What Is With People?

[Lexi]

So, I just have to vent for a minute. I went to my in laws for Easter, and there were a lot of my husband's family members there. They all know that I have Celiac Disease (and other food allergies). I usually bring some of my own food to make it easier on everyone. I always bring my own dessert because I KNOW it is safe. Anyway, as soon as I get it out of my bag, everyone starts gathering around me to see what I am eating, and they have to ask 20 questions about it. Also, I feel like everyone is watching me to see what I am going to put on my plate. If I don't take something, they always say "oh, that should be ok for you to eat" because everyone thinks if it doesn't specifically say wheat, then it is ok. It's really getting old!!!!! I'm so tired of explaining it, so I usually just don't say anything - but it's hard to hold my tongue at times. I saw a cute t-shirt online, and I sware I am going to wear it to the next family gathering. It says "Kiss My Gluten Free Ass" - funny!

[tarnalberry]

they're probably trying to not leave you out, and your food might look really good!

reminds me of this weekend - I made breakfast (eight strawberries and two bananas, chopped up, a handful of chopped pecans, handful of chopped walnuts, and a bit of shredded coconut. all topped with hemp milk. quite tasty. my husband - in a friendly tease, not mean spirited at all, called it "freaky hippie granola". )

[samcarter]

I know what you mean. We were supposed to go to my inlaws' this weekend, for Easter dinner. DH had already told them that we were bringing the ham, because he knows that gluten can hide in seasonings, and I know what to look for.

So my MIL calls me back when DH is at work and says "I was hoping to talk you out of bringing the ham." I told her, very sweetly, that i wouldn't DREAM of asking her to spend extra time in the grocery store reading labels and worrying about whether the company used gluten in the glaze, and that it would make me feel ever so much better about imposing on her with our company if we brought the ham.

She also always asks, about a billion times, "You're bringing your own bread, right?" I haven't bothered with gluten free bread in a while. The only good tasting ones are the ones I bake, but it takes for-freaking-ever. I'd rather just use gluten free crackers or tortilla chips honestly. Which I do, which irks her, for some reason, because while everyone else is eating a sandwich for lunch I'm eating tuna salad with tortilla chips. Whatever.

I think she thinks it's like a wheat allergy--my SIL has that--where they just avoid wheat, not barley or other things. Oy.

[bigbird16]

I like to think it's jealousy, because dang my gluten-free food looks and tastes good!

Love the shirt!

[SGWhiskers]

Around my family, the meal inspection and food questions are out of curiosity and conversation. They are curious about what I can and can't eat just like I ask a friend about their new "Raw" diet, or vegetarian dish. (Not that ours is the same thing). It is just different from what I'm used to and I'm curious and fishing for ideas. It is like asking a single friend about her weekend out. Just trying to imagine spicing up my world.

Of course I also get the occassional "I don't know how you do it," but that seems more of a way to end the food conversation than a dig.

[Wenmin]

I have the same issues, but at work! We get a 20 minute lunch period and I always tend to pack leftovers from the night before in microwavable containers. My colleagues tend to eat those pre-prepared boxed lunches (Healthy Choice, Lean Cuisine, etc). I never ate those when I wasn't eating gluten free. YUK!

Everyday one colleague in particular oogles over my lunch, saying I want what she's having. She even told me she jokingly told her husband that if she wins the lottery, she wants to hire me to cook full time for her family.......Just what I would want to do. I love to cook when I have time....

Consider yourself lucky to have something they all are drooling over!!!

Love the shirt idea.

[Lexi]

I could definitely relate to what you were all saying. I don't know why it bothers me so much. I do know that people are curious about the foods I eat. But when I do bring a gluten free dessert to a get together, very few people eat it, and there are always jokes made about it (that's just the way my family is). They would much rather have the gluten filled cake or pie. Ever since the Celiac Disease Diagnosis, I tend to get a lot of anxiety at all social functions. To tell you the truth, I would rather just avoid them. However, I have a lot of family members that live near me, and I have to do it for my 3 kids. I think I would be such a loner if I didn't have children.

[mysecretcurse]

That is very strange indeed. I don't know, this doesn't really happen to me. Usually my family makes food I can eat and they understand my disease, because I spent plenty of time educating them lol. Also, I want that shirt! Where did you see it?

[julirama723]

My co-workers always stare and some always have to ask me "what are you eating today?" which for some reason, annoys the hell out of me, I think because it's a stupid question. If I'm sitting there eating a grilled chicken breast and green beans, isn't it *obvious* what I'm eating? It has nothing to do with being gluten-free.

I've never had complaints about my gluten-free foods brought to share with others. In fact, they always receive rave reviews! Of course, I don't eat "imposter" food (like gluten-free bread or crackers) but will make gluten-free desserts that everybody absolutely LOVES! My food is also dairy-free, but everybody loves the fact that I use coconut oil or ghee, because it tastes so darn good! My husband and I even have friends who love coming over for dinner because of our "gourmet cooking!"

[samcarter]

I've thought about this a bit more, and I'm convinced people are so darn curious about what we're eating because gluten is so prominent in the average Western diet. Bread, pasta, cookies, cake....most people can't even contemplate eating a gluten free diet, so they wonder what's left. That's what my elderly neighbor said, when I told her I had celiac.

"What's LEFT for you to eat?" she wailed on my behalf.

Her husband said, "Dang, she can eat meat, fruits, vegetables, I guess whatever ain't baked in an oven!" I had to laugh.

[Sweetfudge]

I've thought about this a bit more, and I'm convinced people are so darn curious about what we're eating because gluten is so prominent in the average Western diet.

I think this is probably close to the truth. I get annoyed by my inlaws and family gatherings, but I've learned not to let it bother me (as much...). They all know I'm only going to eat what I feel safe eating, and I'll provide myself with enough to eat.

My dad was teasing me last time I was in town. I had made some cookies to put out on the coffee table, and after my family devoured them, my dad said "You know, I used to feel sorry for you having to be on this diet. But it just forced you to become an amazing cook! I don't feel that sorry for you anymore."

I think if you could find a recipe to master, something that tasted as good as "the real thing" that might be an option, if you WANT to bring something to share w/ the fam. I usually will ask whoever is hosting what desserts they already have planned, so I make something that's not already there.

Hang in there

[sneezydiva]

I think a huge part of it is curiousity, especially if you've been gluten-free for awhile, and your health has obviously improved. It makes other people ask themselves if they could do what you're doing, and whether it would make them feel better. And pointing out other foods you can eat, it's more of a question for themselves, "Is that allowed?" I'm starting to see this with my inlaws, who have always been very supportive because my MIL has migraines triggered by certain foods. I think my MIL is on the cusp of trying to go gluten-free for herself, which IMHO, she should. I believe she does have gluten issues and possible celiac.

[heathen]

Instead of seeing it as a swarming, you could see it as an opportunity to educate more people about what Celiac REALLY is. The same thing happens to me constantly--and letting my colleagues know that I'm ok with their asking questions has paid off. Another women in my class has been recently diagnosed, and she knew that she could ask me for help. We spent an afternoon after class at the local health food store going over what foods were good, etc.

yes, it's annoying to be the "freak show" at family events, but it's human nature to be curious about things that are different.

[thleensd]

Yeah, as much as I like to be the center of attention I'm getting really tired of saying the word "gluten"...So while I contemplate my endless patience in educating the world about gluten and cross contamination and reaffirm the importance of talking to the world about what I CAN eat, I'll vent, too.

I went to a memorial service yesterday, and all that my friends wanted to talk about was gluten. Seriously! Um.... gals.... um.... yeah, see the flowers and the pictures up there? Are we really going to have this conversation for an hour right now?

So, I just have to vent for a minute. I went to my in laws for Easter, and there were a lot of my husband's family members there. They all know that I have Celiac Disease (and other food allergies). I usually bring some of my own food to make it easier on everyone. I always bring my own dessert because I KNOW it is safe. Anyway, as soon as I get it out of my bag, everyone starts gathering around me to see what I am eating, and they have to ask 20 questions about it. Also, I feel like everyone is watching me to see what I am going to put on my plate. If I don't take something, they always say "oh, that should be ok for you to eat" because everyone thinks if it doesn't specifically say wheat, then it is ok. It's really getting old!!!!! I'm so tired of explaining it, so I usually just don't say anything - but it's hard to hold my tongue at times. I saw a cute t-shirt online, and I sware I am going to wear it to the next family gathering. It says "Kiss My Gluten Free Ass" - funny!

[mysecretcurse]

I went to a memorial service yesterday, and all that my friends wanted to talk about was gluten. Seriously! Um.... gals.... um.... yeah, see the flowers and the pictures up there? Are we really going to have this conversation for an hour right now?

I could definitely see how that could get annoying, but it's also sorta cool that people are wanting to know about it! No one asks me about it.