People Who Think It's So Easy....

[kristianne75]

I read on here daily, but am not the wealth of information most of you are, so I rarely post, however I know this is one place my vent will be understood. So....

People who don't really get how difficult it is to stay gluten free drive me up a wall! "Well, just don't eat bread!" says an aunt, who I know means well, but just doesn't understand. The common person, who doesn't have to deal with it, truly has no clue how many places it truly is, and how careful you have to be.

The co-worker who says, when the 10th plate of Christmas cookies was brought into the office, "well, you can eat those ones, or how about that kind?" No. No I can't. Leave it alone, you don't get it, and please do not eat your cookies at my desk! Grr....

What I find even more frustrating though, is people who claim they are gluten-free and say it is so easy. Those people are obviously not completely clean, because I see people on these boards daily who are doing everything right and still get glutened somehow. "Just eat plain meat and vegetables! It's not tough!" Yeah, and not very appealing either.

There, vent over. Thanks for listening, and understanding!

[Takala]

"What I find even more frustrating though, is people who claim they are gluten-free and say it is so easy. those people are obviously not completely clean..."

Oh, really ?

I'm not here to encourage people to cheat because "everybody else does it." That makes the assumption that the average person has no sense of self preservation, nor self control.

The average diabetic isn't snarfing down the platters of cookies, either. Yet we don't see the same attitude very much about how impossible it is to avoid sugar and high carbohydrate foods.

[srall]

Totally get it.

[Skylark]

What I find even more frustrating though, is people who claim they are gluten-free and say it is so easy. Those people are obviously not completely clean, because I see people on these boards daily who are doing everything right and still get glutened somehow. "Just eat plain meat and vegetables! It's not tough!" Yeah, and not very appealing either.

It's hard and it's not at the same time, if that makes sense? I don't find cooking good gluten-free food for myself hard at all and my diet is quite clean. I cook whole, naturally gluten-free foods and bring my own food to work most days. I don't eat plain meat and vegetables either. I love to cook, and I've had no problems finding or inventing great, naturally gluten-free recipes.

It's hard when other people are involved, when you're traveling, or if you're trying to eat processed/convenience foods. I totally "get" that part of your rant. I agree that office interactions and interactions with well-meaning but clueless friends and family can be deeply frustrating at times. "No, I can't just take the topping off the pizza. I don't care if your cousin Matilda does it all the time."

I went to a party last night where a well-intentioned hostess had made Rice Krispie treats with the brand name cereal. She missed the malt flavoring in the cereal. So sad, because she really meant to make something I could eat.

[Emilushka]

The hardest part for me is really having to cook all the time. I personally don't find the actual cooking that difficult, but being that inventive consistently gets really old really fast. And finding gluten- and casein-free convenience foods is also difficult. There are only so many times in one week that a girl can want beans or chili!

[kristianne75]

It's hard and it's not at the same time, if that makes sense? I don't find cooking good gluten-free food for myself hard at all and my diet is quite clean. I cook whole, naturally gluten-free foods and bring my own food to work most days. I don't eat plain meat and vegetables either. I love to cook, and I've had no problems finding or inventing great, naturally gluten-free recipes.

It's hard when other people are involved, when you're traveling, or if you're trying to eat processed/convenience foods. I totally "get" that part of your rant. I agree that office interactions and interactions with well-meaning but clueless friends and family can be deeply frustrating at times. "No, I can't just take the topping off the pizza. I don't care if your cousin Matilda does it all the time."

I went to a party last night where a well-intentioned hostess had made Rice Krispie treats with the brand name cereal. She missed the malt flavoring in the cereal. So sad, because she really meant to make something I could eat.

Your comment about the pizza is exactly what I meant! The people who declare its safe to just scrape it off, wipe it off, eat around it....They have no clue and if they are doing that are obviously still damaging their body. They are not clean. That is what I meant about the people who claim it is so easy. Thank you for putting it into words better than I did!

[tarnalberry]

What I find even more frustrating though, is people who claim they are gluten-free and say it is so easy. Those people are obviously not completely clean, because I see people on these boards daily who are doing everything right and still get glutened somehow. "Just eat plain meat and vegetables! It's not tough!" Yeah, and not very appealing either.

Eh, I don't understand this one. It's no claim to say I'm gluten free - I am. (And dairy free.) And I don't think it's hard. I don't know that I'd say "it's so easy", but I do say "it's not difficult".

Then again, I see nothing wrong with eating meat and vegetables. No one said it had to be "plain" in taste to be safe. We make soups and stir fry and stews all the time. A little bit of spice goes a long way. If we're really lazy or pressed for time, grilled meat and veggies - again, a little spice and a little careful choice of cooking method goes a long way.

I will certainly agree that it is not convenient, however! And I will certainly agree that there is a huge learning curve. I'd bet that if you took a poll, and asked people if they thought the diet was easy or hard, most of the people who said easy would have been on it for more than three years, most of the people who said hard would have been on it for less than a year. This is a HUGE change from what we know, and change is hard, with big change being even harder.

[Jestgar]

"Just eat plain meat and vegetables! It's not tough!" Yeah, and not very appealing either.

I like meat and vegetables. And I can add as much variety as I like using different combinations and spices.

[jenngolightly]

I read on here daily, but am not the wealth of information most of you are, so I rarely post, however I know this is one place my vent will be understood. So....

People who don't really get how difficult it is to stay gluten free drive me up a wall! "Well, just don't eat bread!" says an aunt, who I know means well, but just doesn't understand. The common person, who doesn't have to deal with it, truly has no clue how many places it truly is, and how careful you have to be.

The co-worker who says, when the 10th plate of Christmas cookies was brought into the office, "well, you can eat those ones, or how about that kind?" No. No I can't. Leave it alone, you don't get it, and please do not eat your cookies at my desk! Grr....

What I find even more frustrating though, is people who claim they are gluten-free and say it is so easy. Those people are obviously not completely clean, because I see people on these boards daily who are doing everything right and still get glutened somehow. "Just eat plain meat and vegetables! It's not tough!" Yeah, and not very appealing either.

There, vent over. Thanks for listening, and understanding!

This is a great place to vent.

I'm supporting you with my story. I didn't find the diet at all appealing in the beginning either! I was a super-picky eater with addictions to junk food. I didn't eat any red meat and hardly any veggies. When I first went gluten-free, I tried to replace everything I used to love with gluten-free varieties and they either tasted like crap, or were too expensive to buy regularly. I was sick-and-tired of people saying those kinds of things to me because I felt frustrated with the diet. The worst was when they stopped inviting me to functions because I wouldn't eat anything and would just pout about it all.

But something happened somewhere down the road - I really don't know when it happened so it must have been a slow adaptation. I started eating things I previously hated. Red meat in particular! Whole foods (not the store) became a regular part of my diet because processed foods were yucky or expensive. I found Udi's bread which really tasted like real bread. I could make my own pizza with Udi's pizza crust. I started COOKING! A talent I never explored before. I stopped relying on boxed or frozen food. I used recipes found here or in gluten-free cookbooks. Then I used recipes found in real cookbooks because those recipes used real food that didn't have gluten. Wow. I liked cooking and I liked the food I made.

But yes, I still get glutened. How? Stupid mistakes. My dh and kids aren't gluten-free and he used to cook for me. NO MORE! One time it was beer in the stew. Other times... well, I've given up on teaching him how to cook for me. It's easier for me to cook and leave the grilling to him. And a few times at restaurants.

Feel frustrated! And give it some more time.

[kareng]

I think the hardest part is the away from home stuff. Or people that want you to eat away from home.

Fortunately, for me, I was never a big lover of bread, pancakes, rolls, muffins or donuts. I liked them once in a while. I have found, since going gluten-free, that foods that I didn't like before, taste good! I think being off the gluten has affected my sense of taste and smell. I have also tried foods I didn't either know about or try before. Someone on this site talked about slicing sweet potatoes, toss with oil and oven frying. Then sprinkle with cinnamon. I'm addicted! I have been missing this nutritious treat for years!

[missy'smom]

There ARE so MANY with diabetes who are snarfing down plates of cookies(no I'm not exagerating, actual plate fulls), and totally in denial or misinformed about their blood sugar and how to manage it. So much so that those of us who abstain are seen as obsessive. I have sat across the table from them time and time again, every Sunday, every gluten-free support group meeting. People don't get it on the diabetes front either.

I had someone close to me who has some restrictions as well, sit across from the table and tell me that isn't it nice that I could find something on the menu to eat. I was eating plain salmon and steamed veggies, no seasoning, no butter, that's it. Same exact meal I am "fortunate" to eat at every restaurant I go to. I almost gasped in shock at how insensitive that comment was. I'm not complaining about the meal. I choose to be greatful that I didn't have to cook it or clean up, but it was just so insensitive. I had another person who knows I eat no fruit or grains say that they were suprized that I eat chocolate because it is hard to digest. This is after I told them that I had recently become allergic to chocolate and couldn't have it anymore. At the time, it was the last "sweet" treat I had left and I had lost it. I haven't had cake or cookies or anything of the sort in 2 years.

[mushroom]

I think the biggest complaint I have about eating gluten free (and other things free ) is the amount of time it takes. You can't just go to the freezer case and pick up a pie crust, you have to make it from scratch. If I want to make a cookie crust for a pie, I first of all have to bake the cookies . Cooking (baking-wise) just involves so many more steps than back in the gluten days. We often do charity baking (like for Ronald McDonald House where it figures there will be some gluten free people in some time and therefore I participate) and it is so much easier to pull out a bag of Gold Medal flour (or whatever brand you have) and dump in a cup, than take three or four different canisters of flour (having first figured out what would be the best flour mix for this particular recipe and making the appropriate substitutions) and measuring them out in the right proportions.) Then for fund-raising events the person in charge says we are charging too much for our food made with much more expensive ingredients than theirs I feel like I would rather just give them the money than go to the trouble of making an expensive cake only to have them give it away for four bucks .Same for pot lucks, where we have to make sure it is something we can eat as well as everyone else. We do everything from scratch, others just pull a few ingredients out and put them together. I know you will say, you can make it as hard as you want, but when you start with more limitations than most it IS harder. Those who have to avoid only gluten don't know the half of it.

[plantime]

I find it to be an easy diet. I don't get to eat whatever I please, and eating out can be a hassle, but keeping things is perspective helps. My health is important to me. I am in control of what I eat, and I take that responsibility. If other people don't understand, that is their problem. The "just don't eat bread or pasta" and "eat meat and vegetables" comments are a simplification, but they are also true. I don't feel well when I eat processed foods a lot, but I feel great eating meat and vegetables. Even eating glutenfree processed foods don't make me feel as well as meat and vegetables. Once I got used to that feeling, eating well became very easy, even in restaurants.

Getting past the "I can't eat like everyone else" mindset is the hardest part of the diet, imo.

[shopgirl]

I think it's more of a nuisance than being hard. But then I don't eat out, I hate parties, and I much prefer a very simple meal of brown rice and vegetables.

The only foods I miss are the ones I shouldn't have been eating in the first place

[nikelodeon79]

Co-workers can be the worst. One of my coworkers brought in these amazing looking homemade cinnamon rolls with frosting. I'm telling you, they smelled like heaven. I put up with walking past them for a day and then the next day when he offered me one, I told him thanks, but that I couldn't. (One of my other coworkers chimed in that she "couldn't" have one, either, because of her Weight Watchers, so she knew exactly how I felt). Anyway, the first coworker was going on and on about how I should just try the frosting, because it didn't have gluten. I tried to explain to him that it was impossible that it didn't since it was actually touching the gluten filled roll, but he would have none of it. I finally tried a little bit just to shut him up... and I got sick. Imagine that! I should've stayed strong and refused to eat it!

[rainer83]

It's not easy for me personally, but just because others think it is, doesn't mean they aren't completely clean. Location makes a huge difference and having a good support system does as well. I live in a big city that my main grocery store has a good gluten free section, and my friends have all been 100% supportive once they all understood the disease. There will always be people who think it's that we can't eat bread alone. If these people don't get it, I've learned to leave it be. It's not easy for anyone living with massive restrictions like dairy, wheat/gluten, diabetes, no sodium. People just make due. I choose not to let it bring me down, but it's not easy by any means either.

[sb2178]

I think it is one thing to say that there are easy gluten free meals (eggs, baked sweet potato, and frozen peas, for example) and another thing to say it is easy to always stick faithfully to a gluten-free diet. I'd like to be able to grab a quick slice of pizza when I come home exhausted after a 10 or 12 hour day instead of making food, eating applesauce and trail mix, or getting much more expensive and slower take out from a restaurant with a knowledgable cook. But that doesn't make it hard, so much as just something we have to plan for. Keep applesauce and trail mix on hand.

There are hard parts-- mentioned above by other posters-- like when I go skiing this winter, I will almost certainly have to pack all the food I will need for the day. There's also stupidity, like not reading a label carefully enough, and paying for it. And then there are the other people... if I worked from home all the time and did not eat away from home, it would be easy. But, I have friends and family who live far away, and hey, I like to eat out. Fortunately, there are more and more places and chefs who know about gluten and will provide a safe and delicious meal and the friends/family are open to training!

[Fire Fairy]

I was diagnosed Nov 2nd. Just in time for the holidays. I got glutenated at the very first family get together and was sick in less than an hour and remained sick 3 days.

I have worked in restaurants and seen the look on the cooks face when he was told of an unusual dietary request. I know that cook said, "it's fine" and handed it to the waitress not having a clue if it was actually safe for the customer. I doubt I will ever trust any food made by someone else unless I can see them prepare it like I can at Five Guys. So out to eat I'm looking at plain baked potatoes in most places. At one time carbonated beverages tasted foul to me (thanks to my migraine meds) so I asked a cashier at Subway if they had anything non-carbonated to drink. She said, "what's carbonated?" Recently I was telling a co-worked I had to be gluten free and after a few minutes I realized she thought I was talking about glucose. She is studying to be a RN.

I have no oven at this time so sadly I can't bake anything myself. The other members of my household all eat gluten so I constantly have to wipe down the kitchen counters before I start working on my meals/snacks.

So for me I guess I'd say the diet is frustrating and what's worse alienating. I too have heard plenty of "Oh it will be fine" and "Your being too picky." It's not hard to find food to cook for myself at home. Thought keeping dishes, utensils etc safe from gluten is very difficult in a mixed kitchen. I love veggies and fresh fruit. If/when I get an oven I love to cook. Not having an oven really isn't good right now. I'd love to fill my house with the smell of gluten free cookies.

[Loey]

I read on here daily, but am not the wealth of information most of you are, so I rarely post, however I know this is one place my vent will be understood. So....

People who don't really get how difficult it is to stay gluten free drive me up a wall! "Well, just don't eat bread!" says an aunt, who I know means well, but just doesn't understand. The common person, who doesn't have to deal with it, truly has no clue how many places it truly is, and how careful you have to be.

The co-worker who says, when the 10th plate of Christmas cookies was brought into the office, "well, you can eat those ones, or how about that kind?" No. No I can't. Leave it alone, you don't get it, and please do not eat your cookies at my desk! Grr....

What I find even more frustrating though, is people who claim they are gluten-free and say it is so easy. Those people are obviously not completely clean, because I see people on these boards daily who are doing everything right and still get glutened somehow. "Just eat plain meat and vegetables! It's not tough!" Yeah, and not very appealing either.

There, vent over. Thanks for listening, and understanding!

I'm so sorry for your frustration. The holidays are a particularly hard time to deal with people who don't understand Celiac. Some people are so sensitive that they can get glutened by just being around it and not eating it (I know there's controversy over this). It can happen in a restaurant when someone at your table eats bread or at a supermarket when they have bread or cookie samples out. I was recently diagnosed with an ulcer and IBS so my list of ingredients has gotten smaller. I do know that I'm willing to give up anything I have to in order not to be in pain.

Just remember you're not alone. Post and vent whenever you need to. It's not about how much knowledge you have. It's a community of people who truly care about each other on this forum and I know I'm thankful every day to have a place to go and share.

Sending positive energy,

Loey

[sunshinen]

Anyone who says the diet is always easy is either 1) gluten-light not gluten-free (perhaps without realizing the difference), 2) in a utopian routine they never alter that involves the most perfect, well-informed restaurants, family, and friends ever; 3) not absurdly, severely sensitive and doesn't feel every mistake by others preparing their food; 4) someone who prepares all their own food and loves that; or 5) twisting the truth a bit (which to be fair, a positive outlook is usually helpful).

But it DOES get easier. There will be times, when you feel like you've finally figured it out and got it down. There will be days, weeks, maybe even months where you feel like it is easy.

One of the biggest tricks is changing how you respond to everyone else. People will never get it. Partially because they don't understand the disease, how prevalent gluten is, or both. And partially because there are all sorts of people trying a gluten free diet for all sorts of reasons with all ranges of "risk tolerance" in their exposure to gluten. And the people with non-medical/whimsical/fad dietary motivation, high risk tolerance, and/or low sensitivity to contamination can make it harder on those of us on the opposite side of the spectrum.

I tend to laugh and tell them something like "No, I'm one of the stupidly, absurdly sensitive types where the smallest, invisible speck of a crumb can make me want to die and have symptoms that last weeks."

[notme]

Anyway, the first coworker was going on and on about how I should just try the frosting, because it didn't have gluten. I tried to explain to him that it was impossible that it didn't since it was actually touching the gluten filled roll, but he would have none of it. I finally tried a little bit just to shut him up... and I got sick. Imagine that! I should've stayed strong and refused to eat it!

did you ever have a small child offer you a bite of their slimy, sticky cookie? and you pretend to "eat" it. that's what i do if somebody won't leave it alone. works like a charm "mmmmmmm! that is soooooo good! thank you so much!!!" smile, look him right in the eye, and get your point across.

[Gemini]

Anyone who says the diet is always easy is either 1) gluten-light not gluten-free (perhaps without realizing the difference), 2) in a utopian routine they never alter that involves the most perfect, well-informed restaurants, family, and friends ever; 3) not absurdly, severely sensitive and doesn't feel every mistake by others preparing their food; 4) someone who prepares all their own food and loves that; or 5) twisting the truth a bit (which to be fair, a positive outlook is usually helpful).

I wouldn't say the diet is always easy and I doubt anyone here on this forum has ever said that. I am one of those who have found this diet pretty damn easy, for the most part, and I fall into none of the categories listed above. I am 100% gluten-free and have the blood work to prove it, as I am highly serio-sensitive. My life is far from utopian but what I have set up works and works well. There will always be times when the situation does not work but I rarely let that bother me. I am extremely independent so don't mind doing what I have to do to make this diet work and not caring a fig anymore what others think. I do prepare most of my own food but do dine out and travel to Europe. I am insanely sensitive and have ended up in the ER from crumbs. That only happened once and will never happen again. If you come to realize that some meals out when traveling will not be stellar, but will be safe and accept that, you'll be fine.

I also have some nutrition education so already knew a lot about the 8 allergens. That helped. I also viewed this whole thing as a challenge..to find and make the best gluten-free food possible. I have converted most of my gluten filled recipes into delicious gluten-free versions. Anyone can do this, unless they really hate to cook. Then you are going to have a problem. Whether you like to hear this or not, it's all about attitude. It's OK to rant away for a bit but if this attitude persists, you need to talk to someone about it.

I tend to laugh and tell them something like "No, I'm one of the stupidly, absurdly sensitive types where the smallest, invisible speck of a crumb can make me want to die and have symptoms that last weeks.

I am all of the above except I am sick for a few days and then I am functional again. I have always been a fast healer so maybe that's why. I also noticed that when I ramped up my work-outs, the few glutenings I have suffered in the past 5 1/2 years pass quicker and I feel better even faster. Maybe that's the key for those who seem debilitated for longer than a few days.....more exercise. The results for me were dramatic.

All in all, there are many on this forum who have done a marvelous job of accepting and moving on with it. Everyone has their moments of anger or being upset but really, following this lifestyle for recovery and good health is just not a show stopper. The worst is the first year when you are in the learning process, after that, it becomes second nature. I will agree, travel can be somewhat of a challenge but if I figured out a way to make it work, anyone can!

[plantime]

Anyone who says the diet is always easy is either 1) gluten-light not gluten-free (perhaps without realizing the difference), 2) in a utopian routine they never alter that involves the most perfect, well-informed restaurants, family, and friends ever; 3) not absurdly, severely sensitive and doesn't feel every mistake by others preparing their food; 4) someone who prepares all their own food and loves that; or 5) twisting the truth a bit (which to be fair, a positive outlook is usually helpful).

Yes, it is always easy. And none of your list applies to my life.

As for restaurants, it is called having a relationship with the people that work there. I don't throw hissy fits or temper tantrums if my order is wrong, I make it a point to get to know the people that work at them.

I am not "gluten-light." I have to be glutenfree, it is not an option. I am not in a "utopian routine," my life changes on a whim. I do feel when I have been glutened, I do not cook all of my food from scratch.

The statement that I must be "twisting the truth a bit" is patently offensive. Once you get past the "woe is me, I can't eat what everyone else eats" mindset, the glutenfree diet is absurdly easy.

[Juliebove]

There ARE so MANY with diabetes who are snarfing down plates of cookies(no I'm not exagerating, actual plate fulls), and totally in denial or misinformed about their blood sugar and how to manage it. So much so that those of us who abstain are seen as obsessive. I have sat across the table from them time and time again, every Sunday, every gluten-free support group meeting. People don't get it on the diabetes front either.

I had someone close to me who has some restrictions as well, sit across from the table and tell me that isn't it nice that I could find something on the menu to eat. I was eating plain salmon and steamed veggies, no seasoning, no butter, that's it. Same exact meal I am "fortunate" to eat at every restaurant I go to. I almost gasped in shock at how insensitive that comment was. I'm not complaining about the meal. I choose to be greatful that I didn't have to cook it or clean up, but it was just so insensitive. I had another person who knows I eat no fruit or grains say that they were suprized that I eat chocolate because it is hard to digest. This is after I told them that I had recently become allergic to chocolate and couldn't have it anymore. At the time, it was the last "sweet" treat I had left and I had lost it. I haven't had cake or cookies or anything of the sort in 2 years.

What gets me are the multitude of people who tell me things like... One cookie won't kill you! Or... You can eat anything you want in moderation! Now it's true gluten is not an issue for me. I do have other food allergies. But food allergies aside... I'm talking diabetes here.

My diabetes is out of control for the most part. I am on two diabetes meds and four kinds of insulin. My last A1c was 8.2. I watch every bite I eat and I still have trouble. My Dr. is just baffled. So for me, eating cookies and moderation just won't work.

I also know a lot of people who say that base their good control only on their A1c's. Some only test themselves at home every once in a while and some never do! They say their Drs. are saying they are doing well, so they think they are. My Dr. tells me he knows I am trying very hard. And I am. But it just isn't working. I do have other medical problems that make things more difficult.

There are more diabetics in my family. At birthdays, my mom tends to get every kind of cake and ice cream she can so that every person gets what they want to eat. I find this beyond ridiculous. My theory is that we are diabetics and we do not need cake and ice cream even if it is a birthday. But they not only eat their cake and ice cream but the other people's too. Of course my daughter is not included in the cake thing. Would be too much trouble with her wheat allergy to accomodate her! So I have to bring something for her. But it's usually not cake. The only made up cupcakes we can get here now are chocolate. She doesn't really like them. So usually it's an Udi's blueberry muffin. I eat no dessert.

[Juliebove]

I was diagnosed Nov 2nd. Just in time for the holidays. I got glutenated at the very first family get together and was sick in less than an hour and remained sick 3 days.

I have worked in restaurants and seen the look on the cooks face when he was told of an unusual dietary request. I know that cook said, "it's fine" and handed it to the waitress not having a clue if it was actually safe for the customer. I doubt I will ever trust any food made by someone else unless I can see them prepare it like I can at Five Guys. So out to eat I'm looking at plain baked potatoes in most places. At one time carbonated beverages tasted foul to me (thanks to my migraine meds) so I asked a cashier at Subway if they had anything non-carbonated to drink. She said, "what's carbonated?" Recently I was telling a co-worked I had to be gluten free and after a few minutes I realized she thought I was talking about glucose. She is studying to be a RN.

I have no oven at this time so sadly I can't bake anything myself. The other members of my household all eat gluten so I constantly have to wipe down the kitchen counters before I start working on my meals/snacks.

So for me I guess I'd say the diet is frustrating and what's worse alienating. I too have heard plenty of "Oh it will be fine" and "Your being too picky." It's not hard to find food to cook for myself at home. Thought keeping dishes, utensils etc safe from gluten is very difficult in a mixed kitchen. I love veggies and fresh fruit. If/when I get an oven I love to cook. Not having an oven really isn't good right now. I'd love to fill my house with the smell of gluten free cookies.

We have a mixed kitchen, although there isn't a lot of gluten in it. I buy bread from time to time and when husband is home, there are other baked goods sometimes. He is currently on a diet so not eating cookies, cakes, etc. I do not bring flour into the house or regular pasta. So no worries about cooking stuff.

What I do is use all kinds of paper plates and plastic utensils. If I am using margarine or jam on wheat bread, I dip the plastic knife once. If that wasn't enough, then I throw out the knife and get another. I do not do this with the peanut butter since daughter has a peanut allergy so doesn't eat that. Bread is never put directly on the cutting board. Only on a paper plate.