I'm Panicking About Spending 2 Months In A Non-gluten-free Household

[mesmerize]

So right now I'm in between living arrangements... just moved from South Carolina back to my home town in Pennsylvania. I'm going to have my own house here, but it won't be ready for me to move into until sometime next month at the earliest. SO until then I'm living back home with the rest of my non-gluten-free family.

I wasn't really too worried about this at first... my mom usually does a pretty good job of checking lables when she makes things for me, and I try to supervise the best I can. But the last time I was home visiting, she forgot to check a label and I ended up getting glutened. So I've gotten a little more worried. Then last night, we had chicken noodle soup made with gluten-free noodles, broth, everything. Somehow I got glutened from that too. I have NO idea how, all I can think of is that there's gluten "hiding" somewhere, like in the pan or something.

So now I'm literally terrified to eat ANYTHING in this house. I'm so used to cooking in my own kitchen, which was 100% gluten free, I never really had to even think about accidental contamination.

What can I do to survive the next 2 months without getting sick constantly? COULD I have actually gotten sick from something on a pan/cutting board/whatever? My mom says she doesn't believe that there could be gluten "hiding" in the surface of things like this. What do you think?

I hate being so paranoid, but obviously I hate getting sick too.

-Sara-

[Aizlynn]

Well I am in similar situation. I just end up cooking my own stuff, or we do a group meal and I check all the lables or share my food. I do not use the toaster etc. It's not fancy, but I went to Costco and got a pack of paper plates and bowls to use. The plates come in handy for chopping food vs using a cutting board. I keep my gluten free bread in a bag in the freezer. I also keep an Amy's gluten free frozen pizza in the freezer for those times everyone decides to order out and I feel like caving in. Hope that helps.

[happygirl]

invest in some permanent magic markers. For all YOUR condiments, label "gluten-free" or "Your name ONLY" This would include butter, mayo, cream cheese, peanut butter, sour cream.......things that are dippable. You will have your set, everyone else will have their set.

if you are worried about getting sick from scratched up pans, then provide your own for them to use. Put fingernail polish on a handle, or some identifying mark, so that only "they" are used when preparing gluten free meals.

have whoever cooks save all the labels. This way, YOU can double check before putting it in your mouth.

come up with a list of items that are safe, in terms of brands, so that there isn't a mix up.

Good luck!

[tarnalberry]

It could even have been the broth - some varieties have gluten.

You'll need to check the labels on everything, yourself, and be on heightened lookout for contamination. Yeah, it's a pain checking every last ingredient for every last thing that goes in your mouth, but it's got to happen.

[Guest cassidy]

It can be challenging to eat in a house that has gluten, but most of us do it everyday. My husband has become more aware but he doesn't see gluten as the poison I do so he touches bread and then touches everything else in the kitchen and never even considers this may make me sick. At least you have a mom who has tried to cook for you in the past. Maybe you can bring out your pans and utensils and have her cook with those things when she is making gluten-free food. Or, you could use your own things and make your own meals. If I don't make something gluten-free for my husband then I make 2 meals every night. Maybe you could make a list for your mom like if I use chicken broth I use Pacific foods because I know it is safe. Then she could go by the list and know what brands to buy so you don't have to worry so much.

I would make sure you keep your dry food separate and wipe down counters and things before you make your food. Sometimes I will make the gluten food and clean up and then make my food. I don't really like making both at the same time.

You can make it without getting sick but you will probably have to be more diligent than you are in your normal gluten-free kitchen.

[mesmerize]

Thank you all for the helpful tips... I'll definitely try some of the things that have been suggested here.

I'm also starting to think that I'm becoming more sensitive to gluten now than I was in the past. I've read that this often happens, where you react to it more after you've been off it a while. Right? It's just that for a while (maybe a couple months ago) I could literally go weeks and weeks without ever getting a tummy ache, and now it seems to be happening more frequently. I guess I just need to start being EXTRA EXTRA careful with everything.

[gfp]

Thank you all for the helpful tips... I'll definitely try some of the things that have been suggested here.

I'm also starting to think that I'm becoming more sensitive to gluten now than I was in the past. I've read that this often happens, where you react to it more after you've been off it a while. Right? It's just that for a while (maybe a couple months ago) I could literally go weeks and weeks without ever getting a tummy ache, and now it seems to be happening more frequently. I guess I just need to start being EXTRA EXTRA careful with everything.

I think your probably correct and reacting to trace amounts in pans and utensils...

[gfp]

Thank you all for the helpful tips... I'll definitely try some of the things that have been suggested here.

I'm also starting to think that I'm becoming more sensitive to gluten now than I was in the past. I've read that this often happens, where you react to it more after you've been off it a while. Right? It's just that for a while (maybe a couple months ago) I could literally go weeks and weeks without ever getting a tummy ache, and now it seems to be happening more frequently. I guess I just need to start being EXTRA EXTRA careful with everything.

I think your probably correct and reacting to trace amounts in pans and utensils...