The GF Manual
For Family, In-Laws, Friends, Hosts, Teachers and More
Everyday of my life, I view many decisions through the lens of gluten free food, GF food availability, and preparing or packing food. Sometimes I stop and remember, many people don’t live this way. Moreover, I can’t expect everyone else to understand the rules, nuances or stressors that come with safely feeding my GF child.
Recently, we had a playdate and my friend expressed that she preferred to come to our house because she didn’t know if her house was safe or not. And so the GF Manual was born. It was so interesting and helpful to hear the types of questions she had and what was causing confusion in regard to hosting someone with celiac disease.
I have compiled a one page Manual you can print, email, and share with friends, family, hosts, in-laws and teachers so they can better understand what you live everyday, and how to keep your child safe!
Basics
Gluten (which includes wheat, barley and rye) is completely off the table. This includes major offenders like bread, pasta, pastries, cookies, crackers, pizza, sandwiches; however it also includes sneaky items like non-GF oats, certain sweets, sauces and seasonings. ALWAYS read labels - this is an important skill. For a full (but not exhaustive) list of ingredients, check out my ingredient roundup post, and click here for my beginner GF grocery shopping guide. Bottom line: when in doubt - and to make everyone’s lives easier and less stressful - only purchase or serve certified gluten free products (pictured below).
A Helpful Host
Communication is key. It makes a big difference to check in ahead of time. You could offer to purchase specific groceries that are certified gluten free and even offer to keep them sealed until the GF individual arrives. That way they know there wasn’t any cross contamination. Personally, that would put me at ease. Once they arrive, you could offer for the parents or GF individual to handle the GF food themselves.
As helpful and accommodating as you might want to be, cooking from scratch in a non-GF kitchen is only going to cause stress, and put the individual in the uncomfortable position of declining. I never leave the house without an enormous snack pack, or cooler, BUT I would love it if someone said to me, “What snacks can I buy for your child so they won’t miss out?” versus, “I saw a great GF recipe and I’m going to make it for you!” Despite this person’s heart being in the right place, it creates fear. Now I have to ask you: ‘what products did you use? Did you clean the pan before you cooked? Did you put any gluten containing food on the same plate?’ Save everyone time, energy, and awkwardness and ask ahead of time - “can I buy some food for you, or do you prefer to bring your own? You tell me!” Oftentimes, they will simply be more comfortable bringing their own food. Bottom line: When in doubt, always speak to the individual with celiac disease, or their parent.
In Your Home
If you are anything like my thoughtful friend, you might be thinking, ‘how do we make our house safe for your GF child?’ You do not need to fumigate your home. Depending on how long you’re hosting someone, it could be very kind to place an amazon order for an inexpensive toaster/cutting board/colander (or they might elect to bring these things. For a longer stay, I personally would bring or ship these things myself, but maybe you want to take extra special care of a close friend or family member!) Beyond those critical items, a good wipe down of counters, and scrub of shared pots/pans/baking sheets you intend to use (and ideally a cycle through the dishwasher) will be sufficient.
Think of keeping the GF food protected until it’s on the individual’s plate. Gluten free bread is no good if it goes in the regular toaster, or gets tossed on the cutting board with wheat crumbs. That being said, if you have gluten-containing food open in your kitchen, that is fine for a GF individual to be around. We just want to make sure the crumbs don’t migrate to their plate. As for plates, utensils, and cups, as long as they are clean/run through the dishwasher, they are safe to use!
Gluten must be ingested to cause a reaction. If it's large enough to see, it's enough to be a problem. 20 parts per million, or 10 mg, is the threshold that is considered enough to cause a reaction (pictured below). Certified gluten free labeling tests food to be below this limit. Bottom line: when hosting, take extra special care to make sure there is a dedicated area of your kitchen that is free from gluten. But don’t stress about the rest of your home.
Photo courtesy of Gluten Free WatchDog
Play Time and MISC Items
This is very dependent on the age of the child, but if there’s any risk of the child taking a few nibbles, it’s best to put it out of sight. Some items to put away before a small GF visitor comes over would include play doh, lip balm, play makeup, and sensory toys (like putty, kinetic sand, etc.)
My friend asked if her child licked a toy and my child touched it, if that would present an issue. It would not, and you do not need to wipe down all your toys. Again, gluten must be ingested to be problematic, so unless there are a significant amount of crumbs covering your toys, you do not need to worry about that. You also do not need to worry about things like sheets, towels, cushions, etc. Again, we’re talking about ingesting gluten-containing food. Bottom Line: unless the children playing are highly likely to lick/nibble on toys, and gluten was just consumed (as in, falling out of their mouth), you really don’t need to worry about this.
How to Handle Restaurants or Takeout
Say you are ordering takeout, dining, or traveling with a family with a GF child. Once again, communication is key. Presumably, they will be making their own food decisions. However if you are in a position to help, then ask questions, call restaurants, google gluten free menus, and follow up with a phone call to ask about preparation. The key is to ask about *preparation*, not just GF menu items. Are GF foods prepared in a separate area? Is there a separate toaster or fryer? Does the GF pizza crust get tossed in the same oven as regular pizzas? These are all very important questions to ask. A knowledgeable manager and a dedicated oven or fryer are great indicators that a restaurant takes gluten free eating seriously. Find Me Gluten Free and The Celiac Space are really helpful apps for this. Bottom Line: if you are in a position to help, call ahead and get details on preparation, not just GF menu options.
Remember the Mental Load
Navigating celiac disease outside of your home and comfort zone is stressful. If you are going to host a dear friend or family member, particularly for long stretches or holidays, have these conversations up front. Clear expectations, an understanding of options, and safe spaces within the kitchen/home will go a very long way! Bottom line: don’t try to anticipate their needs, ask exactly what they are!
I hope this is helpful for anyone who wants to help educate others in their lives! Do you have more questions? Let me know!