 

Good luck to you.

 

Colleen

[WestCoastGirl]

Yeah you're totally right on. I guess I am gonna hit up the dollar store tomorrow for some new cutting mats and a new colander. 

 

I am still feeling sick from Thursday so the idea of those things is making me sort of nauseated lol, but hopefully by monday that won't be true. I think a romantic night in might even be nicer than going out, and to top it off I won't be s$#&ting my guts out or passing out anywhere. Sooo romantic

 

Darned straight! Not crapping spasmotically = romance city! Go for it!