Almost a year in, still can't get it right

[SailorScout]

Hi all,

This is my first post here. I'm a college student and I have to eat most meals on the go, I'm also a nanny and have no choice but to cook and eat in a mixed kitchen for work. I also live in a home with HEAVY gluten eaters. It is not financially viable at this point in my life for me to buy my own pots and pans, utensils, etc. 

I have two main parts to my problem:

1. It is so overwhelming to be gluten free when I eat most of my meals on a college campus where they don't pay any mind to if the food is being cross contaminated. I try to bring lunch and snacks, but I am out for 15-18 hours a day and forget or get hungry and need to buy additional food while I'm out. What are some meal prep tips y'all can give me? How can I ensure these meals stay gluten free when I'm stuck living in a home with a mixed kitchen? I don't have a dishwasher, so even washing the dishes makes me nervous. I'm trying to learn how to cook but my anxiety over gluten is at the point where I don't even want to be around the kitchen. 

2. I've been gluten free for a year now, since my diagnosis with both celiac and hashimoto's disease. I'm VERY sensitive to cross contamination. I work at this so hard, I'm hyper vigilant, I annoy restaurant employees asking them to change utensils and wipe surfaces and change gloves, I annoy everyone in my home about cleaning up between prep, I obsessively read labels. I feel like being gluten free is a full time job, and I STILL get severely glutened regularly. It has happened twice just this week, and I get so sick every time.  What else am I supposed to do? How much hidden gluten is there? On this one, I really could just use some support and maybe quick tips on how to keep this from feeling so difficult. 

 

Thank you so much in advance. 

This whole thing is so difficult. I'm young and want to be able to enjoy meals out with friends, cook for the kids I watch, eat on campus, enjoy my life, and just to not be sick half the time.  

 

[Ennis-TX]

Nordic ware microwave cook ware....cheap and a great option for cooking, they make omelette makers, grill plates with splatter covers, steamers, rice cookers etc....put a paper towel down in the microwave and put your cooker on it.

Butcher Paper/Freezer Paper....pretty much a disposable place mat, you lay it down to fix your food on and eat off of if your in a glutened area for a safe prep area....and clean up is a breeze as you just toss teh whole sheet crumbs, spills and all.

Crockpot and crockpot liners look up crockpot meals, batch cook them portion our in some new tubaware bowls and mircrowave reheat.

Cleaning them, probably avoid the glutened washer if your scared of that. get some Rubbermaid tubs and use them for portable sinks in the bathroom, for scrubbing...also good for storing your cookware in. BUT paper plates and disposable utensils are your best bet in that kind of environment.

DO NOT eat out it is russian roulette, look up 100% dedicated gluten free restaurants or places with good rep on FindMeGlutenFree.

Cooking for kids....that can be done gluten free, I babysit and look after my cousins a few times a week. Deli meat roll ups, eggs and bacon, gluten-free sausage, carrot stick snacks, homemade gluten-free cookies, gluten-free waffles are like 2.88 a box, gluten-free hotdogs...oh those were fun making hotdog octopus in the skillet for them, bunless burgers, kilbosse and mustard cut up with toothpicks. Nut thin crackers and dips, chips and dips...

While we do suggest a whole foods diet here is a list, and the newbie 101 thread to look over.
https://www.celiac.com/forums/topic/91878-newbie-info-101/
https://www.celiac.com/forums/topic/121802-gluten-free-food-alternative-list-2018-q3/

 

 

[PK-432]

1 hour ago, Ennis_TX said:

Nordic ware microwave cook ware....cheap and a great option for cooking, they make omelette makers, grill plates with splatter covers, steamers, rice cookers etc....put a paper towel down in the microwave and put your cooker on it.

Butcher Paper/Freezer Paper....pretty much a disposable place mat, you lay it down to fix your food on and eat off of if your in a glutened area for a safe prep area....and clean up is a breeze as you just toss teh whole sheet crumbs, spills and all.

Crockpot and crockpot liners look up crockpot meals, batch cook them portion our in some new tubaware bowls and mircrowave reheat.

Cleaning them, probably avoid the glutened washer if your scared of that. get some Rubbermaid tubs and use them for portable sinks in the bathroom, for scrubbing...also good for storing your cookware in. BUT paper plates and disposable utensils are your best bet in that kind of environment.

DO NOT eat out it is russian roulette, look up 100% dedicated gluten free restaurants or places with good rep on FindMeGlutenFree.

Cooking for kids....that can be done gluten free, I babysit and look after my cousins a few times a week. Deli meat roll ups, eggs and bacon, gluten-free sausage, carrot stick snacks, homemade gluten-free cookies, gluten-free waffles are like 2.88 a box, gluten-free hotdogs...oh those were fun making hotdog octopus in the skillet for them, bunless burgers, kilbosse and mustard cut up with toothpicks. Nut thin crackers and dips, chips and dips...

While we do suggest a whole foods diet here is a list, and the newbie 101 thread to look over.
https://www.celiac.com/forums/topic/91878-newbie-info-101/
https://www.celiac.com/forums/topic/121802-gluten-free-food-alternative-list-2018-q3/

 

 

Use utensils only of steel or stainless steel,  glass and bone China to avoid cross contamination as whole family  can use  these utensils and these utensils do not get cross contamination like plastic, wood and cast iron. 

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Even whenever you use microwave ,keep your food covered in microwave to get it hot because microwave is also glutened through use of too much gluten food and it is highly possible that it can make you sick due to  cross  contamination. I have learned this through my personal experience. 

These are going to foods that you can keep in your purse: 

Bars of green Valley, they have various flavors but remember to buy gluten free one through checking ingredients.

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Microwave Popcorns but again look for gluten free ingredients like American  Garden.  

You can also keep small packs of juices and Flavored milk in your purse. 

For chocolates look for snickers and Toblerone that do not contains gluten. 

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