#love is stored in the learning about and accommodating your found family’s dietary restrictions and preferences

[mmikmmik2]

Now that there’s easy access to a functioning portal again, I bet there’s a lot of trading food between realms. Even if they’re not living with her anymore, I bet Camila would still want to have demon food available for Luz’s friends when they visit. It’s like when people have the separate saucepan with no meat for vegetarians, except she’s making spaghetti sauce with no eyeballs for herself and Luz. Probably the Hexsquad have a few human foods they got attached to (I am envisioning this as a strict dichotomy where their faves are all either Camila’s home cooking or terrible radioactive junk food). Camila and Eda would be collaborating to make sure Luz has food she can enjoy while she’s at Eda’s as a teen. Maybe the exchange program at Eda’s university could have like, a vegetable garden and a chicken coop to help support human diets. I also think Amity, once she gets the hang of Luz’s dietary restrictions, would be super aggressive about accommodating them and trying to find restaurants for their Boiling Isles dates where Luz can eat something other than the complimentary bread. Powerful “excuse me she asked for no pickles” vibes except those are like, demon pickles that would literally burn a hole in Luz’s stomach

[millennialtestkitchen-blog]

About Me

As is tradition with most new blogs, I must introduce myself with a brief life history. I must explain events and adventures I have been through that brought me to the point that I decided I need to blog about myself.

This blog has been created mainly to share my trials and triumphs with trying out recipes from the internet, and sometimes inventing my own. Another huge inspiration for making this blog, and hopefully something I will be able to pass along to my readers are creative ways to cook for special dietary requirements or restrictions. I will explain more about why this is important to me in a few paragraphs. 

I have always had a passion for cooking. I grew up watching the Food Network with my grandfather and cooking with my grandmother. I learned the basics from my own mother and father as well. If I look back, I think the first thing I ever learned to make, then successfully made for myself - by myself - was pancakes. Yes, they were the “just add water” kind, but my grandmother always added a dash (no measurements) of vanilla extract. I did the same thing and they turned out pretty good. She taught me how to look for the bubbles that rose from the bottom a few minutes after they hit the hot griddle. once the bubbles did not fill themselves back in after they popped, it was time to flip. My parents came down stairs around 6:30am on a Saturday to find me in my pajamas enjoying 3 pancakes by myself watching cartoons. I was hungry and they weren’t awake yet, so I taught myself how to cook out of necessity and desire for a specific thing.

Honestly, the first thing I actually ever made for myself in a similar context was Cheerios and milk with honey. Except we were out of milk and honey so I used water and cinnamon powder. I was 5 years old and the sensation of flavorless soggy Cheerios congealing in my mouth with the heaping pile of cinnamon still lingers when I think back to that fateful morning

Looking back, a lot of the things I have created or learned to cook very well have all come from necessity. I hope to share all of my own original recipes on this blog at some point, but this “cooking only due to necessity” brings me to where I am at in my life at the moment. 

I found out November 2016 that I have a dairy allergy, and wheat and gluten also were causing reactions in my body that I was not happy with. My doctor and I decided that Thanksgiving 2016 would be my last hurrah with dairy and wheat in large amounts. Since then I have been 99.9% dairy free (that 0.01% is accounting for times I did not realize I was eating something with dairy in it). I have also been 90% gluten free as well (I will let myself have a piece of bread at a restaurant, or a few sips of my partners beer, but that’s about it. However I was served a beer at a family friends house and due to social anxiety and lack of other beverages I drank it without saying anything and I did not have a terrible reaction to it) 

Within 3 days of giving up dairy and gluten back in 2016, my face cleared up, my stomach stopped hurting all of the time, my body felt less lethargic and my mental fogginess cleared up as well. Before I gave up dairy and gluten I was eating a mostly vegetarian diet, inspired by my current roommate and the fact that I lived in Hawaii and everyone I knew was vegan. And there is so much great access to veggies there, it was cheap way to fill up without spending money on meat. However I did start consuming a huge amount of dairy, especially considering I never drank milk as a kid and always hated cheese until my later teen years. I grew to love fresh mozzarella, cream in my coffee, and my late night hangover cure of a 2AM Smoked Mozzarella and Tomato Grilled Cheese Sandwich. I also loved beer, and having turned 21 earlier that year, I was drinking a lot of it (while slightly priding myself on being a woman who actually appreciated a good IPA) 

I remember about a week before I had to stop eating dairy, I went into the local grocery store in Hawaii, grabbed some random dish from the deli and sat in my car eating it while thinking to myself “I’m so glad I don’t have any food allergies, I love being able to eat whatever I want and try all of these new cuisines and foods. Maybe I should be a food critic” 

The first few months were hard on me. I loved to cook already, but I lost the ability to cook about 90% of my comfort staples and nightly dinner ideas. I was stuck and found myself eating a lot of rice and veggies, and I ate a lot of corn chips and salsa. One time I even had a reaction to those because some dumb brand at the local store added whey into their corn tortilla chips... 

I finally got tired of eating Asian themed food and snacks and started to think outside of the box. I think one of the first things I made that was remotely creative was Vegan Street Tacos. It wasn’t anything fancy, but I loved that I could make something so hearty and lovely and I didn’t have to worry about it giving me a reaction or asking too many questions at a restaurant. I was able to just cook it, sit down, and eat until i felt like exploding.  

This inspired me to think of all of my favorite comfort dishes and try and recreate them in dairy free and gluten free ways. This is pretty hard sometimes because a lot of things that are Gluten Free are not always Dairy Free and vice versa. Most of the time if I am feeling lazy I have to look up Gluten Free and Vegan recipes to ensure I don’t have to find a good substitution for butter, or get a good gluten free flour recommendation. These recipes often call for crazy substitutions though, and since I am a meat eater, and I can eat eggs, the vegan recipes call for ingredients I do not have on hand, and sometimes ingredients that are very expensive or hard to find. 

The hardest stuff to make in the kitchen are actually deserts. Substitution is easy with cooking, because the chemistry between ingredients isn’t as important. Baking is a science and There aren’t a lot of people out there who have perfected the science behind almond flour acting like regular flour. So it’s a lot harder to just “sub in” a gluten free or dairy free ingredient. Butter is the absolute hardest thing to find substitutions for, and it’s the bane of my existence. I have been told so many times “oh this is dairy free, it just has some butter in it, but no milk or cheese” and I have to explain to the person that BUTTER IS DAIRY. It doesn’t help that I am allergic to Casein, and not Lactose. This means that I am allergic to the protein in diary that wont bake out of stuff like lactose does. And butter is like concentrated Casein. 

Thanks for bearing with me so far, I’ll get to my blog theme right here. 

After adventuring around in life and having 2 years of gf/df eating under my belt, i have found myself becoming more creative in the kitchen. I read a lot of recipes online and have figured out what substitutions work best for me, and still taste great for my boyfriend, who can eat whatever he wants. I make food that is satisfying and delicious for me, and is still enjoyable for those who do not have allergies or restrictions. 

On this blog I will mostly be sharing recent meals that I have made and explain how I did it to achieve a GF/DF meal. I will try my best to share price of ingredients but keep in mind this will change based on location and time of year.

I will also tag and label a recipe that is VEGAN if I did not use any meat or eggs. Keep in mind though, that 99% of what I will post about will already be safe for gluten sensitive and dairy avoiding individuals. That being said, there are some products I purchase that are “made in a factory that shares equipment with milk or wheat” I have found some products with this disclaimer that do not give me a reaction, and some do. SO keep in mind if you are Celiac you will still need to check your food labels for ingredients you buy. If you want though, I am happy to test products for you (just let me know)  

Basically this blog will have a link to a recipe I found, or the name of the cook book, and I will explain how easy it was to replicate.I will explain any substitutions I did to achieve a meal I can consume as well. In addition, I will post some of my own original recipes I have created, and on occasion I may be posting restaurant or product reviews when I find a place that I felt was really accommodating or a product I found and loved. (right now I am obsessed with Skinny Pop’s white cheddar popcorn because it’s vegan and I missed white cheddar popcorn a lot)

And with that now you know about me and what I am trying to accomplish here. I want to share my experiences to hopefully inspire other people who share my struggles. I love to eat and just because I have to watch what I eat, doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy what I eat. 

Always feel free to send me questions on tumblr or via email :) 

also I would appreciate any patience with me and my new blog. I am still figuring out how I want to format things and when and what to write. 

[consulting-celiac-in-the-tardis]

19 Ways Life Changes When You Have Celiac Disease

New blog post! So you’ve just learned that you have celiac disease and need to start a gluten free diet. What else should you expect to change in your life, besides just your food?

Today, I'm rounding up all the changes I’ve noticed since my celiac disease diagnosis five years ago. I have two hopes for this post: first, I hope that this makes you feel less alone if you’re struggling to accept similar lifestyle changes due to celiac disease. Second? If your friends or family don’t seem to understand why adjusting to life with celiac disease can feel so freakin’ hard sometimes, I hope this post shows them that celiac disease changes way more than just the food you put on your plate. 

So whether you have celiac disease or know someone who does and want a chance to “walk in their (chronically ill) shoes,” keep reading to discover 19 ways your life changes after a celiac disease diagnosis! 

1. Your diet shifts...in some ways you may not expect. 

I might as well start with the most obvious life change: the required gluten free diet. Depending on how you ate before your celiac diagnosis, going gluten free can be a big change. If you’re like me, though, you might also discover other food intolerances along the way. For instance, like many celiacs, my intestinal villi were damaged so badly that I wasn't able to tolerate dairy (and still can't in large amounts). 

When my stomach continued to act up even after I started a gluten free diet, I also temporarily adopted a low fodmap diet and still have certain “triggers” (like onion and garlic) that I typically avoid. All of this goes to say that going gluten free for celiac disease is much more complicated than just ditching bread. People often underestimate how many foods wheat can hide in (from soy sauce to soup) and how many other dietary changes celiacs end up needing to make as well. 

2. Grocery shopping takes longer. 

Before I learned that I have celiac disease, grocery shopping was easy. I just grabbed whatever looked good and checked out! When you’re living with celiac disease, though, you have to spend extra time reading labels to ensure your food is gluten free and not cross contaminated. (Learn more about reading labels here).

Plus, if you don’t want to spend a loooot more money on your gluten free groceries (more on that on point number 13), you’ll probably spend extra time comparing brands to find the cheapest option. I’ve certainly gotten faster at grocery shopping the longer I’ve been diagnosed, as I now know which brands are safe and delicious and what label markings to look for. However, I doubt grocery shopping will ever feel as “easy” or “worry free” as it was pre-celiac. 

3. You can’t just eat out “wherever.”

One of the hardest changes to accept with a celiac disease diagnosis, at least for me, was the loss of spontaneity. No longer could I just walk around town and grab a bite at whatever restaurant looked good. 

Gluten free apps like the one I talk about here are definitely a big help in finding safe gluten free options when you’re out and about. Nowadays, though, I still call ahead or talk about the menu in more detail with restaurants that promote “gluten free” menus, as many of them are not cross contamination free or celiac safe. 

4. Dating can be even trickier. 

Considering that I was diagnosed with celiac at age 16, I found out first-hand that romance can feel a little more complicated without wheat. Choosing a date night restaurant requires extra research, and while various celiac experts I've talked to say that being glutened from a kiss is very improbable, I've felt sick after kissing a wheat-eater before. I try to make a joke out of requesting that guys brush their teeth (or wait an hour after eating) before they kiss me, but the disclosure can make some first dates a lil' awkward. 

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On the plus side, though...you never have to deal with kissing someone who has major garlic breath! And I've found that the people who really care about me (and therefore are real dating material anyway) don't mind the extra tooth brushing either!

5. Telling people about your dietary restrictions is a near-daily occurrence. 

When I’m working an office job or at school, I’m asked about my “special” food almost every time I meet someone new. After all, when you attend a pizza party and bring your own gluten free pizza, you’re probably going to raise some eyebrows. 

Within a few months after your diagnosis, you’ll likely have the “celiac spiel” memorized. Mine usually goes something like this: “Yep, I have celiac disease, an autoimmune disease where ingesting gluten damages my intestines. I can get sick from even a small amount of gluten, so I make my own food most of the time.” Short, sweet and beneficial to raising celiac awareness! 

6. You become “that gluten free girl (or guy).” 

As people learn more about your new dietary restrictions, you might find your whole identity being equated to your food...for better or for worse. By sophomore year, I was known as that “gluten free chic” on my small college campus. (And fun fact: whoever controls my college’s choir Instagram account still follows me and likes my smoothie bowl pictures!) 

Obviously, some people may feel more comfortable being known by this label than others. If you’re struggling to decipher how you feel about celiac disease being part of your identity, I’d recommend reading this popular post of mine. Also, remember that although some people might identify you by your diet, the people who know and love you best probably understand just how complex, multifaceted and layered your identity really is.  

7. Holidays become a little more complicated. 

Oh, holidays. Spending time with friends and family can be super fun and relaxing, but sitting down for Thanksgiving dinner can feel a lot more challenging when you have celiac disease or food restrictions. If you are lucky enough to have friends or family who want to (and can safely) accommodate your diet, great! If not, remember that the holidays are really about the people and not the food, and eat ahead of time or bring your own gluten free dinner to enjoy along with everyone else. 

8. You ask a lot of questions about your food anytime you go out to eat or receive a “gluten free” gift. 

Unless you’re ordering at an entirely gluten free restaurant (which are as awesome as they are rare), eating out gluten free involves a lot of talking, explaining and double checking. I typically talk to the waiter or waitress about what celiac is and the accommodations I need (fresh ingredients, clean pots and pans, etc), and I sometimes ask to speak to the manager if the waitstaff doesn’t seem educated about celiac disease. 

The same routine happens when I attend a potluck or a party or someone surprises me with a “gluten free” treat on my birthday. Unfortunately, because small amounts of gluten are still dangerous for people with celiac disease, even “gluten free” food isn’t safe if it’s been made with cross contaminated equipment or ingredients. Have a hard time saying “no” even when you’re pretty dang sure the food is unsafe? Read this for an empowering reminder. 

9. You may experience nutritional or vitamin deficiencies. 

Despite the common misperception that a gluten free diet is automatically “healthier” than a diet with wheat, gluten free foods can be lower in vitamins and minerals or not as enriched as whole grain alternatives. Combined with the intestinal damage gluten likely caused before your celiac diagnosis, you may end up having several nutritional deficiencies. 

Personally, my doctor put me on zinc and calcium supplements after my celiac diagnosis. I also recently found out that I am low in iron, and am taking a supplement for that. Obviously, everyone with celiac disease is different and you might be 100% healthy just eating a balanced gluten free diet. If you do discover nutritional deficiencies, though, know that you aren’t alone. 

10. You get way too excited over new, delicious gluten free products. 

When I’m grocery shopping and find a new gluten free product that I’ve previously tried and loved or have heard is ah-maz-ing, I’ve been known to: 1) jump up and down, 2) squeal, 3) buy 3-4 boxes, and 4) do all of the above. The truth is, it’s hard to ditch your old favorite foods. Even though there are tons more gluten free options nowadays, it can be equally hard to find gluten free products that you seriously love.

So when we do find something great, we celebrate, as goofy as it might make us look. 

11. You rarely leave the house without a snack (or entire meal) in your purse, backpack or glovebox. 

I never used to worry about having food on hand when I left the house. I knew I could grab a granola bar at school or visit whatever restaurant I happened to be nearby if needed. When celiac entered the picture, that all changed. Now, you might call me the walking pantry...and I’ve heard from many other celiacs that they are exactly the same way. 

12. You may learn to cook...or not. 

If you used to live off of takeout and pre-made meals from your local grocery store, you might still be able to do that after your celiac disease diagnosis. However, because of the price of many prepacked gluten free meals, you’ll probably end up learning how to cook at least simple things like stuffed baked potatoes, some kind of (vegan or otherwise) protein, roasted veggies and a side salad.

You might even turn into a foodie like me and learn that you enjoy spending time in the kitchen! You never know what delicious gluten free recipes might become your new favorite meals...

13. You need extra time for food prep and (likely) extra money for your groceries. 

If you do end up cooking most of your food, though, you will be giving up one thing: time. As anyone who practices food prep knows, cooking can be time-consuming, even if you set aside a single day of the week to do it all. Plus, like I’ve already mentioned, gluten free products are often more expensive than their gluten-filled counterparts. So while your old go-to lunch might’ve been two slices of pizza for $6 at your work cafeteria, your new lunch might call for more expensive gluten free pizza crust and toppings, as well as the time to cook your own pie. But all hope (or free time and money) is not lost! Check out my post about how to eat healthy as a busy college student for time-management cooking tips!

14. Other members of your family may be tested and diagnosed with celiac disease. 

Celiac disease is hereditary and after you’ve been diagnosed, your doctor might encourage the rest of your family to be tested for celiac disease as well. I’ve heard of families who refuse, and that’s certainly their right. Personally, my family was tested and we found that my dad carries the celiac gene, though it’s never been activated.

The good part about this is that your diagnosis might end up transforming - and even saving - a family member’s life if they have active but undiagnosed celiac disease. Plus, family members who carry the gene now know that they should watch out for symptoms in case their celiac disease does become active. 

15. You sometimes feel isolated, misunderstood or frustrated because of your “special” diet. 

I’d be lying if I didn’t include this bullet point in a post about how your life changes when you have celiac disease. The truth is, food is more of a social, connective component in life than I ever realized before my celiac diagnosis. As a result, you might feel unfairly isolated when you can’t join in on midnight burrito runs or pizza parties without having to bring your own food or go hungry. 

As I’ve shared before, you may even grieve the loss of old foods and spontaneity. I’ve cried over not being able to eat a flour tortilla...and even five years after my diagnosis, I still have days where I hate the limitations I have because of celiac disease. 

16. Accidentally ingesting gluten can cause you to feel “glutened” and be trapped in bed, on the toilet, etc. 

Perhaps the biggest - and hardest - change to accept after a celiac diagnosis is that you can really be hurt by a common food ingredient. I learned at the Gluten Free Teen Summit from Dr. Peter Green that many celiacs don't experience major symptoms if they accidentally ingest a small amount of gluten. However, other celiacs definitely do have a wide variety of "glutened" side effects. Personally, my biggest glutened symptoms used to be extreme fatigue and brain fog a few days post-exposure. Now I often get extreme stomach cramps and other not-so-fun stomach issues on top of those.

On the one hand, it can feel disempowering to know that you can be wiped out by accidentally consuming gluten. On the other hand, I try to remind myself that I’m lucky to be able to avoid negative symptoms of celiac disease by avoiding gluten in my diet. 

17. You learn which friends and family are willing to accommodate your dietary needs, and be extra grateful for them. 

Like the old saying goes: “Those who matter won’t care...and those who care don’t matter.” I’ve been constantly amazed at how much my close friends and family will do to ensure that I’m safe and comfortable when eating over at their houses, sharing a kitchen, etc. Even if I don’t accept peoples’ offers to cook me gluten free meals, it means the world to hear that they care enough to want to try. Depending on how your family and friends react to your celiac diagnosis, you might find that your gluten free diet actually brings you closer to certain people in your life. 

18. You experiment with new foods and gluten free recipes...and find some that you like, and some you really don’t. 

There’s no better motivation to learn how to cook than realizing you can feel 100% confident in the safety of your meals if you make them yourself! It can be frustrating to try and find new gluten free products and recipes that taste as good as old favorites, but it’s so rewarding to make something that has even the gluten-eaters in your family eating! I’ve personally found that going gluten free for celiac disease also motivated me to try more naturally gluten free foods I’d never tasted before, like dragon fruit, buckwheat and dates.

If you’re craving a pick-me-up blog post that proves your diet can seriously be super delicious even without gluten, read here about why my diet is more diverse now that I am gluten free! 

19. Your life feels harder at times...but you’ll learn to love having some direct control over your health. 

Especially in the first few months after your celiac disease diagnosis, you’ll probably feel frustrated over your new dietary restrictions. If you have celiac disease and your body doesn’t heal normally on a gluten free diet, like mine didn’t, the adjustment period can feel even harder. 

Even five years later, I give myself permission to feel jealous when friends can enjoy the free donuts at work or cry because I’ve been glutened and feel like rubbish. However, I also constantly try to focus on the positive ways my celiac disease diagnosis has changed my life.

It forced me to learn how to cook and discover that I’m actually a huge foodie. It taught me how to persevere and believe in myself, even when every day felt like a battle against my body. And, of course, it caused me to start this blog and connect with people all over the world...including you!

So You Have Celiac Disease...The Bottom Line

When you initially receive your celiac diagnosis, you might expect that starting a gluten free diet will be the only big change in your life. As this post (and many of my past posts) have shown, however, celiac disease complicates much more than just your diet. It often impacts everything from your monthly grocery bill to your socializing routine. 

Like this post? Tweet me some love by clicking here: "The truth is, a #celiac diagnosis changes WAY more than just your diet. Today, I'm rounding up 19 ways life changes when you have #celiacdisease, from shopping for #glutenfreefood to dating! Read them all here --> http://bit.ly/2uuQnPb"

The biggest thing to remember? While you should stay realistic about the challenges of living with a chronic illness, you should also keep in mind that you can control your diet, your attitude and your health with celiac disease! 

What’s the biggest lifestyle change you’ve noticed since your celiac disease diagnosis or since having to go gluten free for another reason? Tell me in the comments! 

via Blogger https://ift.tt/2A4TFyB

[consulting-celiac-in-the-tardis]

7 Things People with Dietary Restrictions Want You To Know About Thanksgiving Dinner

New blog post!

For many people, Thanksgiving is the ultimate holiday. After all, what's more epic than a holiday specifically dedicated to spending time with family, lounging on the coach to watch football and, of course, eating lots of delicious food?

When you have celiac disease, food allergies or other dietary limitations, though, Thanksgiving gets a little more complicated. Suddenly, you have to worry about things like cross contamination and offending Grandma Marie by turning down her buttermilk biscuits. Thankfully, though, spreading a little celiac disease and food allergy awareness can go a long way in making Thanksgiving a holiday everyone can enjoy.

So what do people with dietary limitations want others to know about Thanksgiving dinner? Based on my own experience with celiac disease, here are seven things that all Thanksgiving diners should keep in mind! 

1. Don't be offended if we can't eat Grandma's "famous" pecan pie.

I promise, I totally wish I could taste the pecan pie that Grandma made from scratch based on a century-old family recipe. And if a “little bite” wouldn’t seriously hurt me (aka: gluten me and turn me into a brain-fogged, bloated zombie for at least a week), I’d “even just try the filling.” 

However, I have the right - and the responsibility - to put my own health and well-being over being polite. So please don’t be offended if I turn down offers of food with a simple, “Thank you, but I need to follow a strict gluten free diet.”

On a related note, don’t feel embarrassed for not knowing what a “gluten free diet” is or feel bad for forgetting and offering me more food, either. I'm used to explaining my diet and advocating for myself on a daily basis...and most people with dietary restrictions can probably relate. And, whether I can eat the food or not, it's always nice to feel like people are trying to make me feel at home and well-fed!

2. We appreciate it when you try to accommodate our dietary needs...

The longer I’ve been diagnosed with celiac disease, the more amazed I've been at how far loved ones are willing to go to accommodate my gluten free diet. When I’m home for Thanksgiving, my parents and sister cook a 90% gluten free Thanksgiving dinner, with the only gluten typically being a few bread rolls and a traditional green bean casserole for my dad. A few years ago, we even had an entirely gluten free Thanksgiving, complete with a gluten free green bean casserole, amazing rolls from a local gf bakery and apple pie for dessert. 

I know that not all families or friends are able to host an allergy friendly Thanksgiving dinner, and I don’t think people should feel obligated to try. As I’ll discuss in the next point, cooking gluten free or allergy friendly is often a lot more complicated than people realize, and “gluten free” meals made by inexperienced cooks may still contain dangerous cross contamination. 

When friends or family do offer to alter their Thanksgiving dinner recipes on my behalf, though, I feel extra loved - even if that offer doesn’t become a reality. And I doubt I’m the only gluten free foodie who’s appreciated similar offers or allergy friendly Thanksgiving dinners. 

3. ...but sometimes, it's easier (and safer) to just bring our own food.

As mentioned above, it’s super cool of people to offer to accommodate my gluten free diet during Thanksgiving. When I’m not spending the holidays with my immediate family, though, I often respond, “I really appreciate the offer, but it’s actually easier and safer for me to just bring my own food this year. Is that OK?” 

Just like I need to read the labels of “gluten free” foods that friends bring me to make sure the treat is celiac-safe, eating gluten free food prepared by other people typically requires a long conversation about the ingredients, pots and cooking utensils used. If you have gluten intolerance or less sensitive dietary limitations, you might be able to accept allergy-friendly meals with less worry. 

Like this post? Tweet me some love by clicking here: "Have friends or family with #celiacdisease, #foodallergies or dietary limitations? Here's 7 things they want you to know about #Thanksgiving dinner! #celiac #foodallergy #health http://bit.ly/2zTfiOM"

For people with celiac disease or other dietary restrictions that require no cross contamination, though, eating slightly questionable food can result in worrying about the food’s safety the whole dinner. Bringing our own allergy friendly Thanksgiving feast often gives us the best of both worlds: time with loved ones and some delicious, safe food!

4. If we do eat eat something different, please don't feel the need to point it out.

I’ve found that hosts rarely mind if I bring my own Thanksgiving dinner in Tupperware; however, eating a different meal than everyone else can feel awkward at times, especially if people can’t stop talking about it.

Of course, if someone sees the gluten free popcorn pumpkin balls I packed for dessert and comments on how delicious they look, I’ll smile and thank them. That’s very different, though, from:

Asking me about every single ingredient I used in my meal, 

Saying how “weird” gluten free food is and how they had a *insert random friend or relative here* who went gluten free once and that their food tasted horrible, 

Telling me I’m “lucky that I can’t eat the bread rolls so I can stay skinny,” or

Endlessly exclaiming how delicious the "regular" food is and asking if I miss eating “normal” food and if I’m sure I can’t even eat just a bite.

(And, yes, I’ve experienced moments of each of those, though not always on Thanksgiving).

I can’t speak for everyone with celiac disease, food allergies or dietary limitations, but I personally don’t mind questions about my food or celiac disease as long as they are respectful and the person sincerely wants to learn more. 

However, when people make comments like those listed above or seem incapable of letting me just blend in with everyone else, it’s hard to not feel awkward and isolated. So, when in doubt, spend more time talking to people about who they are and what they do and less time talking about what they eat! 

5. Stay open-minded...and open-mouthed! 

On a similar note, don’t automatically turn up your nose at a gluten free recipe we bring to Thanksgiving dinner to share. I’ll be the first to say that 99 percent of allergy friendly recipes do not taste exactly like their traditional counterparts. Unless you’re using a really stellar gluten free recipe, gluten free bread will not taste like the flaky pre-made crescent rolls you used to enjoy eating. That’s just reality. 

However, allergy friendly food can still be flippin’ delicious, and I’ve come to love people who have an open mind and are always willing to try new gluten free recipes. Who knows? Maybe the slightly “weird” gluten free and vegan Thanksgiving dessert your celiac niece brings to dinner will become a new family favorite!

Like this post? Tweet me some love by clicking here: "Have friends or family with #celiacdisease, #foodallergies or dietary limitations? Here's 7 things they want you to know about #Thanksgiving dinner! #celiac #foodallergy #health http://bit.ly/2zTfiOM"

6. If there are allergy friendly dishes for everyone to enjoy, please pay attention to cross contamination rules. 

Depending on how many people need allergy friendly options or the set-up of the Thanksgiving dinner (for example, a potluck with friends instead of one person cooking everything), you might see several allergy friendly Thanksgiving sides, main dishes and desserts on your table this year. If there are eaters who need to avoid cross contamination, please follow the rules they’ve established. 

Many times, these “rules” can involve using specific, separate serving utensils for each dish, that way the gluten-filled gravy doesn’t touch the gluten-free mashed potatoes, etc. Your family or friends might also consider letting the person with celiac disease or dietary restrictions serve themselves first, so they know people haven’t accidentally used the wrong utensils or put contaminated leftovers back in the original container.

We know that using a specific utensil or keeping the allergy friendly Thanksgiving dishes in another section of the kitchen might sometimes feel annoying or like overkill. However, these little actions can literally keep the food from killing us. And trust us. Thanksgiving dinner is much more enjoyable for everyone when we can eat without any negative effects! 

7. Remember - Thanksgiving is about the people, not the food, anyway!

This is perhaps the most important thing I want everyone to know about having Thanksgiving dinner with celiacs or dietarily limited loved ones. It’s easy to think of Thanksgiving only in terms of food we eat during it. After all, grocery stores are overflowing with holiday foods, restaurant commercials are full of turkey dinners and sitting around the dinner table is often the highlight of Thanksgiving. 

However, Thanksgiving - at its core - is not about food at all. It’s about being thankful for all the blessings we’ve had that year, and we can be plenty grateful even without a full dinner plate. We can spend the afternoon catching up with friends and family. We can bond over a good game of football or a long walk before dinner. And, yes, we can even form special Thanksgiving dinner memories that have nothing to do with the dinner itself.

The Bottom Line

At first glance - or even during the first year after a celiac disease diagnosis or a big diet change - enjoying Thanksgiving with dietary restrictions can be challenging. It can just as challenging to know how to act as loved ones and friends of those who can’t eat a traditional Thanksgiving dinner. 

However, as these seven reminders show, we don’t actually need people to know a lot about our diet or medical condition to make us feel at home during Thanksgiving. Being respectfully curious, open-minded and flexible can go a long way in making this year’s Thanksgiving dinner the best yet...regardless of whether everyone’s dinner plate looks like the same. 

Like this post? Tweet me some love by clicking here: "Have friends or family with #celiacdisease, #foodallergies or dietary limitations? Here's 7 things they want you to know about #Thanksgiving dinner! #celiac #foodallergy #health http://bit.ly/2zTfiOM"

Have an amazing Thanksgiving, everyone!

What do you want people to know about Thanksgiving dinner with people with celiac disease or dietary limitations? Tell me in the comments! 

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