Get the word out!

I would like to share two pieces of photographic evidence (well, visual evidence) to illustrate the importance of letting people know you are gluten-free.

1. No Glutton for Gluten

A few weeks ago, I found this cute little article in my mailbox at school about shopping for gluten-free products in Phoenix (click on the image to go to the web edition). There was no note, but I was fairly certain it must have come from one of my celiac friends on campus. I was right--it came from my friend, Brenda, who was diagnosed with celiac disease in the last year or so.

Now, I think most of us assume people with celiac disease look out for others with the same disease--swapping recipes, recommending restaurants and products, etc. Thus, it probably doesn't surprise you that Brenda, who I have shared many gluten-free tidbits with over the past year, would pass on a helpful resource to me. The story of how she got it, however, illustrates my point (Get the word out!) quite well.

Brenda received the article from another teacher in her department who has absolutely no reason to think about gluten-free products. She simply came across the article one day, remembered that Brenda is on a strict gluten-free diet, pulled it out, and passed it on. Upon reading the article, Brenda immediately made a resolution to check out one of the gluten-free bakeries mentioned, but she never would have known the article (or the bakery) existed if she hadn't been open about her disease and her diet restrictions. 

2. A Pretty Platter of Gluten-Free Cookies

You know those awkward moments when someone gives you a gluten-containing baked good as a gift, and then they just kind of stare at you and wait for you to eat it? Well, I did not experience that on my birthday this year. Instead, I walked into my classroom, and I was greeted by this perfect platter of pretty little cookies--all of them gluten-free.

My instructional aide, Kim, who had never even heard of celiac disease until a few months ago, consulted with Brenda about the best-tasting gluten-free cookies, spent a small fortune purchasing them (undoubtedly), plated them up, and wrapped them in cellophane for the most thoughtful birthday gift I could have asked for from any coworker. She even brought doughnuts for my students so I wouldn't have to share!

Could this have happened if I hadn't taken the time to explain--in detail--what celiac disease is, how it restricts my diet, and why it I should never, ever have gluten? No, it couldn't have. If I hadn't explained celiac disease to Kim, I probably would have been greeted by a pan full of gluten-containing birthday cake, an awkward situation, and a guilty conscience.

The Takeaway (to steal a phrase from the delightful style blog, Work Your Wardrobe):

People want to help us, but they can only do that if we speak up and educate them.

Not sure how to start the conversation? Pop over to my informational page, "Celiac Disease," for some well-researched answers to a few common questions, including: What is celiac disease? What are its symptoms? and What happens if you eat gluten?

Keeping Your Kitchen Safe

Keeping Your Kitchen Safe

some easy tips to avoid cross-contamination at home

If your significant other is anything like my husband, he (or she) makes many sacrifices to help you stay gluten-free without losing all interest in eating. And if you are anything like me, the last thing you want to do is ask him (or her) to make one more sacrifice and make your kitchen entirely gluten-free. The good news? You may not have to. Implementing a few simple ideas may be enough to keep your kitchen safe and everyone in your house happy.

PROBLEM: Keeping gluten-free and traditional pasta separate Look at the picture below. Can you tell which pasta is gluten-free and which is made from traditional wheat flour? Neither can I.

Two are gluten-free, but which two?

SOLUTIONS: 1) Buy gluten-free pasta in unique shapes or colors For a unique shape, try penne (shown above), shells or fusili. For a stand-out color, look for spinach- or squash-flavored pastas, which will be naturally tinted green or orange. A new shape or unusual color may not impact taste, but it will give you confidence the next time you serve spaghetti. 2) Use an easy labeling system To help tell our pasta jars apart, I simply tied a colored ribbon to the ones containing gluten-free pasta. Simple, elegant, and easy.

An orange ribbon indicates "gluten-free,"
while clear glass containers keep me organized 

PROBLEM: Gluten sticks to my colander when I drain gluten-containing pasta

SOLUTIONS: 1) Always drain the gluten-free pasta first & scrub thoroughly I drain my gluten-free pasta and plate it up, and then I drain the gluten-containing stuff for my husband and son. When it is time to clean up, I submerge the colander in a pot or sinkful of hot water, and then scrub and rinse repeatedly. 2) Buy a gluten-free-only colander and make sure the rest of the family knows it's off-limits While you are at it, you may also want to consider buying a dedicated toaster and try to stick to non-porous utensils, like plastic. 

PROBLEM: Gluten-containing crumbs in my otherwise gluten-free margarine or jam

Which one would you dip your knife into?

SOLUTION: Buy one brand (or flavor) of margarine and jam for yourself and one for your gluten-eating loved ones When it comes to cross-contamination, it is always best to play it safe. While the above problem could also be solved by teaching every member of the household how to butter their toast without smearing whole-wheat crumbs into the container, it is a lot easier to say, "This is mine. Don't touch it." 

This seems to work best when the "hands-on" product is something the rest of the family loves (e.g. I eat peach and apricot jam, while my husband and sun revel in strawberry). As an added perk, I get to experiment with different flavors, and my husband never has a reason to complain.

Who says you have to share?

Hungry for More?

Check out these links to gluten-free cross-contamination articles

Keeping a Safe Gluten-Free Kitchen (Suzy Schurr, Celiac Central)
Cross-Contamination (Canadian Celiac Association)
Cross Contamination (Coeliac UK)
Ask the Celiac Expert: Q & A (Shelley Case, RD, Gluten Free Diet)

Have a great cross-contamination prevention tip? Leave a comment and pass it on!

Concerned about cross-contamination and looking for advice? Leave a comment and let me know how I can help. I'm here for you!

Ready to blog!

Welcome to (GF)2: The Everyday Celiac. After nearly a week of staring at my laptop and staying up too late on "school nights" (a.k.a. weeknights, for those of you who don't work in education), this blog is finally ready for the public. I declare it officially OPEN FOR BUSINESS.

Take a look around, click on a few links, read some content. Hopefully, you'll find something helpful. Also, consider sharing the link with anyone you know who has celiac disease or is on a strict gluten-free diet. The goal of this blog is to help others in my situation--but I can't do that unless I get the word out!