Jump to content
This site uses cookies. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. More Info... ×
  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.




  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):



    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):


  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Gluten Free Party


lilbit

Recommended Posts

lilbit Apprentice

my husband and I have a group of friends who we go out to dinner with most Friday nights and every couple of months we have a pot luck style party at someone's house. We usually have a theme.

Whe I was diagnosed with Celiac, I was crushed. I forsaw sitting in the car during dinner nights and not eating at all at the parties.

Instead, our friends found local restuants that could do a gluten free dish or were OK with me bring in my own meal and I have my "freak bag" (a lunch bag filled with gluten free condiments )

They were all pretty curious about the gluten free thing so for our last party, we did a gluten free theme and everyone had to read every single label and call manufacturers before they could put it in the dish.

It was very cool! The people closest to me got a small taste of what a huge change our family has had to make and they got to learn that eating "healthy" does not have mean no flavor! (Plus I got to be a total pig and I didn't get sick from ANYTHING!!)

This ended up a great experience for all of us, and I would highly recommend trying it out.


Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



mbrookes Community Regular

What a great idea! We haven't had a party like that, but I have done two cocktail parties at my house where all the food was gluten free. No one knew a thing! Some close friends did ask "Can you really eat all that?" They were amazed at the variety and fun foods that were gluten free. A real eye opener for some.

I think it is important for us and our friends/family to know we are still more alike than different.

notme Experienced

my husband and I have a group of friends who we go out to dinner with most Friday nights and every couple of months we have a pot luck style party at someone's house. We usually have a theme.

Whe I was diagnosed with Celiac, I was crushed. I forsaw sitting in the car during dinner nights and not eating at all at the parties.

Instead, our friends found local restuants that could do a gluten free dish or were OK with me bring in my own meal and I have my "freak bag" (a lunch bag filled with gluten free condiments )

They were all pretty curious about the gluten free thing so for our last party, we did a gluten free theme and everyone had to read every single label and call manufacturers before they could put it in the dish.

It was very cool! The people closest to me got a small taste of what a huge change our family has had to make and they got to learn that eating "healthy" does not have mean no flavor! (Plus I got to be a total pig and I didn't get sick from ANYTHING!!)

This ended up a great experience for all of us, and I would highly recommend trying it out.

awesome! way to have fun with it! what a great idea :D I have been cooking simple stuff, changing or omitting things from recipes and food remains delicious. more delicious now that I know what *not* to eat. haha but my family is a little wigged about the whole deal. (my husband is fighting me about giving away his soy sauce lol) so when I cook, toward the end of the cooking process, I take a portion out and set it aside. then I 'finish' cooking :) then I freak them all out when I tell them: ''GLUTEN-FREE!!! IN YOUR FACE!!!'' :D:D:D and proceed fix my plate out of the same pot that their food came from :) bwh hahahah!!

Nor-TX Enthusiast

What a great idea! We haven't had a party like that, but I have done two cocktail parties at my house where all the food was gluten free. No one knew a thing! Some close friends did ask "Can you really eat all that?" They were amazed at the variety and fun foods that were gluten free. A real eye opener for some.

I think it is important for us and our friends/family to know we are still more alike than different.

I was really interested in your reply. I would like to plan a cocktail party where all the food would be gluten free but other than Gluteno pretzels I don't have any ideas. Could you give me a menu of what you served? I appreciate this more than you know. For me it is a daily struggle to keep to this diet, and I don't think I could face trying to think of party foods that are gluten-free. Everything I make now is labor intensive...

Thanks for your ideas.

miles2go Contributor

I am blessed by close neighbors with whom we eat at least a couple of times a week. I think it is his uncle who has celiac, so he already knew what was going on and I've been thoroughly impressed ever since the first barbecue when he scrubbed the grill completely. Now when we have people over, there are already four of us that are at the very least gluten-aware, if not completely gluten-free and so the awareness spreads gradually and much more gracefully. Of course we have picky, vegetarian and diabetic friends and family too, so no one is really freaked out about dietary limitations.

It's very copacetic.

bbuster Explorer

I was really interested in your reply. I would like to plan a cocktail party where all the food would be gluten free but other than Gluteno pretzels I don't have any ideas. Could you give me a menu of what you served? I appreciate this more than you know. For me it is a daily struggle to keep to this diet, and I don't think I could face trying to think of party foods that are gluten-free. Everything I make now is labor intensive...

Thanks for your ideas.

I think a Mexican theme would be easy - taquitos, taco bar, chips and salsa, cheese dip, and of course (at my house anyway) margaritas! If you want to cook you could make an enchilada casserole or maybe a crock pot of chili.

vbecton Explorer

I second the Mexican food night! Yum yum! Tacos, tostados, taquitos, enchiladas (tons of variety there!), nachos, quesadillas, salsas, margaritas...Can you tell my favorite food fair?!

2 days ago was my birthday and when I showed up at the gym, my workout mates had made me gluten free cookies, brought in all the ingredients so I could verify and then went into a 5 minute explanation of how they cleaned the kitchen to prep the food, used a one time disposable pan to keep from CC, etc... I nearly cried because the gesture was so dang sweet! It's friends like these (and your dinner party ones) that we should cherish!


Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



Nor-TX Enthusiast

I think a Mexican theme would be easy - taquitos, taco bar, chips and salsa, cheese dip, and of course (at my house anyway) margaritas! If you want to cook you could make an enchilada casserole or maybe a crock pot of chili.

Oh..... Mexican food is definitely not something I could do or would do. Probably the food I least like. I live in Dallas so getting away from Mexican food is hard here. Too many ingredients that I can't have because of GERD, IBS or don't like... tomato salsa, beans, onions, seasonings, hot peppers... just not stuff I eat.

Thanks for the idea though, I appreciate it.

CarolinaKip Community Regular

This post and replies are so sweet and amazing. I'm still dealing with others not understanding the depth of Celiac. Love the Mexican idea!

StacyA Enthusiast

How very sweet of your friends, but I would be leery of something cooked in their kitchens. I have a shared kitchen, but I also have separate margarine tubs, separate spoon rests, separate colanders, and I watch very carefully for bread crumbs that somehow manage to get EVERYWHERE now that I'm more aware. I threw out my sugar and got a new bag because there were times in my pre-celiac days I would measure a cup of flour, wipe off the measuring cup with a paper towel, then dip the measuring cup into the sugar. (I know, you all are cringing...) The last example probably is what I think of most when I worry about other peoples' cooking. Most people are aware that bread crumbs end up in the margarine tub, but what about flour in the sugar from when you made cookies 6 months ago?

I've been glutened by my mother - who has a master's degree and read up on the subject and bought all gluten-free stuff for Christmas dinner. She swears she has no idea how it happened. Maybe it was a bread crumb in the spoon drawer. Who knows.

I was also glutened by a physician friend who at one time forwarded me information on gluten-free medications - I think it was cc on the grill where she was cooking the 'gluten-free' brats.

Don't mean to sound paranoid, just realistic.

miles2go Contributor

How very sweet of your friends, but I would be leery of something cooked in their kitchens. I have a shared kitchen, but I also have separate margarine tubs, separate spoon rests, separate colanders, and I watch very carefully for bread crumbs that somehow manage to get EVERYWHERE now that I'm more aware. I threw out my sugar and got a new bag because there were times in my pre-celiac days I would measure a cup of flour, wipe off the measuring cup with a paper towel, then dip the measuring cup into the sugar. (I know, you all are cringing...) The last example probably is what I think of most when I worry about other peoples' cooking. Most people are aware that bread crumbs end up in the margarine tub, but what about flour in the sugar from when you made cookies 6 months ago?

I've been glutened by my mother - who has a master's degree and read up on the subject and bought all gluten-free stuff for Christmas dinner. She swears she has no idea how it happened. Maybe it was a bread crumb in the spoon drawer. Who knows.

I was also glutened by a physician friend who at one time forwarded me information on gluten-free medications - I think it was cc on the grill where she was cooking the 'gluten-free' brats.

Don't mean to sound paranoid, just realistic.

You do bring up a good point. I have never been glutened by my neighbors, who have family members with celiac, but I have been glutened by our food science department at the university where I work. It is always a gamble, when you aren't processing your own food.

bbuster Explorer

Oh..... Mexican food is definitely not something I could do or would do. Probably the food I least like. I live in Dallas so getting away from Mexican food is hard here. Too many ingredients that I can't have because of GERD, IBS or don't like... tomato salsa, beans, onions, seasonings, hot peppers... just not stuff I eat.

Thanks for the idea though, I appreciate it.

No Mexican food - you're killing me (just kidding!)

OK, some other things we do when we get together with friends

veggie tray and dip

gluten-free chips/dip

mixed nuts

sliced tomatoes, drizzle with balsalmic vinegar, top with fresh basil and sliced mozzarella

never tried it yet, but you can make gluten-free Chex Mix

gluten-free meatballs are easy to make ahead of time - they freeze well also

Lit'l Smokies - in a crockpot with BBQ sauce

Shrimp cocktail

Bacon-wrapped water chestnuts

Mushrooms stuffed with cream cheese and topped with garlic and parmesan - broil to sear the cheese

Slow cooker orange chicken - I made this for dinner recently and everyone loved it - would work as an appetizer also - it's chunks of chicken, rolled in Pamela's Baking mix and pan seared, then you throw in the crockpot and cook with an orange sauce for several hours - quick and easy

I also make a lot of gluten-free pizza - that's a little more involved than the other things

Nor-TX Enthusiast

No Mexican food - you're killing me (just kidding!)

OK, some other things we do when we get together with friends

veggie tray and dip

gluten-free chips/dip

mixed nuts

sliced tomatoes, drizzle with balsalmic vinegar, top with fresh basil and sliced mozzarella

never tried it yet, but you can make gluten-free Chex Mix

gluten-free meatballs are easy to make ahead of time - they freeze well also

Lit'l Smokies - in a crockpot with BBQ sauce

Shrimp cocktail

Bacon-wrapped water chestnuts

Mushrooms stuffed with cream cheese and topped with garlic and parmesan - broil to sear the cheese

Slow cooker orange chicken - I made this for dinner recently and everyone loved it - would work as an appetizer also - it's chunks of chicken, rolled in Pamela's Baking mix and pan seared, then you throw in the crockpot and cook with an orange sauce for several hours - quick and easy

I also make a lot of gluten-free pizza - that's a little more involved than the other things

Great ideas. I think some would work. Thanks so much for your suggestions...

celiac-mommy Collaborator

I'm throwing a garden party this weekend for 30 people and this is my menu (it's a co-birthday party for 1 male and 1 felmale, so the theme is pink and brown--the food, you'll see is either pink or brown):

Thai peanut pasta

Salmon cakes with tarragon dipping sauce

Veggies and hummus

Fruit salad

Shrimp cucumber salad

Meatballs in homemade teriyaki sauce

Pink marshmallow pops

Chocolate muffins

Vanilla cake with raspberry filling

Chocolate pudding dirt cups

Raspberry Lemonade

Iced coffee

Everything is gluten-free, egg free and dairy free!!

Nor-TX Enthusiast

I'm throwing a garden party this weekend for 30 people and this is my menu (it's a co-birthday party for 1 male and 1 felmale, so the theme is pink and brown--the food, you'll see is either pink or brown):

Thai peanut pasta

Salmon cakes with tarragon dipping sauce

Veggies and hummus

Fruit salad

Shrimp cucumber salad

Meatballs in homemade teriyaki sauce

Pink marshmallow pops

Chocolate muffins

Vanilla cake with raspberry filling

Chocolate pudding dirt cups

Raspberry Lemonade

Iced coffee

Everything is gluten-free, egg free and dairy free!!

Wow this menu sounds great. Question: What brand of chocolate pudding is dairy free? What are marshmallow pops? I used to love salmon patties... I guess I could substitute the breadcrumbs... great idea!

celiac-mommy Collaborator

Wow this menu sounds great. Question: What brand of chocolate pudding is dairy free? What are marshmallow pops? I used to love salmon patties... I guess I could substitute the breadcrumbs... great idea!

I make the pudding from scratch. I use chocolate soymilk and egg replacer in my recipe.

Marshmallow pops are marshmallows dipped in dairy free chocolate then dipped in sprinkles and once the chocolate is set, i stick it on a skewer and then into a cute vase.

Nor-TX Enthusiast

I make the pudding from scratch. I use chocolate soymilk and egg replacer in my recipe.

Marshmallow pops are marshmallows dipped in dairy free chocolate then dipped in sprinkles and once the chocolate is set, i stick it on a skewer and then into a cute vase.

Ahhhh ok.... sounds great. Thanks for sharing.

celiac-mommy Collaborator

Chocolate Pudding

Open Original Shared Link

Salmon cakes (gluten-free breadcrumbs and canned salmon, for the sauce I use tofutti sour cream and veganaise):

Open Original Shared Link

Lisa Mentor

Rachelle!!!

Shrimp and cucumber salad please :D

celiac-mommy Collaborator

Rachelle!!!

Shrimp and cucumber salad please :D

Yes'M :D

Open Original Shared Link

Have to admit that I've not made this before, but the reviews were so good, I'm gonna go for it. I am using pre-cooked, tail off shrimp.. I don't have time to devein and cook all that ;) I'll let you know how it tastes!

celiac-mommy Collaborator

Yes'M :D

Open Original Shared Link

Have to admit that I've not made this before, but the reviews were so good, I'm gonna go for it. I am using pre-cooked, tail off shrimp.. I don't have time to devein and cook all that ;) I'll let you know how it tastes!

It was a super hit!!! And super quick and easy!!! I made it the day before so there was lots of marinating time. I'd give it a quick stir every time I had to go to the fridge for something.

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Celiac.com:
    Donate

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):





    Celiac.com Sponsors (A17-M):




  • Recent Activity

    1. - Scott Adams replied to Jmartes71's topic in Dermatitis Herpetiformis
      1

      Natural remedies

    2. - Scott Adams replied to miguel54b's topic in Related Issues & Disorders
      1

      Gluten and short-term memory.

    3. - Scott Adams replied to Suze046's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      1

      Reintroduction of Gluten

    4. - Scott Adams replied to Rejoicephd's topic in Coping with Celiac Disease
      2

      Draft gluten-free ciders… can they be trusted ?

    5. - Scott Adams replied to Mykidzz3's topic in Gluten-Free Foods, Products, Shopping & Medications
      1

      High Cost of Gluten-Free Foods


  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):



  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      131,363
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748

    NAC
    Newest Member
    NAC
    Joined

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):


  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.4k
    • Total Posts
      1m

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):





  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):



  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • Scott Adams
      While it's always important to approach internal use of essential oils with caution and ideally under the guidance of a qualified professional, your experience highlights the potential of complementary approaches when traditional medicine falls short. Many in the community are also interested in the intersection of natural wellness and gluten-free living, particularly for managing systemic inflammation and its various symptoms, so sharing your story is valuable. Your observation that it may also be helping with bloating is fascinating, as that could point to an overall reduction in inflammation. Thank you for sharing what is working for you!
    • Scott Adams
      It's interesting how a single, clear moment—like struggling during a game—can suddenly connect all the dots and reveal the hidden impact of gluten exposure. Your experience with short-term memory fog is a very real and documented symptom for many individuals with gluten sensitivity, often occurring alongside the other issues you mentioned like mood disturbances, sleep disruption, and digestive irregularity. It's a frustrating and often invisible effect that can make you feel unlike yourself, so that moment of clarity, though born from a tough dominoes match, is actually a powerful piece of self-knowledge. Identifying a specific culprit like that steak strip is a huge win, as it arms you with the information needed to avoid similar pitfalls in the future and protect your cognitive clarity. You are definitely not alone in experiencing this particular set of neurological and physical symptoms; it's a strong reminder of gluten's profound impact on the entire body, not just the digestive system. Supplementation may help you as well.  The most common nutrient deficiencies associated with celiac disease that may lead to testing for the condition include iron, vitamin D, folate (vitamin B9), vitamin B12, calcium, zinc, and magnesium.  Unfortunately many doctors, including my own doctor at the time, don't do extensive follow up testing for a broad range of nutrient deficiencies, nor recommend that those just diagnosed with celiac disease take a broad spectrum vitamin/mineral supplement, which would greatly benefit most, if not all, newly diagnosed celiacs. Because of this it took me decades to overcome a few long-standing issues I had that were associated with gluten ataxia, for example numbness and tingling in my feet, and muscle knots--especially in my shoulders an neck. Only long term extensive supplementation has helped me to resolve these issues.      
    • Scott Adams
      Approximately 10x more people have non-celiac gluten sensitivity than have celiac disease, but there isn’t yet a test for NCGS. If your symptoms go away on a gluten-free diet it would likely signal NCGS. What you're describing is a very common and frustrating experience when reintroducing gluten after a period of avoidance, and your timeline is perfectly consistent with a non-celiac gluten sensitivity. While a celiac reaction can be more immediate, a sensitivity reaction is often delayed, sometimes taking several days to manifest as your body's inflammatory response builds up; the fact that your symptoms returned a few days after reintroduction is a strong indicator that gluten is indeed the culprit, not a coincidence. Your doctor's advice to reintroduce it was necessary to confirm the diagnosis, as the initial negative celiac test and subsequent improvement on a gluten-free diet pointed strongly towards sensitivity. Many in this community have gone through this exact same process of elimination and challenging, and it's wise to reintroduce gently as you did. Given your clear reaction, the best course of action is likely to resume a strict gluten-free diet, as managing a sensitivity is the primary way to control those debilitating symptoms and allow your body to heal fully.
    • Scott Adams
      Your suspicion is almost certainly correct, and you are wise to be cautious. Draft cider is a very common and often overlooked source of cross-contact because the same tap lines are frequently used for both beer and cider; unless a bar has a dedicated line for gluten-free beverages, which is rare, the cider will run through tubing that has previously contained gluten-containing beer, contaminating your drink. The fact that you didn't react at a clean brewery suggests they may have had more meticulous practices or separate lines, but this is the exception, not the rule. Many in the community have had identical experiences, leading them to strictly avoid draft cider and opt for bottled or canned versions, which are poured directly from their sealed container and bypass the contaminated tap system entirely. Switching to bottles or cans is the safest strategy, and your plan to do so is a smart move to protect your health. PS - here are some articles on the topic:    
    • Scott Adams
      Your post really highlights the financial and emotional struggle so many families face. You are not alone in feeling frustrated by the high cost of gluten-free specialty items and the frustrating waste when your daughter can't tolerate them. A great place to start is by focusing on naturally gluten-free whole foods that are often more affordable and less processed, like rice, potatoes, beans, lentils, corn, eggs, and frozen fruits and vegetables—these are nutritional powerhouses that can form the basis of her meals. For the specialty items like bread and pasta, see if your local stores carry smaller, single-serving packages or allow returns if a product causes a reaction, as some companies understand this challenge. Regarding vitamins, that is an excellent next step; please ask her doctor to prescribe a high-quality gluten-free multivitamin, as insurance will often cover prescribed vitamins, making them much more affordable. Finally, connecting with a local celiac support group online can be a treasure trove of location-specific advice for finding the best and most affordable products in your area, saving you both time and money on the trial-and-error process. 
×
×
  • Create New...