Question About Kitchen

[KimmyJ]

So I'm fairly new here - only dx about three months ago and I've been fairly successful at eliminating the big sources of gluten in my diet. So now I'm working on the less obvious stuff and I'm wondering what utensils/kitchen things I need to replace to prevent contamination from before I went gluten-free. Thanks in advance for the help!

[NorthernElf]

I have my own mayonaise, Becel margarine, etc. in the fridge since other dip their knives in and spread things on wheat bread and then "redip". Squeezables are another way to go - if it was just me & DH I would buy those (but I have 3 kids). So...I bought a small margarine and wrote "MOM" on it in permanent marker, I just refill it as I get a new larger one (that the family uses), cleaning it out once in awhile. When I buy a new peanut butter or jam or whatever I scoop out a bunch into a smaller container and write "MOM" on that too (or gluten-free). I have my own shelf in the pantry that has my gluten-free stuff on it too - I tend to put crackers in containers and write gluten-free on them too ! I also buy large packs of Mesa Sunrise cereal, Riceworks chips, etc. and repackage them - the chips & crackers in sandwich size ziplocs so I can take them to work. When I bake my stuff I package everything in sandwich bags and when I do wheat baking once in awhile I use the largest size freezer bags - everyone knows that stuff in small ziplocs is mine.

For bakeware I have my own silicone baking stuff - loaf pan, large & small muffin tin, and a silicone sheet to place on the regular cookie sheets. All my regular bakeware is nonstick (teflon) and that holds gluten. My stuff stands out since none of the 'regular' stuff is silicone. I have my own toaster, my own cutting boards, and my own nonstick fry pan - all is stored/placed in my corner of the kitchen.

I gotta tell you I fought this for awhile. I figured I could just eat gluten-free and not worry about bakeware if I washed it. However, I seemed to get more & more sensitive to gluten and finally had to change the bakeware too. When I bake my stuff I use the metal bowls, not the plastic ones. Oh, & I just bought my own silicone strainer since the holes are hard to clean.

Some of my current favs to bake - Kinnikinnick sunflower/flax seed bread mix (so good fresh I have to beat my family away!), Gluten Free Pantry truffle brownie mix, gluten-free chocolate chip cookies from recipezaar.com (I add ground flaxseed & psyllium husks), sorghum scones off the sorghum flour bag (Bob's Redmill - I add dried cranberries & chopped walnuts)...and that's it for now ! I don't like store bought cookies & such - homemade is always better.

[cruelshoes]

So I'm fairly new here - only dx about three months ago and I've been fairly successful at eliminating the big sources of gluten in my diet. So now I'm working on the less obvious stuff and I'm wondering what utensils/kitchen things I need to replace to prevent contamination from before I went gluten-free. Thanks in advance for the help!

We replaced anything porous or anything that had grooves or scratches that gluten could get wedged in. This includes: wooden spoons, cutting boards, colander, teflon pans, cake pans, cookie sheets. Also, think about anything that has multiple pieces, like a spatula thats head fits onto a handle made of a different material. Gluten canget into the groove where the 2 parts come together.

Think of anything your food will touch. If there is no way to imerse it in water and get it as clean as the day you bought it, I would replace it. A toaster is a good example. There is just no way to get all the crumbs out of it without ruining it. Same for a bread maker.

Hope this helps.

[Gwen B]

We replaced anything porous or anything that had grooves or scratches that gluten could get wedged in. This includes: wooden spoons, cutting boards, colander, teflon pans, cake pans, cookie sheets. Also, think about anything that has multiple pieces, like a spatula thats head fits onto a handle made of a different material. Gluten canget into the groove where the 2 parts come together.

Think of anything your food will touch. If there is no way to imerse it in water and get it as clean as the day you bought it, I would replace it. A toaster is a good example. There is just no way to get all the crumbs out of it without ruining it. Same for a bread maker

Hope this helps.

Surely not. My husband is rolling his eyes like I have become parraonoid about CC. However after feeling better the first month but this last week I have been plagued with less definitive but still uncomfortable stomach gas and bloating. I don't know why but maybe it is all the home cooking we have been doing. I still strain my gluten-free pasta in the same drainer as everyone elses (clean). We do have new anodized steel pans. Are they gluten-free friendly? How about wooden spoons?

[Jestgar]

Surely not. My husband is rolling his eyes like I have become parraonoid about CC. However after feeling better the first month but this last week I have been plagued with less definitive but still uncomfortable stomach gas and bloating. I don't know why but maybe it is all the home cooking we have been doing. I still strain my gluten-free pasta in the same drainer as everyone elses (clean). We do have new anodized steel pans. Are they gluten-free friendly? How about wooden spoons?

NEW STRAINER!!!!

You cook gluten onto it every time you dump hot pasta into it!

[Gwen B]

NEW STRAINER!!!!

You cook gluten onto it every time you dump hot pasta into it!

OOPs!

I guess I'll get new boards and spoons too. This is just such a pain convincing my family to comply and I don't even know for sure if I have celiac. Many indicators point that way- family history, deteriorating gastirc issues, feeling better on this Gluten-free Casein-free diet but then I had a weird restaurant allergy incident (severe hives) and tested posative for soy (skin test). My Dr doesn't believe I have a problem(because I tested negative 18 months ago on a single tTg, my husband thinks it's just soy because that's what I've been tested (scientific type)for.

I just wanted to try going gluten-free for a while to see if it fixed me and maybe do a challenge to prove it. After the hives I am more wary but I don't see a choice.

Sorry this is too long a whine

this site is such a mine of information. thanks for all help!

[kbtoyssni]

New wooden spoons, too! Wood is one of the things I would absolutely replace along with the toaster. Other baking items are more of a judgment call.

[Gwen B]

New wooden spoons, too! Wood is one of the things I would absolutely replace along with the toaster. Other baking items are more of a judgment call.

Got a new toaster in Rite Aid yesterday for just $8.88! Bargain!

[imagine22]

I use a new toaster and have separate jams and butters etc. I only bake gluten free so I just thoroughly washed my existing baking goods etc.

I would throw out wooden spoons, chopping boards etc with cracks anyway as they are not hygienic

I use the same pots, pans and pasta strainer i use for gluten I just wash well each time and havent had any issues. (I have coeliac disease and have had repeated blood tests show Im back to normal range again)

[Sinenox]

I may be really sensitive but I didn't get over the continuous low-level "yuck" feeling until I gave in to replacing everything and using exclusively my own new stuff - including non-scratched and non-porous materials such as baking sheets, plates and cutlery, plastic tupperware, etc. Just my two-cents.

[aliciatakescare]

I too have tried eating just gluten-free and using common cooking/eating stuff - since going to using only metal and glass prep/cook/bake kitchen stuff with my own new plastic/wood utensils I am finally starting to feel much better and have not had any symptoms for about a week (switched these things about 3 wks ago). I haven't replaced the toaster yet, but I don't have bread right now either - I bake my own in a new bread maker and just haven't made any in quite some time. I have my own cupboards (labeled gluten-free) with my kitchenware and food. I also have my own section in the deep freeze, regular freezer and fridge which are labeled as well. I keep all my condiments seperate as well (even the squeeze ones) because I am a single parent of 3 teens that get pretty messy when fixing their food.

This is definitely a challenging disease we have, but to me it is worth whatever it takes to stay healthy. I got glutened about 3 weeks ago (give or take) and not sure from what still, BUT it sent me to the ER once again and I was severely ill for almost a week before starting to feel the peace of healing. The research I have done has supported the thought that gluten intollerence gets worse with each and every glutening. Just my advice: Watch yourself very closely as my doctor told me that celiac disease is just as dangerous as any severe allergy and that I should take all precautions that I can. Best wishes!

[mommaofthree]

I too have tried eating just gluten-free and using common cooking/eating stuff - since going to using only metal and glass prep/cook/bake kitchen stuff with my own new plastic/wood utensils I am finally starting to feel much better and have not had any symptoms for about a week (switched these things about 3 wks ago). I haven't replaced the toaster yet, but I don't have bread right now either - I bake my own in a new bread maker and just haven't made any in quite some time. I have my own cupboards (labeled gluten-free) with my kitchenware and food. I also have my own section in the deep freeze, regular freezer and fridge which are labeled as well. I keep all my condiments seperate as well (even the squeeze ones) because I am a single parent of 3 teens that get pretty messy when fixing their food.

This is definitely a challenging disease we have, but to me it is worth whatever it takes to stay healthy. I got glutened about 3 weeks ago (give or take) and not sure from what still, BUT it sent me to the ER once again and I was severely ill for almost a week before starting to feel the peace of healing. The research I have done has supported the thought that gluten intollerence gets worse with each and every glutening. Just my advice: Watch yourself very closely as my doctor told me that celiac disease is just as dangerous as any severe allergy and that I should take all precautions that I can. Best wishes!

What about Silverware??? Does it matter that I run all of my baking pans and plates, etc through a VERY HOT dishwasher??? I was just dx 8 days ago and I am way in over my head!! However I have been feeling much better since I changed my diet, but I am a mom of 3 young children and don't want to take away their food either. How do you make part of your kitchen gluten free and the other part not? Any ideas?

Thanks

[aliciatakescare]

I washed the dishwasher with nothing in it twice and now I thoroughly rinse all dishes and then put them in the dishwasher together, except wood and plastic. I run it on pots and pans, high heat and always use an extra rinse cycle. I have 1 counter in the kitchen that holds all my gluten-free appliances (breadmaker, steamer, indoor grill and coffee pot), well marked areas in the fridge and freezers and then i have 1 cupboard that is gluten-free for food and 1 for my cutting board, storage, etc. I also have started cooking all my food first and puting it in the oven to keep warm while I cook the food for the kids. When my boyfriend is here, he usually helps in the kitchen and does the prep part of the regular food. It works very well for us.

[wschmucks]

If you do not have a dish washer I would just have your own seperate plates/ utencils that are washed with a different spounge.

I didnt start feeling better until i did this-- just imagine the gluten being washed on the spounge staying there and then you eating everything off that plate. Even if it was rinsed with water...I still think it would be contaminated. I might be crazy-- but I honestly did not start to feel better until i completely segreated all of my kitchen utencils, plates, bowls, cups, pans etc. Just not worth even having doubts-- better safe than sorry.