Jump to content

  • 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

Need Some Advice For Thanksgiving

jasonD2

By jasonD2
in Coping with Celiac Disease

Recommended Posts

jasonD2 Experienced
jasonD2
Posted

Ok so a bit of an awkward situation. I am having thanksgiving with my family in florida this year and the host will be my uncles brother, wife & kids. they arent really family & i was never close with them and frankly I find them to be a bit snobby and anal. Anyway, my aunt will be preparing some side dishes for me and my cousin (shes vegetarian)but the hosts are making the turkey and everything else

i asked my aunt if she could please discuss my dietary needs with them..mainly with regard to the turkey and she said she is not going to and that she will just bring food for me. this pretty much means i could potentially be taking a risk by eating the turkey. any suggestions on how i should handle this? i dont know why its such a big deal for my aunt to discuss this with them, but she doesnt want to.

thanks

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


RiceGuy Collaborator
RiceGuy
Posted

Well, if the bird is going to be cooked with stuffing in it, then you would definitely be at high risk of CC IMO, even if you took meat only from near the surface. Obviously, a pre-seasoned turkey is a no-no too. I honestly wouldn't eat it no matter how it was prepared, even if I supplied the stuffing! That's my opinion, but my experience tells me my system is very sensitive to CC. All utensils would need to be carefully selected and used as well. If using a turkey baster thingie (like a giant eye-dropper), that further complicates matters, especially if the bird is stuffed, because gluten will be in the juices oozing from the bird unless gluten-free stuffing is used.

If you cannot speak to those preparing the feast, and get an incredibly high amount of cooperation, then I think your only option to attend is the food which is specifically prepared for you.

tarnalberry Community Regular
tarnalberry
Posted

If I can't feel completely confident that what I'm eating is made by someone who understands the gluten free diet (at least enough to make that dish that time), I won't eat it. If they want to feel that their sensitive little feelings have been bruised because I am not willing to sacrifice my health in order to meet the expectations of what "dinner" means in their head, well... surprise! That's their problem, not mine. (And no, I won't be this snarky about it to anyone unless they're snarky to me about it! :) )

jasonD2 Experienced
jasonD2
Posted
  • Author

Good point! Guess there's a chance i might starve at thanksgiving...so nice when my family doesnt cooperate :)

kareng Grand Master
kareng
Posted

Guess there's a chance i might starve at thanksgiving...

So Jason, what is the solution to this?

A.Bring your own food & maybe pans or go to the store when you get there?

B. Whine & feel hungry and angry? (my personal favorite for a fun weekend).

C. Don't go?

D. Call the turkey people yourself, even tho you don't know them well? Take a chance that they might be nice and friendly?

precious831 Contributor
precious831
Posted

Just make your own food, you'll have peace of mind and save yourself the misery of getting sick at the family gathering. You don't need to make an entire turkey, buy some turkey legs/thighs and cook those, like you would prepare a whole turkey(obviously you'd modify cooking time etc.). Just keep it simple and then try to enjoy being w/ your family :).

I'm making the turkey legs/thighs, sweet potato pie, maybe a few cookies that are safe for DD and I to eat.

Good luck.

Judy3 Contributor
Judy3
Posted

What I would do in this situation is call them myself but if that is uncomfortable for you maybe eat something 'safe' before you go so you aren't too hungry and then just nibble on the safe foods provided by your aunt. Just a thought!

:unsure:

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


Loey Rising Star
Loey
Posted

Good point! Guess there's a chance i might starve at thanksgiving...so nice when my family doesnt cooperate :)

Jason,

I'm attending a funeral Monday and we're staying with my husband's cousin tomorrow night. He called today to see what he could cook for me (which was really sweet). I explained to him that at this stage of my illness I am extremely sensitive and if he had previously cooked something in the pan using something I couldn't eat -I could get really sick. I told him I will bring my own food and that my husband will thoroughly enjoy eating a meal that isn't gluten-free. Is there a way for you to bring along food in a cooler and then microwave it? Thanksgiving is supposed to be about being with those you care about and giving thanks. I hope you're able to find a way for them to understand. You're welcome to have Thanksgiving at my house!

Loey smile.gif

jerseyangel Proficient
jerseyangel
Posted

I bring my own food with me everywhere. It's entirely possible, even when traveling out of state. I brought my entire Thanksgiving dinner all the way from Houston to New Jersey last year. I made it ahead and froze it--and we went by car. If you fly, it would be much simpler.....

You could also shop when you get there and use disposable pans from the grocery store.

Definitely no need to go hungry :)

Kay DH Apprentice
Kay DH
Posted

Take something for dinner that you can microwave, along with veggies, fruit, and snacks. It isn't worth the risk on their turkey. I'm cooking Thanksgiving because of the rick of cc. We bought a Honeysuckle Farms turkey, listed as gluten-free, and all the gluten-free trimmings. Unfortunate that your aunt wouldn't contact the folks, and that doesn't give you much recourse.

sahm-i-am Apprentice
sahm-i-am
Posted

I would not contact the uncle because there is no way to control the CC even if they bought gluten free items. The learning curve cooking gluten free is way to high! If you can't bring your own bit of turkey in a ziploc and eat your aunt's sides (bless her!) then fill up on aunt's offerings and have your traditional Thanksgiving Day meal at home, when you can make it.

cap6 Enthusiast
cap6
Posted

when in dobt take your own. It does get old sometimes but... better than sick.

K-Dawg Explorer
K-Dawg
Posted

I agree with all the other posters (above) who have suggested that you bring your own food. I think this is the smartest choice. You could prepare your own turkey (or get some from a gluten free restaurant or caterer) and carve it up to take with you. If you have a cooler, you're set.

I have a cooler that plugs in and I have a car with an outlet...so I'm able to take the cooler from house, to car, to destination and keep my food cold (I got mine at a hardware store).

In your shoes I would prepare my own thanksgiving dinner, buy some great gluten-free rolls from a local bakery and take my own meal (and I usually make MORE than I need so that there is an abundance of food for me and it feels celebratory)

Good luck

Kdawg

T.H. Community Regular
T.H.
Posted

I know that stores like Trader Joe's and Whole Foods have some pre-prepared meats that you might be able to just buy and bring with you.

Trader Joe's has a ham steak in a sealed package that's labeled gluten free - we got that for my kids last year for Thanksgiving. I think there are some turkey breasts that have the same label. Also, Applegate Farms brand has sliced meat, and maybe chunks of meat?, that are often gluten free (labeled that way).

I know Whole Foods often has gluten free desserts in their bakery section too, for the holidays (these are from gluten-free companies, so they aren't made in the Whole Foods bakery). A couple kind of pies and a kind of chocolate cake, if I remember right.

And Alexia brand frozen veggies is supposed to be gluten free - they have these fried sweet potato sticks that might be kind of thanksgiving-ish. :)

Takala Enthusiast
Takala
Posted

Clearly Another BYOGF Situation according to The Sacred Text of Avoiding Holiday Disasters.

sahm-i-am Apprentice
sahm-i-am
Posted

Clearly Another BYOGF Situation according to The Sacred Text of Avoiding Holiday Disasters.

Very cute! :D

Archived

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

Go to topic listing
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):


  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      131,857
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    Sonya Haskin
    Newest Member
    Sonya Haskin
    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

    • Jillian83
      Celiac and dermatitis herpetiformis has taken Me from Me

      By Jillian83 · Posted

      He is. Which makes everything even more difficult. I’m not a believer in “staying for the kids” but I have nowhere to go and it’s not just me, it’s me plus my babies. We live in a beautiful place, lots of land in the country and me and the kids love the place we’ve called home for their entire lives. But Im seeing that he’ll never change, that my kids deserve a happy healthy Momma, and that staying in this as is will be the early death of me. Then I look at the scars covering my entire body…this disease and the chronic stress I’ve been enduring for years that tell me I’m no longer beautiful and no one will ever look at me with interest again. I try self care, try to give myself grace so I can just start loving myself enough to gain strength but the slightest sparkle in my eye and skip in my step attracts his wrath and it all comes crashing ten fold. Life is just absolutely railing me from every single direction leaving me wanting to wave that white flag bc I don’t feel like there’s much hope no matter what happens. 
    • trents
      Celiac and dermatitis herpetiformis has taken Me from Me

      By trents · Posted

      Is this man the father of your children?
    • Jillian83
      Celiac and dermatitis herpetiformis has taken Me from Me

      By Jillian83 · Posted

      Hi, I was recently diagnosed with Celiac and dermatitis herpetiformis after years of suffering without answers. I lost my mind. I lost my job. I lost so much time. I lost Me. Conventional doctors are opulent come near me and the one who did sat across the room, misdiagnosed me, pumped me full of steroids which collapsed my entire hip for 6 months. So without answers I began my holistic journey. Fast forward a couple of years and still struggling with a mysterious whole body itchy, crawling “skin hell”, perfect teeth now deteriorating, thick hair now thinning rapidly and no more than a day or 2 at most relief….An acquaintance opened up a functional medicine practice. Cash only, I found a way. Within a month tests clearly showing my off the charts gluten allergy/sensitivity as well as the depletion of vital nutrients due to leaky gut and intestinal damage. dermatitis herpetiformis was more than likely what I was experiencing with my skin. I was happy. I thought this is easy, eat healthy Whole Foods, follow the diet restrictions and I finally get to heal and feel confident and like myself again very soon! 😔 Supplements are very pricey but I got them and began my healing. Which leads to the other major issue: not working, stay at home Mom of young kids, entirely financially dependent on my man of 7 plus years. He’s never been supportive of anything I’ve ever done or been thru. He controls everything. I’m not given much money ever at a time and when he does leave money it’s only enough to possibly get gas. His excuse is that I’ll spend it on other things. So my “allowance” is inconsistent and has conditions. He withholds money from me as punishment for anything he wants. Since being diagnosed, he’s gained a new control tactic to use as punishment. He now is in control of when I get to eat. He asked for proof of my diagnosis and diet bc he said I made it up just to be able to eat expensive organic foods. Then after I sent him my file from my doctor he then said she wasn’t a real doctor. 😡. I go days upon days starving, sometimes breaking down and eating things I shouldn’t bc I’m so sick then I pay horribly while he gets annoyed and angry bc I’m not keeping up with all the duties I’m supposed to be doing. His abuse turns full on when I’m down and it’s in these desperate times when I need his support and care the most that I’m punished with silence, being starved, ignored, belittled. He will create more of a mess just bc I’m unable to get up and clean so that when I am better, I’m so overwhelmed with chores to catch up that the stress causes me to go right back into a flare from hell and the cycle repeats. I’m punished for being sick. I’m belittled for starving and asking for healthy clean water. I’m purposely left out of his life. He won’t even tell me he’s going to the grocery or to get dinner bc he doesn’t want me to ask him for anything. I have no one. I have nothing. Im not better. My supplements ran out and I desperately need Vitamin D3 and a methylated B complex at the very minimal just to function….he stares at me blankly…no, a slight smirk, no words. He’s happiest when im miserable and I am miserable.  this is so long and im condensing as much as I can but this situation is so complicated and disgusting. And it’s currently my life. The “IT” girl, the healthy, beautiful, perfect skin, perfect teeth, thick and curly locks for days, creative and talented IT girl….now I won’t even leave this house bc Im ashamed of what this has dont to my body, my skin. Im disgusted. The stress is keeping me from healing and I think he knows that and that’s why he continues to keep me in that state. He doesn’t want me confident or successful. He doesn’t want me healed and healthy bc then how would he put the blame of all his problems on me? This journey has been hell and I’ve been in Hell before. I’ve been killed by an ex, I’ve been raped, robbed, held hostage, abused beyond nightmares but the cruelty I’ve experienced from him bc of this disease is the coldest I’ve ever experienced. I’ve wanted to give up. Starving and in tears, desperate…I found a local food pantry in our small town so I reached out just saying I had Celiac and was on hard times. This woman is blessing me daily with prepared gluten free meals, donations, educational info, people who know this disease and how they manage life and the blessings just keep coming. But it’s overwhelming and I feel like I don’t deserve it at all. He just glared and I know he’s going to sabotage it somehow. I don’t even know what to do anymore. I’m so broken and just want peace and healing. 
    • cristiana
      Ibuprofen

      By cristiana · Posted

      @Colleen H   I am just curious,  when you were tested for coeliac disease, did the doctors find out if you had any deficiencies? Sometimes muscle pain can be caused by certain deficiencies, for example, magnesium, vitamin D, calcium, and potassium.   Might be worth looking into having some more tests.  Pins and needles can be neuropathy, again caused by deficiencies, such as iron and B12,  which can be reversed if these deficiencies are addressed. In the UK where I live we are usually only tested for iron, B12 and vitamin D deficiencies at diagnosis.   I was very iron anemic and supplementation made a big difference.  B12 was low normal, but in other countries the UK's low normal would be considered a deficiency.  My vitamin D was low normal, and I've been supplementing ever since (when I remember to take it!) My pins and needles definitely started to improve when my known deficiencies were addressed.  My nutritionist also gave me a broad spectrum supplement which really helped, because I suspect I wasn't just deficient in what I mention above but in many other vitamins and minerals.  But a word of warning, don't take iron unless blood tests reveal you actually need it, and if you are taking it your levels must be regularly monitored because too much can make you ill.  (And if you are currently taking iron, that might actually be making your stomach sore - it did mine, so my GP changed my iron supplementation to a gentler form, ferrous gluconate). Lastly, have you been trying to take anything to lessen the pain in your gut?  I get a sore stomach periodically, usually when I've had too much rich food, or when I have had to take an aspirin or certain antibiotics, or after glutening.  When this happens, I take for just a few days a small daily dose of OTC omeprazole.  I also follow a reflux or gastritis diet. There are lots online but the common denominators to these diets is you need to cut out caffeine, alcohol, rich, spicy, acidic food etc and eat small regularly spaced meals.   When I get a sore stomach, I also find it helpful to drink lots of water.  I also find hot water with a few slices of ginger very soothing to sip, or camomile tea.  A wedge pillow at night is good for reflux. Also,  best not to eat a meal 2-3 hours before going to bed. If the stomach pain is getting worse, though, it would be wise to see the doctor again. I hope some of this helps. Cristiana    
    • Me,Sue
      Knowing what to do when feeling unwell.

      By Me,Sue · Posted

      I was diagnosed with coeliac disease a couple of years ago [ish]. I love my food and a variety of food, so it's been hard, as it is with everyone. I try and ensure everything I eat doesn't contain gluten, but occasionally I think something must have got through that has gluten in. Mainly I know because I have to dash to the loo, but recently I have noticed that I feel nauseous after possibly being glutened. I think the thing that I have got better at is knowing what to do when I feel wiped out after a gluten 'episode'. I drink loads of water, and have just started drinking peppermint tea. I also have rehydration powders to drink. I don't feel like eating much, but eventually feel like I need to eat. Gluten free flapjacks, or gluten free cereal, or a small gluten free kids meal are my go to. I am retired, so luckily I can rest, sometimes even going to bed when nothing else works. So I feel that I am getting better at knowing how to try and get back on track. I am also trying to stick to a simpler menu and eat mostly at home so that I can be more confident about what I am eating. THANKS TO THOSE WHO REPLIED ABOUT THE NAUSEA .
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.