Changing From A Shared Kitchen To All Guten Free Kitchen

[Roda]

I've been having some trouble this past month. I am going back to the GI doctor on Wednesday. I'm not sure if I am getting gluten sneaking in from somewhere or I am exploring the possibility I may have a problem with my gallbladder. If the gallbladder turns out to be alright and my problems are from gluten exposure, how do I deal with the gluten eaters in my house. My husband and boys are very supportive. We have compromised and settled on a shared kitchen. He has his own toaster, certain utensils and pans for gluten things and still eats the stuff he and the boys want. All of our shared meals are gluten free with the exception of pasta. So far this has worked for us without any obvious problems. If I need to make the kitchen gluten free, how do I deal with the crackers, bread,cereal etc. that the rest of family eat? I hate to "ban" the stuff, but on the same turn if it is making me sick, I don't want to be miserable. I had thought about putting a dorm size fridge downstairs behind the bar (we don't even use it, we don't drink hardly at all) for his bagles and bread etc. Even setting up a little table for his toaster. I know it would be an inconvenience for him, but I don't know what else to do. I'm not making any decision until I go to the doctor and find out what the problem is. I don't want to impose this on them if I don't have to.

[tmbarke]

I've been having some trouble this past month. I am going back to the GI doctor on Wednesday. I'm not sure if I am getting gluten sneaking in from somewhere or I am exploring the possibility I may have a problem with my gallbladder. If the gallbladder turns out to be alright and my problems are from gluten exposure, how do I deal with the gluten eaters in my house. My husband and boys are very supportive. We have compromised and settled on a shared kitchen. He has his own toaster, certain utensils and pans for gluten things and still eats the stuff he and the boys want. All of our shared meals are gluten free with the exception of pasta. So far this has worked for us without any obvious problems. If I need to make the kitchen gluten free, how do I deal with the crackers, bread,cereal etc. that the rest of family eat? I hate to "ban" the stuff, but on the same turn if it is making me sick, I don't want to be miserable. I had thought about putting a dorm size fridge downstairs behind the bar (we don't even use it, we don't drink hardly at all) for his bagles and bread etc. Even setting up a little table for his toaster. I know it would be an inconvenience for him, but I don't know what else to do. I'm not making any decision until I go to the doctor and find out what the problem is. I don't want to impose this on them if I don't have to.

I can relate to the shared kitchen!

I have very little trust in many things.

I disinfect the counter before I do any food preps.

I found that the milk jug....is used without a glass when I'm not around!

The margarine container can NOT be shared either.

I have never had a problem with sharing gluten-free pasta with the others since no one can tell the difference! It's actually like we're missing NOTHING! I like the Scharrs and just recently used Tinkyada. They both keep their texture quite well.

I have the Hashimoto symptoms too and can tell within about 20 min when my neck feels achy, swollen and twisted...and I get hot flashes too.

Luckily it's never full blown for me unless I eat a big no-no and then I feel like a psycho-biatch-from-Haites and feel the squeeze on the neck and then am in bed with flu-like cramps and body aches.

Do you have milder or not so mild symptoms when you get a CC?

I ended up storing all my foods (leftovers to drygoods) in glass mason jars. That way they know that those jars are OFF LIMITS to anyone but me.

I'm not sure how often you have toast in your toaster, but was wondering if setting yours in a designated place (under lock and key) would also eliminate the possibilities.

Shared jams and anything that a spoon or knife goes into is something I learned the hard way - thats when the jars came in. I buy a new jelly or jam and some goes in a jar for me immediately and set on my side of the fridge...so who would benefit most from the dorm fridge? If everyone spends time down there and snacks, then it's a great idea to have that designated for them.

I hope it's not your gall bladder - but let us know what you do find out.

[YoloGx]

I can relate to the shared kitchen!

I have very little trust in many things.

I disinfect the counter before I do any food preps.

I found that the milk jug....is used without a glass when I'm not around!

The margarine container can NOT be shared either.

I have never had a problem with sharing gluten-free pasta with the others since no one can tell the difference! It's actually like we're missing NOTHING! I like the Scharrs and just recently used Tinkyada. They both keep their texture quite well.

I have the Hashimoto symptoms too and can tell within about 20 min when my neck feels achy, swollen and twisted...and I get hot flashes too.

Luckily it's never full blown for me unless I eat a big no-no and then I feel like a psycho-biatch-from-Haites and feel the squeeze on the neck and then am in bed with flu-like cramps and body aches.

Do you have milder or not so mild symptoms when you get a CC?

I ended up storing all my foods (leftovers to drygoods) in glass mason jars. That way they know that those jars are OFF LIMITS to anyone but me.

I'm not sure how often you have toast in your toaster, but was wondering if setting yours in a designated place (under lock and key) would also eliminate the possibilities.

Shared jams and anything that a spoon or knife goes into is something I learned the hard way - thats when the jars came in. I buy a new jelly or jam and some goes in a jar for me immediately and set on my side of the fridge...so who would benefit most from the dorm fridge? If everyone spends time down there and snacks, then it's a great idea to have that designated for them.

I hope it's not your gall bladder - but let us know what you do find out.

I agree--its almost a no-brainer. I had to be careful of my mom's kitchen upstairs when I lived in Los Gatos--even after she was "mostly" eatting gluten free. Make sure they wash their hands and faces (and your honey his teeth and tongue) and brush off specks from their clothes (all those crackers and cookies can be messy!)afterward so you don't get CC'd from loving pecks after their gluten fests. Always wash your hands too before you eat since even at that distance specks of gluten (transported by clothing if nothing else) can lurk... It seems nuts but often is actually necessary. Alternatively, maybe convince them to go gluten-free completely, esp. in the house?? Or almost?? So many foods are just as good and certainly are better for anyone than gluten is since no one is able to completely digest it.

Bea

[sandsurfgirl]

I'm cleaning out my kitchen today as a matter of fact. I'm no expert since I'm still new but here are a few things I've done.

I got a bright red toaster (thankfully it matches our decor) and put it on a different counter from their toaster. Their counter is near the sink and that's where they do their food prep if it includes bread or crumbs.My counter with my toaster is by the stove and only gluten free foods are allowed on that counter. This way it's easier to sweep their crumbs into the sink and scrub that counter and I know not to prep any of my food over there or to scrub it like crazy before I do.

I might get them a toaster oven and get rid of their toaster so it's easier to clean. The stupid toaster has just too many crumbs for my comfort and they fly everywhere.

My kids are small and my husband is careful with jar stuff but when the kids are bigger we will definitely separate jars because it's too hard for them to remember.

My family loves Tinkyada pasta so we are doing gluten free pasta. I do all the cooking so it's gluten free for shared meals. The only gluten in our house is their snack foods and their breads.

I got a ton of plastic containers for my gluten free flours, mixes, etc. and even if they are in the package they are in plastic so nobody can accidentally get crumbs in them as they are rifling through cupboards. Plus they will stay fresher longer. I have their snacks in different cupboards but it's just so easy for a half open package of crackers to be put in a cupboard with a half open package of brown rice flour and then the crumbs start flying.

I have not replaced all of my cooking utensils and pots and pans. I just can't afford that right now. I have run it all through the dishwasher and then scrubbed it by hand and hopefully that's good enough.

[Roda]

We only have squirt bottles for condiments and my husband and I have separate butter. We do share peanut butter, but he never double dips. I don't let the kids scoop out of containers. I do wash the counters and stove down. On his side of the counter he does need to be more cautious about cleaning up the crumbs from the toaster. A potential could be the handles from some of the cabinets and fridge but I wash my hands before eating after touching those and the shared condiments. As for sensitivity, I do think I am becoming more sensitive. Just this last halloween I accidently ate three bite size milkyway and had heartburn. I have been feeling pretty good the past couple of days. I wonder if it could have been from repeated exposures. I had some sesmark rice crackers and had heartburn after eating them. They say they were gluten free, but now I'm beginning to wonder. I also went to my inlaws the weekend of January 16th and had issues on that Sat. and Sun. It just may be residual from that. Who knows. I am still going to back to the doctor, since I have been having some other issues too. I am aware of the possibilities that exist in a shared kitchen and feel I take the necessary precautions. I just feel bad for everyone else and don't know how to address this with my family if I have to get more strict. I don't want them to feel like I am punnishing them. The boys will eat gluten free pasta and don't mind it but hubby has to cook it because I've never been able to cook pasta right. Hubby on the other hand does not like it, but would eat it in a pinch. I don't even like gluten free bread so I can't expect the rest to like it either. No one buy myself likes corn tortillias so wraps out of those for them are out. My husband really likes his bagels for breakfast and sandwiches for lunch. He has given up on gluten baked goods at home and eats that stuff outside of the house, but don't think I could get him to give up the cereal and bread at home. I can't blame him for not giving it up if he does not have to cause I probably wouldn't have either. As far as the dorm fridge, it would be a inconvience for him, but it would only be for mornings and lunch. It would let me have a place to keep extra drinks cold though.

[jenngolightly]

In the beginning, we had 1/2 and 1/2 gluten-free and gluten house. As the years have passed, everyone has become mostly gluten-free. We've learned that meals taste just as good when you don't eat gluten foods - the bread has been replaced by other starches. Tinkyada pasta tastes great. Udi's bread is okay for grilled cheese sandwiches. Nobody wants a bun with hamburgers anymore. But it was a slow process.

In the beginning we cut the kitchen in 1/2 and my side had my utensils, cookware, toaster, pots and pans, cutting board, the works! Their side contained the same thing. I made sure and bought my stuff in bright red so it stood out and shouted "I'm gluten-free!" They kept the crumbs on their side of the kitchen - but made sure to clean right away, just in case. Bright, neon "gluten-free" stickers went on all my food - margarine, peanut butter, mayo, jelly, cheese, chips, cereal, hummus, and LEFT OVERS. All left overs are mine because it's so much harder to make meals for me than for them. They can pop a frozen dinner into the microwave (covered, of course, so gluten doesn't splash around) and eat in 5 minutes. It takes me 20-30 minutes for a decent dinner.

Hope this helps.