Celiac Disease

Official Website of Celiac-Disease.com

You are here: Home / Archives for Gluten-Free Diet / Holidays

Holidays

Gluten-Free Items for Passover

Last Updated on by the Celiac-Disease.com Staff 2 Comments

With Passover beginning next week, Tuesday, March 30, grocery stores are getting stocked with matzo and other traditional Passover food items. Unfortunately, most of these items are full of wheat and of no use on a gluten-free diet.  Technically, according to Jewish law, one must eat matzo on the first night of Passover, and real matzo must contain wheat, barley, rye, spelt, or oats, which has to do with the method of cooking and amount of time needed for the matzo to rise.  By Jewish law matzo must be made in under 18 minutes from the time it is started to the time of the finished product, being that it is forbidden to eat any grain that is leavened.

I even read from one source that if wheat-filled matzo doesn’t cause us “too much discomfort” one should be eating it in observance of Passover, which is obviously not a safe solution for observant celiacs.  Thankfully, there are some companies that keep gluten-free eaters in mind and provide Passover items at this time of year. As with wheat-filled matzo, it is required that when using gluten-free oats they are supervised by a rabbi throughout the entire process to be sure the flour does not come in contact with water and start leavening and monitor the 18-minute regulation, which again is a requirement of Jewish law in order for it to be considered real matzo.  This, unfortunately, means that gluten-free matzo is not necessarily cheap.

Gluten-free oat matzo and matzo meal are also available by Gluten-Free Oat Matzos based in the UK and can be found worldwide, and provide a list of worldwide distributors. These are currently the only gluten-free matzo produced in a dedicated gluten-free facility.

Being from New York City, I have always loved matzo ball soup and was so thankful when I came across a gluten-free matzo ball soup mix by Paskesz a few weeks ago at the Gluten-Free Trading Company in Milwaukee.  This has always been one of my favorite soups.  Paskesz offers many kosher gluten-free foods that are available seasonally as well as year-round. Currently, the gluten-free Trading Company carries matzo ball soup mix, matzo crackers, chow mein noodles, bread crumbs, cereals, cupcakes, and more.  Products are available while supplies last and can be purchased by mail order from their website.

They may not be as cheap as wheat-filled matzo, but at least those who observe Passover can feel comfortable that they can participate with proper gluten-free matzo and other kosher holiday foods.

Valentine’s Day Gluten-Free Candy

Last Updated on by the Celiac-Disease.com Staff 8 Comments

As I was shopping for Valentine’s Day gifts today, I was reminded that it is very important to diligently read labels on all candy, even candy that is gluten-free in its original form.  I picked up a bag of Reese’s Peanut Butter Hearts and flipped it over to read the ingredients and found wheat flour was on the list.  I am writing this because I know that it can be easy to become complacent & think that because you have checked something before, it is okay to eat or feed to your child who is gluten-free.

Before buying any candy, reference an updated gluten-free candy list. Remember that ingredients and/or suppliers may change, so always read the label.

There are plenty of candies that are made by gluten-free companies or are marked “gluten-free”:

If there is something in particular that you have in mind that you can find the reference, give the company a call.  Most companies have phone numbers or emails listed on their websites.

Another idea is to make your Valentine’s Day treats at home, in your own kitchen.  You can make your own candy.  You can make sugar cookie cut-outs or cupcakes.  There are so many great gluten-free cake & cookie mixes out there now.  If you are interested in fudge – here is a recipe that was my Grandmother’s. Valentine’s Day morning breakfast? Heart-shaped pancakes (Pamela’s are a hit in our house)! Top with maple syrup & strawberries with a few dark chocolate chips.

The bottom line here is to always remember to double-check your food. You can never be too safe when it comes to label reading. It is that one time that you don’t check that something will have changed.

Maneuvering Holiday Parties Gluten-Free Style

Last Updated on by the Celiac-Disease.com Staff Leave a Comment

Going to holiday parties is fun for many people but for the gluten-free set, these events can be a bit like walking through gluten minefields. For this reason, a lot of people go to great lengths to avoid attending such parties. Believe it or not, in most cases, one can survive holiday events and remain gluten-free while doing so. It just takes a bit of research and pre-planning before the party.

Most of the time, the food served at company holiday events is catered. By calling the H.R. department of the company throwing the party, you can find out how to contact the event planners that were likely hired to take care of all party details. One more call to the actual caterer should put you in touch with someone who can eventually answer questions about the food being served at the event. After explaining your dietary needs, the caterer contact you’ve reached is likely going to have to get back to you with a list of exactly what you can eat at the party.

At the company holiday events I’ve attended, the list of items that were gluten-free was shockingly long. At the Georgia Aquarium, Wolfgang Puck Catering provides food. If people with special dietary needs contact the company before the event, they can be walked around to all the food stations to find out what is safe for them to eat, once they arrive. The pasta bar at the party we attended at the Georgia Aquarium was off-limits, but there were delicious gourmet salads (with no croutons), rice, potato, chicken, beef, and seafood dishes to be enjoyed. Almost all of the vegetable dishes were safe as well. The only area that didn’t offer anything tasty was dessert. Upon request, guests can have ice cream or sorbet but during 30-degree weather, frozen desserts don’t appeal to a lot of people.

The High Museum in Atlanta might have the best gluten-free fare at parties in the area. The party we attended there didn’t have as large a selection as the food at the Georgia Aquarium, but the creatively prepared holiday fare was exceptional in both taste and presentation. Strangely enough, the salad served was one of the few things that contained gluten at the party, besides the desserts. For whatever reason, the chef put croutons right in the salad instead of on the side. In any event, the amazing food that was gluten-free was more than enough to fill anyone up. It was fun to listen to party guests rave about the food, in particular the gluten-free offerings which were most of the meal, knowing they had no idea the things they thought were so delicious were actually gluten-free!

Since it’s likely that most desserts at catered holiday parties will contain gluten, consider taking in your own discreet gluten-free treat. Chocolate candy can be messy, but candied nuts can be packed in a baggie and placed in an evening bag very easily. Empty the contents of the baggie onto a dessert plate and then count how many times other guests ask you where you got the nuts. When people inevitably ask me about them, I explain that I brought them because all the desserts contain gluten, which I can’t eat.

The biggest mistake people make is assuming there is nothing safe for them to eat at large (or small) catered parties. At someone’s potluck party, there is probably not much, if anything, that will be gluten-free, except for what you take to the event. In contrast, at catered parties where the menu details are put in place long before an event, it is possible to find out what is safe before you even pick out what you’re wearing to the party.

Though it’s often said that buffets should always be avoided by people with food intolerances of any kind, there are ways to mitigate your risk when attending events where all the food is served buffet style. Review the layout of all the dishes and carefully inspect the serving utensils. It is actually pretty easy to tell when the serving pieces have been mixed up. When you find evidence that dishes have been contaminated this way, find a staff person and ask them to either bring you some food directly from the kitchen or to notify you when the items in question are going to be restocked with a clean serving utensil. Be first in line to get your serving from the new pan of food and enjoy!

As someone who has successfully eaten at many weddings, company parties and other events where not all of the food served was gluten-free, I highly encourage others to do a little recon about the food at parties they’ve been invited to, before flatly deciding it’s better to stay home. These days, there is simply no reason to turn down fabulous party invitations just because we can’t eat gluten.

Gluten-Free Holiday Survival Tips

Last Updated on by the Celiac-Disease.com Staff

It’s the time of year when many people new to the gluten-free diet start trying to figure out how in the world they can survive the holidays gluten-free. Most holiday meals include gravy, dressing, pi,es and cookies. It’s a full on gluten extravaganza, no doubt. But you can convert most everything you love to be gluten-free. It takes time to get it right but here are some ideas to get your started.

The following holiday cooking tips allow my family to enjoy wonderful meals without gluten, for the most part. Three of us are gluten-free and almost everyone contributing dishes now knows how to prepare food safely for us. The only gluten present at our holiday meals these days is usually in the form of dinner rolls for the glutenoids.

One thing I didn’t want to do when I went gluten-free, gave up my favorite holiday foods. In fact, before my celiac diagnosis, I rarely cooked except during the holidays. My husband used to be a chef so I only started cooking after my celiac diagnosis. It took me two holiday seasons to get everything right, adapting dishes to be gluten-free, while offering the same great (or better!) taste as the gluten dishes.

First up was pecan pie, a staple dessert for Thanksgiving and Christmas for us. Since I’ve never found a ready-made gluten-free pie crust I like, I had to learn how to make the crust for the first time ever. I’d always used the frozen Pet Ritz crusts in the past. I didn’t realize those were not really that good until I made better-tasting crusts with gluten-free mixes!

All of the below mixes make very good pie crusts –

Gravy (we don’t like gravy but have heard good things about these mixes) –

Cornbread for dressing –

  • Gluten-Free Naturals
  • Pamela’s Cornbread & Muffin Mix
  • Gluten-free Pantry

Cream of Mushroom soups (for casseroles) –

  • Progresso Creamy Mushroom (new label states gluten-free but all cans are gluten-free)
  • Health Valley Cream of Mushroom (read the label)
  • Walnut Acres Portobello Mushroom(read the label)

The above soups are not condensed so you need to thicken them for use in casseroles. The easiest way I’ve found to do this is to use a little with corn starch dissolved in it. Add mixture to the heated soup and stir until it’s the consistency you desire. Because this takes about 20 minutes, I do it several days before I need it and store in the fridge until needed.

For a gluten-free version of French Fried Onions (for casseroles), some people use Funyuns. French’s Potato Sticks with added onion powder for flavor will work but adds a potato flavor. We prefer making homemade fried onions. They can be stored in an airtight container for up to a week. We use gluten-free Pantry or Domata flour for fried onions, using this recipe. These taste better than anything you can find in a can – with or without gluten!

For the best spice cake around, use the Namaste mix and add ½ cup of unsweetened applesauce. We add nuts and raisins as well. Frost with cream cheese frosting and have glutenoids begging for more!

Have a question about the gluten-free diet which we haven’t covered yet?  You can now submit your questions here! (Note: All medical questions should be directed to your physician)

How Can I Survive the Holidays and Stay Gluten-Free?

Last Updated on by the Celiac-Disease.com Staff

Your first holiday season on the gluten-free diet is likely to be somewhat challenging. In my case, I moved my biopsy from December to January.  I simply didn’t want to have to worry about learning about gluten – and how to avoid it during the holidays of all times. With my only outward symptom being anemia, to this day I’m very glad I moved the test to January!

Finding a gluten-free turkey and ham – or even prime rib – is not difficult. However, putting gluten bread stuffing into a turkey makes it off limits for you to eat – even if you only eat the turkey and skip the stuffing. Making gluten-free dressing with Pamela’s or Gluten-Free Naturals cornbread mix will have glutenoids asking for more! We use the dressing recipe on Pamela’s website, no matter which mix we use for the cornbread.

What you need to know is that making the food gluten-free and delicious is not the hardest part of getting through the holidays gluten-free style. The most difficult part is dealing with family members who will not want you to change any family traditions involving food. Some people can get really weird about these things – really weird. Don’t worry about understanding why they do, just accept that it’s likely to happen in any given family. It only takes one person to declare that they “shouldn’t have to eat differently just because you do” to ruin the whole meal – or maybe the whole day.

By the time I had my first-holiday meal, I had two other gluten-free family members, making us the majority in my immediate family of five. I’m not going to kid you. The easiest way for others to accept your diet is for there to be someone else in your crowd who either has a food intolerance or better yet, another person who can’t eat gluten. If no such person exists, people will come around eventually, so try and be patient.

Let’s assume that you are the only gluten-free person in your family because it might take a few years for the other celiacs (if there are any) in your family to be diagnosed. Think about what you need in order to feel relaxed and safe at the holiday gathering. Remember that is not reasonable to think others are going to be willing to make gluten-free food to accommodate your diet – at least, not in the beginning.

For your first holiday season, you might consider making all your own food and seeing how that goes over with everyone. If the gluten-free diet is new to you and them, it’s so much work to try to help anyone make you safe food, that it might not be worth the effort. Practice makes perfect and it will take time for others to understand that you can’t have the Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom soup that Aunt Betty puts in everything. This will be particularly hard for dear Aunt Betty to “get”.

We’ll go over pie crusts, gravy soups for casseroles, and various holiday cooking tips later this week.