The Gluten-free Kitchen

[Hummingbird4]

In an effort to become gluten-free and avoid cross-contamination, I spent all day Tuesday and part of Wednesday of this week "decontaminating" my kitchen. I cleaned out the pantry; got rid of porous & scratched kitchenware; cleaned out the silverware tray; washed pretty much everything; wiped down all my shelving, cupboard doors, knobs, etc. Including the fridge. And I got rid of everything containing gluten.

Today at work I mentioned this, and one of my co-workers said she didn't think it was fair to make the rest of my family "suffer" because I can't eat gluten. I responded by saying there is plenty they can eat at home, I make great meals, they can eat anything they want outside the home. By the way, I have a husband and two teenagers (one of whom is leaving for college in 4 weeks).

This comment got under my skin, though. Am I being unfair to my family?

[Juliebove]

My kitchen is mostly gluten free. My daughter is the only one who can't have gluten.

I buy gluten-free pasta and canned goods. I do buy bread and crackers for myself and my husband. I keep them in one corner of the kitchen and we have a dedicated toaster. Husband is the only one who eats butter so I don't have to worry about CC there.

Daughter has her own little fridge and has her own of anything that might get CC. Like hummus, salad dressing, mustard, etc. She also has lunch meats and safe snacks in there.

I do buy pre-made sandwiches for husband on occasion, or other pre-made gluten containing things. Like meatloaf. They always go into the big fridge.

[ravenwoodglass]

No. As you said they can eat gluten outside the house and it is not like you are going to starve them. Many folks just can not imagine not eating gluteny and overprocessed foods, even some doctors consider it a horrible fate. Your family is going to be eating much healthier in general now.

[Fiddle-Faddle]

So she thinks you are denying them great things because gluteny and processed (i.e., unhealthy--can't even quibble on that one) foods aren't allowed?

Hmmm. Let's weigh this out.

Your family has to eat healthier food at home that does not risk causing you SEVERE health problems. They can,however, eat whatever they like outside the home, whereas you probably can't find anything safe for you to eat outside the home.

In the meantime, I assume you are happy to make or bake whatever they want, as long as it's gluten free, as in pies, cookies, cakes, breads, pancakes, muffins, etc, so it's not like they are deprived of anything.

If anyone at work had a severe peanut allergy, or had a child with a severe peanut allergy, would they even consider asking the same question?

[msmini14]

I agree with the other posts, they can eat anything, anywhere, any time they want. Maybe create a space for them to keep their gluten products. At this point I live with people who consume gluten so all of my tupperware, etc is in a storage container. Keeps everything clean lol.

Dont feel bad, you are trying to protect yourself. Like others said your family is not starving, they will survive. Your co-worker probably does not understand what Celiac is. I recently bought the cheap ground turkey instead of Jenni-o, well I am paying for it now.

Normal people will not ever understand what you are going through. I have made little pamphlets so people will stop telling me to go ahead and eat a dognut, it wont hurt you =P

Goodluck! Stay gluten-free!!!! =)

[happygirl]

Is it fair that you have Celiac? No.

Is it fair that you are taking the best method for you and your family, so that you can regain your health? Yes.

[CCR]

This is a very interesting topic for me. I am wrestling with the same dilemma. I have celiac and one of my three kids just had a biopsy done this week so we are waiting to see the results. So far, with it just being me, I am making all the dinners gluten-free but my kitchen is still full of gluten. I think I may take the entire kitchen gluten-free if my son turns out to have celiac, too. But I've read that it's good to teach celiac kids how to make good choices, even in their own homes.

I'm not sure what will happen but I know I'd be pretty annoyed if an acquaintance who knew nothing about it cared to criticize my decision! We all have to do what is best for us and our own situation. That's the bottom line. I wish you more patience in dealing with your colleague than I would have!

[GlutenGalAZ]

I don't think you are being mean or whatever having your kitchen gluten free. Your family can still get their gluten outside of the house so not biggie.

In our house it is just my husband and two dogs. I have no idea what we will do if we decide to have kids. For the time being though we each use a separate counter away from the other person's to prepare any foods and keep the counters clean afterwards. I have my butter/jam containers labeled with a sticker or "Gluten-free". We have shelves in the pantry where his gluten foods are on certain shelves and then my gluten free foods are on other shelves then shelves that we share. We really don't have that many things in our house that have gluten in them. My husband does not bake so there are no flours (which is really nice) and if he gets bread occasionally it is on his counter away from everything. Pretty much all of our dinners are gluten free other then fend for yourself night haha... Breakfast and lunch we each make what we want. We only cook gluten free noodles which my husband and my parents (when they come to visit) like more than gluten pasta which is really neat.

Good Luck and don't let other peoples comments get to you....

I can see though why that would bother you. Unless they understand the situation then others who eat gluten don't really understand

[TrillumHunter]

We've had nothing but good come of the family going gluten-free. My husband hasn't had a migraine in months and we all eat much healthier without Cheez Its around.

I don't get the "suffer" bit. The kids who are going to bed tonight without ANY food are suffering. Those of us doing without crackers.....not so much.

[Phyllis28]

A gluten free household is best. You have your families support, go for it.

I have a gluten limited household - bread, hot dog buns and cereal are pretty much the only gluten in the household. All gluten is kept outside the kitchen in what I call a "Sandwich Making Center". It consists of small microwave, an apartment and a large kitchen cart with cabinets. Everything needed to make gluten meals is kept hear not in the kitchen.

[Jestgar]

Are you mean for making them eat vegetables?

Are you mean for giving them a functioning mom?

It seems to me, if you're the one cooking, you have final say about what goes on in the kitchen.

[gpierre]

I think it is unfair to accuse you of "hurting" your family. That is simply not true!

[darlindeb25]

Yup, I agree with everyone. There are always going to be people who can not fathom what we live through. If only they could walk a mile in our shoes, then they open their eyes.

I work in a small office, there is the doctor, the optician, three optometric assistants, and an insurance person. Our insurance person is lactose intolerant, at one time was tested for celiac disease, and she does understand. The others just can not grasp what gluten free means. They will decide to have crackers and cheese, maybe with an apple cut up. They can't understand why I will not eat with them. The last time they did this, they couldn't understand why I wouldn't eat with them. One says to me, "Well, take the knife and cut yourself some cheese form the opposite end of the cheese. They just do not understand they can not handle the cheese AND crackers without CC. They will never understand.

Just as your co-worker will never understand. Does your family complain? I doubt it. They know they can eat anything they want away from home, and who can turn down good food at home. There is so much you can eat without gluten, well, if you are not intolerant of so much like me. My sister has to remind her family to leave something for her at times...they love her gluten-free desserts and such. You are keeping your family healthy, nothing wrong with that, nothing at all!!!

[debmidge]

In an effort to become gluten-free and avoid cross-contamination, I spent all day Tuesday and part of Wednesday of this week "decontaminating" my kitchen. I cleaned out the pantry; got rid of porous & scratched kitchenware; cleaned out the silverware tray; washed pretty much everything; wiped down all my shelving, cupboard doors, knobs, etc. Including the fridge. And I got rid of everything containing gluten.

Today at work I mentioned this, and one of my co-workers said she didn't think it was fair to make the rest of my family "suffer" because I can't eat gluten. I responded by saying there is plenty they can eat at home, I make great meals, they can eat anything they want outside the home. By the way, I have a husband and two teenagers (one of whom is leaving for college in 4 weeks).

This comment got under my skin, though. Am I being unfair to my family?

I am answering as the nonceliac in our household of 2 :

I made a pact with my husband

1) no wheat flour in the house (I no longer bake with gluten flours) - this was the biggest change for me and the most difficult to handle as I used to bake a lot. With gluten free, it's just not the same anymore. I had to give my great electric spritz cookie maker and other great cake pans (my Wiltons too).

2) I have my own gluten skillet and pot and strainer and utensils if I make something for myself - like wheat egg noodles or French toast made of regular gluten bread

3) I have my own gluten toaster

4) It is ok for me to bring gluten take out home and eat it and store the leftovers in the fridge

5) I have a loaf of whole wheat bread which I make my lunches from - it's kept isolated from anything else in kitchen in its plastic wrapper

6) Any condiments wherein I dip a gluteny utensil is my condiment - not to be used by my husband and vice versa

7) the bread machine is 100% used for gluten-free bread

This being said I feel that as a family you should have a meeting and outline what is Ok and what is not Ok...this way everyone knows what is expected out of them. This is how you will be fair to them. Talk about the new rules and agree on "fair" and realistic compromises. Once the non celiacs are part of the conversation about how to tackle the problem they'll be more likely to keep with the program.

People over all are so used to having whatever they want whenever they want they cannot understand when there are food limitations until it happens to them. I have to admit that years ago I did not understand either. But then I saw the light!

[Amyleigh0007]

Your co-workers comment was rude. My house is gluten free and my family is not suffering. It's so much easier not to have to worry about CC. Plus, I only have to make one dinner. We are even raising our 11 month old daughter on gluten free food. We are eating so much healthier now, many more fruits and veggies and whole food. My son doesn't have to ask me if he can eat certain things. He knows he can eat whatever he wants at home. The transition at first is rough but it is so worth it. Good luck!

[missy'smom]

I am answering as the nonceliac in our household of 2 :

I made a pact with my husband

1) no wheat flour in the house (I no longer bake with gluten flours) - this was the biggest change for me and the most difficult to handle as I used to bake a lot. With gluten free, it's just not the same anymore. I had to give my great electric spritz cookie maker and other great cake pans (my Wiltons too).

2) I have my own gluten skillet and pot and strainer and utensils if I make something for myself - like wheat egg noodles or French toast made of regular gluten bread

3) I have my own gluten toaster

4) It is ok for me to bring gluten take out home and eat it and store the leftovers in the fridge

5) I have a loaf of whole wheat bread which I make my lunches from - it's kept isolated from anything else in kitchen in its plastic wrapper

6) Any condiments wherein I dip a gluteny utensil is my condiment - not to be used by my husband and vice versa

7) the bread machine is 100% used for gluten-free bread

This being said I feel that as a family you should have a meeting and outline what is Ok and what is not Ok...this way everyone knows what is expected out of them. This is how you will be fair to them. Talk about the new rules and agree on "fair" and realistic compromises. Once the non celiacs are part of the conversation about how to tackle the problem they'll be more likely to keep with the program.

People over all are so used to having whatever they want whenever they want they cannot understand when there are food limitations until it happens to them. I have to admit that years ago I did not understand either. But then I saw the light!

I am the Celiac in a household of 2 parents and 1 kid.

Deb covered everything I would say. Her pact is how it is in our household. Just to emphasize what Deb said there are many cultures where people eat simple repetitive meals day in and day out, with slight variation. Many of our friends and neighbors and acquaintances from other countries eat this way. Indeed, it's how many stay healthy and save money in order to build new lives for their family in this country. We've gotten so(too) used to having whatever we want, whenever we want in this country.

[dadoffiveboys]

I'm in a household of 7 - my wife - the non-celiac, myself and the 5 boys. Whatever genes I have seem to have transmitted 100% to ALL of the boys as all of them cannot have gluten. My wife and ONE of the boys can have casein - the other 3 clearly cannot as well as myself. Our kitchen is Gluten-free Casein-free. My wife has her own bread she buys. My wife and son drink regular milk, use regular butter and have regular ice cream. The rest of use drink soy milk and have soy ice cream. She does all the cooking and cooks w/o soy, milk or butter most of the time and just uses butter substitutes which is mainly oil. She makes Pamela's bread mix the same way using soy milk, eggs and butter substitute. We eats lots of fruits and vegetables and I'm getting so much healthier all the time.

I definitely think keeping the kitchen gluten-free is a must. Anytime there is cross contamination I get sick - and when I get sick she ends up doing more work in the house as I get almost instant fatigue. My wife goes out with her girlfriends and gets her gluteny fill when necessary. It's obvious she doesn't have a gluten problem because even eating gluten her health is perfect and she doesn't suffer ill effects. Since I went Gluten-free Casein-free I feel like she does and she's happier with me feeling better. It would be kinda dumb for a family to not want the rest of their family to feel as good and healthy as they are... it makes your whole family sad.

So is it fair? It's MORE than fair - it makes everyone happy. The gluteny people can get used to it but I guarantee it's better to have a healthy family than a sick family - it's also cheaper in the long run because medicine bills were much higher than the food bills for gluten-free items!

[Cynbd]

I am speechless... I realize it is difficult for others to really grasp the sacrifice we make for our health and all we MUST give up -- which is everything we used to enjoy.

My house is a gluten free house, and my family is fine with it. They watched me suffer for years before I gave up gluten and they understand the impact gluten has had on my life. It isn't even a question for them. They are welcome to eat anywhere, anytime they want and consume all the gluten they want outside the home. I do not have that luxury or convenience -- ever.

Is that fair? What are the options? Well, we all know the answer to that one!

People... sometimes they just don't get it, bless their little hearts.

My family knows that I would not have never given up birthday cake if I didn't have too = So they take this very seriously because they know I have

The only thing that matters is having the support of your family in your own home and having a safe place to eat. That's the least (or maybe the most) we can have! Ever!

Take care

[kbtoyssni]

When you are part of a family, it's not about the individual. It's a give-and-take, creating a safe space for the group as a whole. Your need to be strictly gluten-free carries much more weight than another family member's want to eat gluten bread. Having a gluten-free house may be mildly inconvenient to those family member who don't need to be gluten-free, but having a gluten-free house to keep mom healthy is the overall best decision for the group.

[Green Eyes]

No guilt is the best route.

Each family will be different. I told my family (husband and son) they were on their own!!! If they choose to eat gluten I don't have a problem with it - I'm not cooking/baking it!! WOW, was I surprised at my family. We have all pitched in with the changes!!! The last three nights of meals have been completely gluten free and we loved it!!! My son even told me the cornbread tasted "normal." We are learning...

Jennifer

[Krysta-Rae]

I agree with debmidge.

Er, I'm slightly different from everyone else I guess.

I am in a household of two - my boyfriend & I... (& our fish ).

I am not a Celiac, but I get a really bad reaction to eating wheat products. I must mention that I have been tested for Celiac a couple of times & it's all come back negative - it's a bad reaction to ingesting large amounts of wheat (bread, pasta, pizza, cookies... ), small amounts don

[kbtoyssni]

When I bake, I bake for him with gluten flours & I bake for myself with my gluten free flours. The stuff that he likes baked & the stuff that I liked baked get baked in different pans all of the time (he likes cookies & I like cakes/cupcakes/muffins/quick breads), so CC in baking isn't a HUGE concern for me.

I am cringing a little bit at the thought of trying to keep yourself safe in a kitchen that has wheat flour in it. Especially since celiac is a progressive disease - you may not test positive now, but if you are celiac and continue to damage your intestines this could be very damaging to your health.

[Krysta-Rae]

I am cringing a little bit at the thought of trying to keep yourself safe in a kitchen that has wheat flour in it. Especially since celiac is a progressive disease - you may not test positive now, but if you are celiac and continue to damage your intestines this could be very damaging to your health.

I am 110% aware of this fact, but I just got test results back again yesterday - no damage to my intestines whatsoever, nothing in my blood work. None. I just get a really bad rash when I ingest large amounts of wheat. Until the doctors see damage they said that it is fine for me to bake for my boyfriend with gluten flours.

[neesee]

I don't keep a gluten-free kitchen. My dh has a pretty severe case of type 2 diabetes and all the rice flour products are just not good for his blood sugar. Too refined! I keep a variety of whole grain breads and wraps for him. I love him dearly and I want to keep him for as long as possible.

We do usually have a gluten-free supper with either potoaoes or brown rice, plain meats, veggies, and salad. If he wants,he substitutes a serving of whole grain bread for the rice or potato.

neesee

[gfpaperdoll]

I am 110% aware of this fact, but I just got test results back again yesterday - no damage to my intestines whatsoever, nothing in my blood work. None. I just get a really bad rash when I ingest large amounts of wheat. Until the doctors see damage they said that it is fine for me to bake for my boyfriend with gluten flours.

I wonder if the doctors would tell you the same thing if you were their daughter... Sorry but you got some bad advice from a doctor & you will suffer for it. It might be 20 years from now... Also, you will hold onto the high risk of cancer & other auto-immune illnesses with that small wheat contamination. The tests mean almost nothing. Ask some of us "old" ones that tested "negative" for years... We all have damage that now cannot be reversed & could have been avoided if we had known.