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Wow, People Really Don't Get It...

samcarter

By samcarter
in Coping with Celiac Disease

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samcarter Contributor
samcarter
Posted

So yesterday i took my kids with me to visit our neighbors (elderly, husband has MS and doesn't get out much, sweet, adorable people we love). The wife is always offering me something to eat--usually cookies or quick bread or something. They asked how I was doing and I just said I hadn't been feeling well lately, but had stopped eating wheat and noticed a big change, and that my doctor was okay with it (he did say that if it made me sick, to not eat it).

The husband seemed to understand, but the wife...well. She knows I love to bake and said, "Oh, that means you can't eat your own bread!" She then went on to advise, "I get this flour at the store, it's called "bread flour" and I bet you could use that, it's not wheat flour." I told her that all flour, unless it says otherwise, is made from wheat. She said, "really?" :o

Later she asked, "What about cookies, you can have cookies, right?" I said, no, not if they were made with flour.

Then she brought out a box of cranberry quick-bread mix (I think Krust-ease or something) and said, "Here, read the label, see if there's anything you can't have." I took it and pointed out, "Wheat flour, first ingredient."

Meanwhile her husband was just shaking his head in disbelief. :lol: She's not unintelligent, it's just I think honestly the general public doesn't understand that wheat is in practically everything. And it's not "Whole wheat" that's the problem (that's what she thought about the bread flour issue). There's just not anything out there that the average person hears about gluten intolerance or celiac.

She did also ask, "Well, just a little bit won't hurt you, right?" Her husband said, "Hey, if she's feeling good without it, she don't need to eat it!" :D

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  • Replies 76
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ShayFL Enthusiast
ShayFL
Posted

Guests brought Semolina to our house when I said please just bring yourselves or if you must some wine. They thought Semolina was gluten free. :huh:

Takala Enthusiast
Takala
Posted

LOL !

I just assume they don't get it at all,, and will probably miss the meaning of what I said the first time, then I can be totally delighted if and when I run into somebody who does get it.

You can always bring some of your baked goods or a box of prepackaged gluten free cookies with you, if you want to share something.

cruelshoes Enthusiast
cruelshoes
Posted

The one that always makes me chuckle is "I don't like wheat bread either. You can eat white bread, right?" As if it is not made of wheat flour, it's made of some other mystery grain called "white." Other favorites include:

"Soy sauce can NOT have wheat in it."

"But this cereal is made of rice. See - RICE Krispies!!!"

"Just peel the cheese off and eat it."

samcarter Contributor
samcarter
Posted
  • Author
LOL !

I just assume they don't get it at all,, and will probably miss the meaning of what I said the first time, then I can be totally delighted if and when I run into somebody who does get it.

You can always bring some of your baked goods or a box of prepackaged gluten free cookies with you, if you want to share something.

Oh, I know. Plus celiac is new to the public, as far as awareness, and their generation (born during the Depression) is not as aware of it. My friend just loves to feed people; it's kind of how she shows love. If I give them something i've made, she feels she needs to reciprocate. She *always* has treats for the kids when they go over there, too.

gfp Enthusiast
gfp
Posted
Oh, I know. Plus celiac is new to the public, as far as awareness, and their generation (born during the Depression) is not as aware of it. My friend just loves to feed people; it's kind of how she shows love. If I give them something i've made, she feels she needs to reciprocate. She *always* has treats for the kids when they go over there, too.

The problem is not even related to gluten,

The problem is that people eat things they have no idea of the ingredients...

Personally I find it incredible that anyone would not realise how to make spaghetti or bread or cookies..

Yet there are (presumably) intelligent people out there (with medical degrees) who just stick anything in their mouth without even caring how its made ....

Beats me but ... I think the generation from the depression were probably the first generation to start this?

samcarter Contributor
samcarter
Posted
  • Author
The problem is not even related to gluten,

The problem is that people eat things they have no idea of the ingredients...

Personally I find it incredible that anyone would not realise how to make spaghetti or bread or cookies..

Yet there are (presumably) intelligent people out there (with medical degrees) who just stick anything in their mouth without even caring how its made ....

Beats me but ... I think the generation from the depression were probably the first generation to start this?

I think that after WWII, packaged foods just took off in popularity, you had more working moms, and packaged and convenient foods (like mixes) were seen as a huge help to the homemaker and family in general. And back then, there was more trust of the food companies. (Ironically, since the Pure Food and Drug Act was only signed into law back in the 20s, I believe). People started buying by brand. And after years of cooking from scratch and spending hours in the kitchen, moms welcomed easy-to-make foods like Hamburger Helper and cakes from a box.

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gfp Enthusiast
gfp
Posted
I think that after WWII, packaged foods just took off in popularity, you had more working moms, and packaged and convenient foods (like mixes) were seen as a huge help to the homemaker and family in general. And back then, there was more trust of the food companies. (Ironically, since the Pure Food and Drug Act was only signed into law back in the 20s, I believe). People started buying by brand. And after years of cooking from scratch and spending hours in the kitchen, moms welcomed easy-to-make foods like Hamburger Helper and cakes from a box.

Sam, these are my thoughts....

Here in the UK it was a little different because of the rationing during WWII. For distribution reasons etc. many people became accustomed to packaged/tinned etc.

It mainly amazes me that people are simply not interested in what they put into their bodies.. to the degree they don't know how spagetti is made or what the basic raw ingredients are for many dishes.

I'm not even talking about additives here, just the basic raw ingredients in traditional foods.

ShayFL Enthusiast
ShayFL
Posted

This experience has been great for my 12 y.o. daughter, because it has taught her to be so much more aware of ingredients and what she is putting into her body. I maintain a gluten-free house. My DH and DD can eat gluten foods outside only. And the other day, DD said, "Mom, I have to drink my blueberry tea on the porch because I read it and it has barley extract". She was looking out for me. I was so proud.

So even if everyone else doesnt get it.....the people I love the most do. :)

JNBunnie1 Community Regular
JNBunnie1
Posted
This experience has been great for my 12 y.o. daughter, because it has taught her to be so much more aware of ingredients and what she is putting into her body. I maintain a gluten-free house. My DH and DD can eat gluten foods outside only. And the other day, DD said, "Mom, I have to drink my blueberry tea on the porch because I read it and it has barley extract". She was looking out for me. I was so proud.

So even if everyone else doesnt get it.....the people I love the most do. :)

That's so sweet!

aprilc Newbie
aprilc
Posted

OMG i know.. my best friend the other day is eating cake and she says..can you have a bite of this.. I say, no it has wheat..do people really not think uuuugh..

im told that shelley case will be on oprah soon to talk about it..i dont know if uve heard of her but she has a great book. the gluten free diet..

So yesterday i took my kids with me to visit our neighbors (elderly, husband has MS and doesn't get out much, sweet, adorable people we love). The wife is always offering me something to eat--usually cookies or quick bread or something. They asked how I was doing and I just said I hadn't been feeling well lately, but had stopped eating wheat and noticed a big change, and that my doctor was okay with it (he did say that if it made me sick, to not eat it).

The husband seemed to understand, but the wife...well. She knows I love to bake and said, "Oh, that means you can't eat your own bread!" She then went on to advise, "I get this flour at the store, it's called "bread flour" and I bet you could use that, it's not wheat flour." I told her that all flour, unless it says otherwise, is made from wheat. She said, "really?" :o

Later she asked, "What about cookies, you can have cookies, right?" I said, no, not if they were made with flour.

Then she brought out a box of cranberry quick-bread mix (I think Krust-ease or something) and said, "Here, read the label, see if there's anything you can't have." I took it and pointed out, "Wheat flour, first ingredient."

Meanwhile her husband was just shaking his head in disbelief. :lol: She's not unintelligent, it's just I think honestly the general public doesn't understand that wheat is in practically everything. And it's not "Whole wheat" that's the problem (that's what she thought about the bread flour issue). There's just not anything out there that the average person hears about gluten intolerance or celiac.

She did also ask, "Well, just a little bit won't hurt you, right?" Her husband said, "Hey, if she's feeling good without it, she don't need to eat it!" :D

Katsby Apprentice
Katsby
Posted

I know a lady who asked me when I told her I could no longer eat wheat:

"Can you eat white bread?"

Me: "No."

Them: "What? It has wheat in it?"

I think honestly some people think wheat is only in "whole wheat" products. I don't expect people to know what gluten is. Heck I didn't know what it was. Still I was kind of stunned silent when she asked me this about basic bread.

BallardWA Rookie
BallardWA
Posted

My personal favorites are "Just eat around it" or "C'mon, a little won't hurt!"

frec Contributor
frec
Posted

But you can eat pasta, right?

Juliebove Rising Star
Juliebove
Posted

Twice at two different restaurants I asked, "Are the pork chops breaded? Or plain?" I was told they were not breaded and then they arrived with breading on them. The first time I was told it wasn't with wheat. Just a little bit of flour. Then second time I was told it was just grill seasoning. Whatever that is. But it obviously contained flour.

More recently, the problem was something to put the remains of daughter's special birthday cake in. For some reason it was hugely tall and wouldn't fit in the boxes they had at the bakery. I think they accidentally put on another layer or something. By the time my mom got it home, the box was fairly well destroyed.

Husband suggested putting it in the box that the regular cake had come in. It contained not only gluten but eggs and dairy and daughter is allergic to all. I pointed out that we couldn't do that. And he said, "Why not? The other cake isn't in there NOW!"

Some of my family members also think it is funny to poke fun at cross contamination. They say things like, "What if the clerk touched some gluten two years ago?"

Katsby Apprentice
Katsby
Posted
But you can eat pasta, right?

Oh ya I've gotten that one too recently.

darlindeb25 Collaborator
darlindeb25
Posted

I've told this before, but it's been a while now. At work, I just can't make them understand. One lady was sitting at my desk eating french bread. I asked her to leave my desk, "Why, I'm not dropping anything?" I told her you can't eat bread without dropping crumbs, especially french bread, besides the fact, while eating it she was touching my calculator, my phone, my desk, my pens...everything. She put the bread away, I walked away to get some toweling and cleaner for my desk, came back and she was eating it again.

Often times they will have crackers, apples, and cheese. They get upset with me because I will not eat with them. I do not feel safe, the CC issue is always there with them.

Some people will understand in time, some will never get it!!!

gfp Enthusiast
gfp
Posted
Some of my family members also think it is funny to poke fun at cross contamination. They say things like, "What if the clerk touched some gluten two years ago?"

Sometimes I wish poisoning was not such a serious felony!

(except the apparent case of gluten!!!! which can be done with complete immunity)

There are times I would just love to load up someones food with laxative!!!

Lets do a quick straw poll.....

Who would load up a meal with laxative and eat their fair share ... just so the others would actually get it?

samcarter Contributor
samcarter
Posted
  • Author

And now I am really dreading the neighborhood block party tonight. There will be food I cannot eat, so I will just eat a Larabar or something and drink my water while peope say, "Haven't you tried the pasta salad yet?" or "Do you want one of these brownies?"

We're supposed to bring a dessert; my husband will just pick something up at the store, because I cannot be bothered to bake something I'm not eating! :P

ravenwoodglass Mentor
ravenwoodglass
Posted
And now I am really dreading the neighborhood block party tonight. There will be food I cannot eat, so I will just eat a Larabar or something and drink my water while peope say, "Haven't you tried the pasta salad yet?" or "Do you want one of these brownies?"

We're supposed to bring a dessert; my husband will just pick something up at the store, because I cannot be bothered to bake something I'm not eating! :P

You won't have time today but you should try some of the Gluten Free Pantries mixes. The chocolate cake is really good, I like to do cupcakes. Pamela's makes a good muffin mix and there are Food's by George brownies that are ready made and all you have to do is defrost. Chances are no one would even know any of these were gluten-free unless you tell them.

You could also throw together a bowl of snack mix with gluten-free pretzels, raisens and nuts and some dried fruit that is for certain gluten-free. You would just need to grab a bag of it yourself before the others dig in.

Jestgar Rising Star
Jestgar
Posted
The problem is not even related to gluten,

The problem is that people eat things they have no idea of the ingredients...

Personally I find it incredible that anyone would not realise how to make spaghetti or bread or cookies..

Yet there are (presumably) intelligent people out there (with medical degrees) who just stick anything in their mouth without even caring how its made ....

Beats me but ... I think the generation from the depression were probably the first generation to start this?

Everyone knows where spaghetti comes from: Open Original Shared Link

Blessings Explorer
Blessings
Posted
Everyone knows where spaghetti comes from: Open Original Shared Link

That's so funny. I almost missed the BBC link.

Thanks for the laugh.

gfp Enthusiast
gfp
Posted
Everyone knows where spaghetti comes from: Open Original Shared Link

Seriously, case in point.....

At least back then spaghetti was considered exotic (honestly....) I think the first time I saw spaghetti was Barbara Streisand cooking it and throwing it on the wall. Well, I'd seen the stuff in the Tin with tomato sauce :D

I know that because of the Italian Immigrants it was more common in the US back then but even so.... this really does show the level of ignorance of people in what they put in their mouths... ??? It really does perplex me....

samcarter Contributor
samcarter
Posted
  • Author

The party was fine. There was a spinach salad that was safe (asked about the ingredients), potato chips and gluten free hot dogs. Of course, my friend asked if I had tried the pasta salad. ;) I just kind of looked at her and she said, "Oh...that's right."

lisaemtp Newbie
lisaemtp
Posted

My boyfriend's mom is so sweet, she tries so hard to make or find things that I can eat - but often gets it wrong. Last Thanksgiving she made an apple pie (one of my FAVORITES pre-dx) and was so pleased that she had a dessert I could eat. I felt bad for bursting her bubble but told her that I couldn't eat it because of the crust and the flour in the filling. She kept grinning though, and said "no, its ok for you to eat - it's ORGANIC!"

I felt bad when I had to explain what organic really meant.

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