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New Celiac... Going To Family Reunion..

JoyVertz

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JoyVertz Rookie
JoyVertz
Posted

I was diagnosed about a week ago.. and of course I have to go to a HUGE family reunion which in the past has always provided burgers, brats and hot dogs... and then everyone brings a side dish.

I'm overwhelmed already trying to plan my own meals much less now trying to figure out what I could bring as a dish to pass that people will like and will taste good. (Plus we have to travel 2 hours so it needs to be easy in the car)

Any tips? Without drawing too much attention to mysef how do I make sure I can EAT while at the reunion. I'm having a pity party... and will be missing my normal beer and/or Mikes hard lemonade I drink to survive the in laws. ha ha.

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celiac-mommy Collaborator
celiac-mommy
Posted

I have a really good SW quinoa corn salad that's always a hit if you're interested in that recipe...

I feel your pain. We have an 8 day reunion coming up next month. There will be 3 potlucks while we're there. I'm going to make both a main dish and a dessert for each so my kids will have both-they only care about the dessert anyway ;)

As for the drinks, vodka and lemonade is a good replacement for the Mikes... B)

GlutenFreeManna Rising Star
GlutenFreeManna
Posted

Can't go wrong with German Potato salad: Open Original Shared Link

It's good warm or room temp and no mayo so you don't need to worry about keeping it cold.

GlutenFreeManna Rising Star
GlutenFreeManna
Posted

You could also just take some bags of chips--potato chips or tortilla chips and a jar of salsa. That way you don't have to worry about cooking or storing anything at all.

Baked beans is another thing that's easy and goes with the whole grilling thing. Put in a slow cooker to warm up when you get there if you will have a place to plug it in.

Skylark Collaborator
Skylark
Posted

I'd make potato salad too. B) I make the mayo kind so I'd put it in a cooler. If you put some eggs in it, it's a pretty good meal. I've also taken gluten-free brownies to gatherings and people ate them fine. Pamela's or Betty Crocker are good.

JoyVertz Rookie
JoyVertz
Posted
  • Author

awesome... all good tips! My MIL makes potato salad.. that i really like.. so I'm going to ask her what's in it :)

Korwyn Explorer
Korwyn
Posted

Any tips? Without drawing too much attention to mysef how do I make sure I can EAT while at the reunion. I'm having a pity party... and will be missing my normal beer and/or Mikes hard lemonade I drink to survive the in laws. ha ha.

Johnsonville has some brats which are gluten-free. Check their website. Also, Mike's has at 'lite' version now which is gluten-free! I just saw it a gluten-free store two weeks ago!

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JenniLu Newbie
JenniLu
Posted

Johnsonville has some brats which are gluten-free. Check their website. Also, Mike's has at 'lite' version now which is gluten-free! I just saw it a gluten-free store two weeks ago!

I don't know about Johnsonville anything. They have msg or similar (hydrolyzed veg protien, autolyzed yeast) in every ingredient label I ever read. I'd get some all natural sausage from the butcher.

GlutenFreeManna Rising Star
GlutenFreeManna
Posted

I don't know about Johnsonville anything. They have msg or similar (hydrolyzed veg protien, autolyzed yeast) in every ingredient label I ever read. I'd get some all natural sausage from the butcher.

I avoid msg, hydrolyzed soy and yeast but none of those ingredients have gluten in them. Fresh sausage from the butcher is more likey to be contaminated, IMO.

kareng Grand Master
kareng
Posted

awesome... all good tips! My MIL makes potato salad.. that i really like.. so I'm going to ask her what's in it :)

Just becareful of others making food for you. My mom wanted to make potato salad for me as the recipe is gluten-free. However, here cooking methods are not gluten-free. She will boil the potatoes in the same pot she just made pasta in. She will drain the potatoes in the same plastic colander she has drained pasta in for 20 years. Use the Miracle Whip with bread crumbs in it from the sandwich yesterday, etc.

Whatever you bring, either get the first serving or bring a separate container for yourself. Someone will dip a Wheat Thin cracker in your salsa or stand holding a sandwich crumbling over the potato salad.

Cook your hot dog on a piece of foil and take it of yourself. If they have toasted buns or used a soy sauce marinade on the grill, it could put gluten on your food.

Sorry to rain on your picnic! :huh:

JenniLu Newbie
JenniLu
Posted

Trouble with potato salad is that you can't really make a meal out of it if you had to.

This Tuna-Bean salad Open Original Shared Link

OR this Shrimp-Rice salad Open Original Shared Link

can be complete meals.

JoyVertz Rookie
JoyVertz
Posted
  • Author

okay.. just talked to MIL>.. she is irritating me and not seeming to take this seriously at all. I think she doesnt believe me. grrr

they are cooking the meats ahead of time and bringing them in nesco roasters (brats, hot dogs, burgers)

i guess i'll bring my own food.. so much for being inconspicuous... i didnt want to make a big production or have fuss but honestly, i'm feeling a little hurt that she is being dismissive.

because we have to travel, i'll have to make something that i can eat out of a cooler... very very irritating.

Skylark Collaborator
Skylark
Posted

Ugh. Sorry to hear that. I know about wanting to be inconspicuous but it can be really hard.

Trouble with potato salad is that you can't really make a meal out of it if you had to.

Says who? :lol: I love fresh, homemade potato salad enough to easily make a meal out it on a single occasion. It has hard boiled egg and celery in it so there is some protein and it's plenty filling. Besides, one unbalanced meal isn't going to kill ya' (unless you're diabetic I suppose).

Mizzo Enthusiast
Mizzo
Posted

I made this fpr a bbq 2 weeks ago Black bean salad (don't like black bean use pink or cannelloni...)

1 or 2 cans black beans rinsed well

1/4 to 1/2 green and red bell pepper finely diced

1/3 to 1/2 onion finely diced

1box frozen corn rinse in warm water till defrosted (do not cook)

1/4 to 1/2 cup wishbone italian dressing

toss well

Add some chicken of your own you brought and this is a filling healthy meal, and make a large batch for all to enjoy.

easy, travels well and inexpensive

Mizzo Enthusiast
Mizzo
Posted

[i agree add some chicken to your potato salad or cubed ham serve on romaine leafs or quartered iceberg and it's definitely a yummy meal

kareng Grand Master
kareng
Posted

Here's a thought. Tell your hub that it is too overwhelming right now to deal with this food event with in-laws. He is welcome to go but you will stay home eating safely & happily. tell the family you aren't feeling well yet.

Mizzo Enthusiast
Mizzo
Posted

You could also do a rice and red beans , flavor it up with some cumin, chilipowder, garlic powder salt and pepper. My sister adds a jar of salsa to hers but I prefer to spice it up. It will keep at room temp for awhile.

Add a meat and its a meal.

Cara in Boston Enthusiast
Cara in Boston
Posted

My son and I both have celiac so when we go to a family event I always bring several things so I know I have something to eat. I'll usually bring a homemade mango salsa (that has avocado and black beans in it so it has some value if it ends up being one of the few things we can eat) and a salad (potato, caprese, etc.) and then I bring our own buns for the hot dogs or hamburgers. I also bring a dessert so my son doesn't feel left out when he can't eat anything from the sweet table. Usually rice krispee treats or mirangues (sp?).

If it is a family event, I'll bring our stainless steel grill topper. It goes over the grill and keeps our food separate. If it is a public event (like Little League or some neighborhood gathering) I'll just bring foil - or even bring our own, pre-cooked meat and just eat it cold.

The first few times I always ate the salads and things that had no gluten ingredients. Some family members even went to the effort of cooking something for us, but we always got sick. Now, unless it is prepared in my kitchen or comes out of a package of comercial gluten-free food, we avoid it.

I even try to get some chips out of the bag first to put in a separate bowl for my son since everybody's hands reaching in can contaminate the food.

It is hard at first, but you get used to it.

Another tip: this has happened to me TWICE now (and it has only been a few months!). People will use the spoon from one salad in another salad - both times it was my potato salad spoon being used in the pasta salad next to it. I ended up with nothing safe to eat. Now I put my dishes on another table . . .

For other events and traveling, I bought us each a zojirushi bento container (Ms. Bento?) that keeps an entire meal warm and/or cold. We bring that to big family dinners or events so we can have a meal too. I try to make something similar and plate it in the kitchen so it just looks like a regular meal.

Good luck

Cara

CarolinaKip Community Regular
CarolinaKip
Posted

okay.. just talked to MIL>.. she is irritating me and not seeming to take this seriously at all. I think she doesnt believe me. grrr

they are cooking the meats ahead of time and bringing them in nesco roasters (brats, hot dogs, burgers)

i guess i'll bring my own food.. so much for being inconspicuous... i didnt want to make a big production or have fuss but honestly, i'm feeling a little hurt that she is being dismissive.

because we have to travel, i'll have to make something that i can eat out of a cooler... very very irritating.

I think we all can understand hurt feelings! My co workers still do not understand why I will not eat their potato salad and "gluten-free" food they bring. I've explained CC to them, but they act like I'm going overboard with it. You have to think about CC from everywhere. I felt sad etc at family dinners until I accepted if I want to stay well,it has to be this way. I bring my own food . I make something really yummy and either get mine first or take it seperate. It can get you down, hang in there!

JoyVertz Rookie
JoyVertz
Posted
  • Author

thanks everyone! I'm bringing a taco salad and gluten-free chips... and some backup foods for me in the cooler. my MIL called and apologized last night which made me happy :)

kareng Grand Master
kareng
Posted

thanks everyone! I'm bringing a taco salad and gluten-free chips... and some backup foods for me in the cooler. my MIL called and apologized last night which made me happy :)

Just remember to get your food first or have separate chips & salad you keep away from everyone.

suziq0805 Enthusiast
suziq0805
Posted

I was diagnosed about a week ago.. and of course I have to go to a HUGE family reunion which in the past has always provided burgers, brats and hot dogs... and then everyone brings a side dish.

I'm overwhelmed already trying to plan my own meals much less now trying to figure out what I could bring as a dish to pass that people will like and will taste good. (Plus we have to travel 2 hours so it needs to be easy in the car)

Any tips? Without drawing too much attention to mysef how do I make sure I can EAT while at the reunion. I'm having a pity party... and will be missing my normal beer and/or Mikes hard lemonade I drink to survive the in laws. ha ha.

You could always bring fresh fruit. If you cut it up at your house then you know it's safe! Watermelon is always good for summer potlucks. Here's a link for a salad I made that a lot of my family loved too...I served it warm but I think it could be served cold also- just make sure your spices are gluten-free. Not sure how your potlucks will be run/set-up but maybe you could offer to help set up and make sure you dish out yours while doing that? Then you make sure you avoid contamination.

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      how much gluten do I need to eat before blood tests?

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      Welcome, @catnapt! The most recent guidelines are the daily consumption of a minimum of 10g of gluten (about the amount found in 4-6 slices of wheat bread) for a minimum of two weeks. But if possible stretching that out even more would enhance the chances of getting valid test results. These guidelines are for those who have been eating gluten free for a significant amount of time. It's called the "gluten challenge".  Yes, you can develop celiac disease at any stage of life. There is a genetic component but also a stress trigger that is needed to activate the celiac genes. About 30-40% of the general population possesses the genetic potential to develop celiac disease but only about 1% of the general population actually develop celiac disease. For most with the potential, the triggering stress event doesn't happen. It can be many things but often it is a viral infection. Having said that, it is also the case that many, many people who eventually are diagnosed with celiac disease probably experienced the actual onset years before. Many celiacs are of the "silent" type, meaning that symptoms are largely missing or very minor and get overlooked until damage to the small bowel lining becomes advanced or they develop iron deficiency anemia or some other medical problem associated with celiac disease. Many, many are never diagnosed or are diagnosed later in life because they did not experience classic symptoms. And many physicians are only looking for classic symptoms. We now know that there are over 200 symptoms/medical problems associated with celiac disease but many docs are only looking for things like boating, gas, diarrhea. I certainly understand your concerns about not wanting to damage your body by taking on a gluten challenge. Your other option is to totally commit to gluten free eating and see if your symptoms improve. It can take two years or more for complete healing of the small bowel lining once going gluten free but usually people experience significant improvement well before then. If their is significant improvement in your symptoms when going seriously gluten free, then you likely have your answer. You would either have celiac disease or NCGS (Non Celiac Gluten Sensitivity).
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