Living With A Non-celiac Family

[NorthernElf]

Ok, so I'm part of a family of 5 (I'm mom). About 4-5 years ago I had this massive virus that left me unable to eat for over a week (well, unable to keep anything in) and suddenly I'm celiac (after years of stomach issues). Anyway...it's been one heck of a learning curve and a long journey that is still ongoing. I was wondering what people out there who are the celiac in the family, esp. if you are one of the heads of the household but not necessisarily so, do to cope. I thought I would share some of my strategy.

I no longer make pizza crust from scratch (with wheat flour) - I buy pizza shells and go from there.

I do make cookies...carefully. I make muffins too but from mixes instead of from scratch.

I use sweet rice flour to make sauces, along with Glutino mushroom soup mix or gluten-free boullion.

I threw out our breadmaker - too many wheat crumbs everywhere.

I have my own muffin tins, bread tin, cake pan, cutting boards & knives, etc. I have my own gluten free corner in the kitchen, complete with sign to remind folks. I got tired (and literally sick ) of cross contamination.

I bake & package in small bags a lot of gluten free stuff. Even before I never liked bought baking so I do my own.

I travel with a lunch bag that has a shoulder strap...everywhere I go.

My locker at work has a lot of food stored in it (small tuna tins, Mrs. May's snacks, baked Cheetos 100 calorie packs, etc.).

We eat a lot of rice and potatoes and sweet potatoes.

I'm sure there's more but that's all I can think of right now...

[bakingbarb]

You and I are pretty much in the same boat. I don't bake like I used too, homemade pizza crust was a weekly affair at our house. New pans for muffins, breads etc. I use parchment paper if I can.

I don't travel with food only because I haven't smartened up yet! I do have Lara bars with me at all times though BUT if we are going somewhere I eat first.

Rice, potatoes, risotto, corn bread (thank goodness for cornbread).

Sweet rice flour is great for sauces and such.

I enjoy the coconut flour for things like biscuits and want to figure out how to incorporate it more. It adds height and texture to cakes and quick breads which is missing with the gluten free flours. The coconut flour recipes though are too eggy tasting, they are good eating but too eggy. Hence I am trying to use it in other mixed flour recipes.

My family doesn't eat as much breads or pastas as they used to BUT when they eat bread I darn near panic and have to walk away and I don't allow myself to say anything. I don't get sick from them, I am very cautious and clean very well any surface my food touches. But it still makes me want to go into a panic. They are pretty good at cleaning up and thankfully they don't really cook, just make toast or a sandwich. They try but I can panic at the drop of a crumb.

[ShayFL]

I got a new kitchen at the same time Dx. So it is 100% gluten free. I got lucky here.

My family DH and DD agreed, no gluten in the house. We set up a "station" in the garage for gluten products. We used the old refridgerator and microwave, toaster and set them up out there with a table. They can then eat outside of the garage in a patio area. It has worked out very well. And I have found that they rarely bother to eat gluten foods anymore. They just eat gluten-free inside.

[Phyllis28]

I only cook gluten free. My son and husband are not gluten free. Gluten bread, muffins, and cookies are bought at the bakery. Gluten pizza comes from the pizza parlor. All gluten products are kept outside the kitchen.

[GlutenGalAZ]

I eat gluten free while my husband does not. We have separate counters in the kitchen. When my parenst come to visit I explain to watch out with containers and hamburger buns etc (they are nice about it but are not use to it so it tends to slip their mind).

In our refridgerator we have separate butter and jam containers (I put a cute sticker on mine or Gluten-free). Our pantry is separate as well, all of his gluten containing foods are on a separate shelf than mine. Then we have shelves are that just normal foods that we can both have that don't contain gluten.

I recently tried Gluten Free Pantry French Bread/Pizza for pizza crust it is very good -- makes two big pizzas (even my husband likes it which is great). We eat gluten free dinners and sometime fend for yourself night where we each make what we want and eat together still.

Have you looked into your beauty products, shampoos, lotions, soaps, house cleaners etc? Even dog food -- a lot of dog food has wheat in it and you can CC from that.

There could be something that you are eating that you cannot tolerate. It took me a while to figure out that tapioca starch/flour bothered me.

GOOD LUCK

[missy'smom]

Baking used to be my hobby that I loved but I gave it up completely. I gave away some old pans and kept others. My son eats gluten-free snacks with me and lots of fruit based snacks and desserts. I make all meals gluten-free. We don't have toast at breakfast and my husband doesn't like pancakes so Ds and I eat gluten-free pancakes and very occasionally waffles. We have alot of hash browns and other potatoes for the a.m. My son and husband occasionally have bread or noodles and only very occasionally order a pizza for them. We eat alot of rice. All my cast iron is dedicated gluten-free. All my steel pans are gluten or gluten-free OK. We have one gluten-free and one gluten only non-stick pans. Separate strainers for gluten and gluten-free. Gluten toaster is on the small separate counter-top on the other side of the kitchen. I take my food(bentos) everywhere-church potlucks and bible study dinners etc. If we go somewhere a few hrs. away for the whole day, I'll eat breakfast before we leave, bring a meal and eat the third one out. I've brought meals into a restaurant several times when we've been away from our home area and my family or friends ordered off the menu and had no problems, just told the server I have multiple allergies. I make non-sandwich based school lunches for my son so always have a stash of main-dishes in the freezer that don't need to be warmed up before eating(I defrost and warm up before going and cool down before putting the lid on) in case I need a meal to go.

[bakingbarb]

I take my food(bentos) everywhere-church potlucks and bible study dinners etc.

What are bentos?

[missy'smom]

What are bentos?

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