Shared Kitchen Frustrations

[DistantShores]

Evening all 🙂. Could use some pointers on how to alleviate a source of frustration, and most likely, gluten contamination. 

I was diagnosed in April of last year. Had Celiac Disease for at least 2 years prior to that. Going gluten-free has worked wonders in my life. My spouse was supportive and things seemed to be on track for healing. 

We currently share a kitchen. I understood the risks and did what I could to avoid contamination as much as possible. I bought items just for my use. I separated all the gluten food from mine. But our kitchen is so small it is difficult to keep everything separated - like the toaster. Crumbs go everywhere.

We've been busy with work and then the pandemic this year that we haven't been as careful. I mainly blame myself for not being as diligent in the cleaning and keeping utensils separated. In a nutshell, I wish I had my own kitchen so I would not have to worry about contamination. 

I am considering remodeling what I can of the kitchen to accommodate some of those limitations. I've even entertained the idea of installing a second kitchen elsewhere in our home. Any suggestions? 

[trents]

Is the toaster the old fashion popup kind or a toaster oven? Sounds like that is the main source of cross contamination worry. In this situation, a toaster oven would be a better way to go and either getting into the habit of washing the rack before you use it or getting your own rack and swapping it in for the other one whenever you need to use the toaster oven. In a toaster oven, most crumbs fall to the bottom and don't come into contact with the food on the rack if it is clean to start with.

[cyclinglady]

You can use toaster bags in any toaster and remain safe, but I do not think this is your problem.  I think you need to adhere to safe gluten-free kitchen practices or build that second kitchen.  Another option is to have the entire household go gluten free.  Your SO can get his gluten fix from take out, etc.  

Shared  kitchens can work, but you have to all be diligent.  My household is gluten free.  But before I was diagnosed, we had a shared kitchen (hubby was gluten-free 12 years before me).  I did all the food prep to keep him safe.  We went 100% gluten-free when our daughter became old enough to work in the kitchen.  I was just easier on everyone.  
 

I hope you figure it out.  

[trents]

Toaster bags? Never heard of that until now. But I looked it up and there is indeed such a thing! Somebody was really thinking there in order to come up with that invention.

 

[trents]

Consider the fact also that you may have developed allergies/sensitivity/intolerance to other foods. This is very common among celiacs, even those who practice due diligence to eat gluten free.