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Birmingham Celiac Disease Support GroupTogether we are smarter, together we are stronger, together it is easier. Welcome! Browse through the lists to find information on Celiac Disease and living gluten free. We are here to help! If you would like to be included on our email contact list for local news and events - please drop me an email with your contact information to birminghamceliac@hotmail.com.
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Links to information on cooking for people on a gluten free diet.
Look here for safe new food finds!
Here's where to find info on things we talked about at the last meeting.
It is recommended that you check labels of any food not specifically labelled as gf due to manufacturers changing ingredients.
November 22 Timely Turkey TipLooking for gluten free turkey information? See the good news about Butterball turkeys on this Triumph link: http://www.triumphdining.com/blog/gluten-free/2009/11/butterball-now-offers-gluten-free-gravy/?utm_source=Triumph+Dining+List&utm_campaign=dad75dc30c-Nov_Newsletter_211_18_2009&utm_medium=email October 24 Dream big, and MAKE SURE THAT YOU ALWAYS READ THE LABELS!Hello Friends!
I hope that everyone is well and enjoying the cooler weather - when it's not raining, it sure is nice out there!
Just a reminder to everyone one a gluten free diet or buying for someone on the diet: ALWAYS READ THE LABELS WHILE YOU ARE SHOPPING!
Unless you know that the company whose product you are purchasing has committed to permanently omitting gluten from their products, or unless it is specifically labeled 'gluten free', then you should always check the labels for gluten ingredients.
Sure, it takes extra time to do this, and you must don the 'special label reading glasses' to decipher the impossibly small print, but it is well worth the effort to avoid 'getting glutened'.
Here are a couple of things that astute label readers have noticed and brought to our attention:
Walmart, who has seemed to be very proactive this year in giving us a GF food section and labeling all of their store brand products GF if they are, seems to be having some labeling problems -- some of the items that are listed as GF also have the "this product was produced in a facility that also handles......wheat....." label. That is a scary combination/contradiction of terms for those of us who are sensitive to even the smallest amount of gluten.
What are we to think of the safety of these products?
Be sure to use caution, and read the labels carefully while this gets sorted out.
Our good friend Jennifer
 sent me a link today regarding a product that had an obvious mistake on the label. (Find it in our 'Gluten Alerts' column) The article concerns a product that is most definitely not gluten free, and has an error on the labels where 'wheat' was ommitted from the allergy and ingredients information. The product in question is Breyers Cookies and Cream ice cream.I have to admit, that when I first read this I laughed; a sad little laugh, but a laugh all the same. Why? Becuase I wouln't have even thought to read any further than the word 'cookies' on the package before assuming that the product was off-limits. But some wishful dreamer read the label anyway and realized that there was no accounting for the 'cookie' ingredients in the mix.
This made me think: Maybe I have just become so jaded and used to not having a whole lot of selection out there in grocery world, that I eat the same thing a lot without looking to see what companies might have turned GF friendly and changed their ingredients - maybe I am missing some good stuff by not looking at a bigger variety of things.
And also, I think that there are people out there who are going to continue to check the label on the 'cookies and cream' - hoping for a tasty miracle - who will call the company and alert others to these dangerous mistakes, and possibly get someone on the churn, whipping up a gluten free dream come true! October 20 Trick or Treat time! ,
BOO! (^.^)
It is about time for Trick or Treaters again!
Keep the Halloween festivities a lot less scary for everyone by only choosing treats that are gluten free - I've pasted some links to lists below.
Remember -- your 'little monsters' are not the only gluten free kidlets who will be wandering the streets looking for candies that are safe for them, there are still so many out there who don't even know why they don't feel good! Keep all of the treats gluten free and make it a tasty time for all!
Check out these links for candy/treat recommendations:
October 07 Wow, what a meeting!Thanks so much to Max's Deli for hosting us, and for all of the group members who came out to the meeting last week. We filled every seat in the restaurant -- over 70 of our members attended!
We all ate some great food prepared by the staff for us, and enjoyed visiting with each other while we exchanged information on the latest news and products. So many people are excited about all of the new great tasting gluten free products that are available. Remember when that was an oxymoron - great tasting and gluten free? Never thought I would live to see the day!
Stay tuned for information on next month's get together.
Take care everyone!
Rebecca September 24 Meeting of the Birmingham Celiac Disease Support GroupDearest Friends, Please join me at Max's Deli, 3431 Colonnade Parkway Birmingham, Alabama 35243 on Thursday, October 1, 2009, at 6:30 p.m. for the next support group meeting. We will enjoy some great gluten free deli snacks, and plenty of other goodies including several new gf product samples. Visit www.maxsdelionline.com for information on the restaurant and their regular menu. Windowslive no longer offers the event invitation service that I used before - so please email me your RSVPs so that we know how many attendees to expect. I hope to see you all there! There is so much to talk about! Rebecca
September 09 MUST READ INFO FROM CELIAC CENTRALCheck out this story and more great information from Celiac Central:http://www.celiaccentral.org/News/Celiac-News-for-the-Gluten-Free-Community/161/vobId__1904/ Research identifies human protein linked to Celiac Disease
Gluten Free Food at Sports Arenas across the U.S.From one of our members - THANKS! I just read this info and thought I would pass it on....at least some people are getting the idea! Hey sports fans! Next time you’re in Baltimore watching the Ravens play at M&T Bank Stadium, you can enjoy some salty snacks and gluten-free beer! According to the Baltimore Sun, Anheuser-Busch’s gluten-free beer, Redbridge, is sold for $7 on the first floor concourse from a concession stand near section 130. The stand also sells gluten-free pretzels. But that’s not the only place that people with celiac disease can enjoy food with their sports. The Coors Field in Denver, home of the Colorado Rockies, has an entirely gluten-free concession stand behind Section 147 on the left field that sells hot dogs, burgers, chicken sandwiches, cookies, pretzels, chips, brownies, beer, and soda. Go watch the Washington Nationals play and enjoy munching on enormous gluten-free pretzels by Noah’s Pretzels. The pretzels are also available at Baltimore Oriole’s games. The Arizona Diamondbacks play at Chase Field, where you can now find gluten-free beer and snacks. The gluten-free beer is available wherever liquor is sold (sections 109, 114, 122, 129, 136, 311, 324), and you can also munch on Larabar and gummy bears. Lincoln Financial Field, during home games of the Philadelphia Eagles, will sell gluten-free hot dogs and buns at “The Philly Stand” at Section 117. By September 20, gluten-free snacks will join the menu. Redbridge beer will be served at The Liberty Bell Taproom at Section 118. Score! (Thanks to Gluten Free Philly for the tip!) At US Cellular field (formerly Comiskey Park), home of the Chicago White Sox, you can go to the Southside Grill for gluten-free beer, granola bars, and candy. At Citizens’ Bank Park, home of the Phillies, you can chow down on gf snacks, hot dogs, and buns from the South Philly Market stand behind Section 128. You can guzzle Redbridge beer from any the concession stands near 139, 204, 323, and at the Brewerytown stand on Ashburn Alley. Also in Ashburn Alley, enjoy food from Bull’s BBQ, specifically all meat products, barbecue sauce, cole slaw, and beans. Thanks to CeliacsTips for the excellent info. September 08 Back to the BlogWe are back online!
Sorry about the delay - I have been unable to make changes to the site because of a programing error that only moments ago was fixed.
Yeah! There are lots of new things to tell you all about! Stay tuned during the coming days while I get all of the new info onto our site; brand new food products, new places to eat with gluten free menus, medical news, and upcoming meeting dates. April 25 May Meeting of the Birmingham Celiac Disease Support Group
Quote May Meeting of the Birmingham Celiac Disease Support Group March 28 Food and drinkBudget Dining Deal in Birmingham - a great lunch out for less than $5 :
Visit the Whole Foods freezer section and pick from a selection of about a dozen different gluten free frozen entrees. I usually pick up one of the Indian or Thai dishes.
The meals cost right around $4, and a big bottle of water is $.53. Heat it up in the microwave located at the dining area, take a seat and enjoy! Quick, inexpensive, and tasty! Also a good multi-tasking opportunity - you can pick up groceries at the same time!
Update on the March 19 article below:I will be sending a letter from our group thanking General Mills for their efforts to make more of their products gluten free. I'm sure that sales will reflect how grateful we all are for the new products that are coming - but an 'official' recognition is definitely in order.
Check it out -- New gluten free cereals to be officially launched on June 1, 2009:
Corn Chex, Honey Nut Chex, Chocolate Chex, Strawberry Chex, Cinnamon Chex
This is going to make breakfast and snacks a whole lot easier -- especially for those of you with younger children on gluten free diets! March 19 More gluten free food coming soon!Hello Friends!
I hope that all of you are weathering the economy well - I know that it is a challenge to deal with the extra cost of gluten free grocery items when things are good, and so it is really an effort now. The good news is - that as the market sees increases in the number of gluten free products, the cost is becoming more competitive. And there are more new products all of the time. You might be excited to know that General Mills, who came on board with CSA and made our Rice Chex gluten free (gf), has recently made Corn Chex also gf! And they also own Betty Crocker, and have developed gf cake and cookie mixes. I have contacted the company for info on where you can get those products, and will post it as soon as I get it.
Be healthy!
Rebecca
Update:
Here's the news from Betty Crocker --
"We are coming out with a Gluten Free Yellow cake mix, Gluten Free Devil's Food cake mix, Gluten Free Brownie mix and a Gluten Free Chocolate Chip cookie mix. Our new Gluten Free Dessert products will be shipped nationally on June 1, 2009." March 12 Angel Food Ministries Offers Allergen Free FoodIn addition to their regular items, some GF foods are now available from Angel Food Ministries. This can help with food costs for some that are searching for items to feed their families in these difficult days.
http://www.angelfoodministries.com/menu_0903en.asp Thanks to our GF Baker Linda Harris for the info!
March 09 Thanks to Dr. Shallcross!Our thanks to Dr. Shallcross for his great presentation at the February meeting!
We had a large turn-out, and were able to get a lot of your questions answered by the doctor.
Thanks to all of you who made it to the meeting (over 30 people), and to Organic Harvest for hosting! The room was a little tight in the temporary store - not quite the room we have in the other side of the building, but as soon as the restoration after the fire damage is complete - we'll have another meeting there. It is always nice to be able to combine our gluten free food shopping with the meeting! February 11 Gluten-a-holics Anonymous
Hi, my name is Rebecca, and I’m a celiac.
I’m afraid that I might still have a compulsion – a problem with…. gluten. I dream about things that I know are bad for me, like sandwiches and ravioli. I haven't had them for years, but last night, I thought I fell off of the wagon:
I went to bed, drifting off quickly with the help of a sleep aid. What I remember next is that I am standing in the kitchen, the smell of the ‘real’ lemon-poppy seed muffins that I have freshly baked for my family perfuming the air. I swooned, and couldn't think about anything except how good they must be. I pick one up, and take a big, warm bite ….mmmmm, heavenly…….I close my eyes, savoring the taste. And then, reality hits ----- OH NO! What have I done?! I spit muffin into the sink, trying desperately to wipe every morsel from my mouth with a dry dish towel – hopefully before the gluten that I have most definitely ingested can make it’s way to destroy my gut! Fuzzies from the towel stick to my tongue.
I wake in a state of panic, trying to make sense of the place and time – and hoping that I have not actually been into the muffins that I really did make for my family last evening. I did after all, take a sleeping pill, and have heard that some have side effects that involve 'sleep-eating'. I didn’t take one known to have those side effects – but the dream was so real, that I question for just a minute if it might have actually happened. And my mouth was so dry...
This is not my first time. I have had these tortuous dreams many times since going gluten free a few years ago.
Once, I spent the entire night wandering through kosher bakeries with old Jewish women who were trying to steer me to just the right loaf of challah bread. Really - all night, and I never decided on one loaf before the alarm clock chimed.
Another fitful night found me back in San Francisco, sopping up ciopino with fresh sourdough, condensation dripping down the glass of a cold micro-brew sitting in front of me. I don't remember, but I probably woke with tears in my eyes that morning.
I know that I am not the only celiac living in this nighttime fantasy world, where gluten is good again – and I am bad. At our last gluten free dinner meeting, several members long without gluten were telling me about their dreams of 'normal food'. The conversation was started while we told a ‘newbie’ that she would soon stop craving regular bread and other unsafe things. Yeah, right. We might have blown our credibility while we recounted, eyes glazed over and mouths watering, vivid stories of our dreamtime escapades with forbidden foods.
And if that didn't scare her straight to Krispy-Kreme, the conversation then turned to “last suppers”. Yeah, that’s exactly what I mean. When the warden comes knocking for your last order, what are you going to ask for?
Me? A Big-Chic fried chicken sandwich with a basket of fried okra, and a cold Corona, with a wedge of lime of course. Simple, but definitely Heaven on a buttered bun – the only way to go.
Got anything that you would like to share with the group? Glutenous dreams or last meal requests? It’s okay, you can share – you are among friends here!
Replies: Rebecca,
Gluten Free Essentials has a great Lemon Poppy Seed Cake & Muffin Mix. We also have a great All Purpose Mix that you can exchange cup-for-cup in YOUR recipe. Andyou could still enjoy your lemon poppy muffins. Also, here is some information for your group:
Gluten Free Essentials P.O. Box 362, Clyde KS 66938 Phone: 785-446-3639 Website: www.gfessentials.com Email: glutenfreeessentials@yahoo.com * * * * * * * We are aware of how expensive gluten free foods can be, and with the economy today, we thought we would like to offer the celiac community a special to try to help. For a group order of $150, we can offer 25% off retail prices, and $20 shipping. (Orders over $150, we will prorate the shipping, giving you a good discount on that shipping as well.) We refer you to our website: www.gfessentials.com These prices will be good for all of the website products except for the 25# buckets. (They are already at our lowest prices. Shipping on buckets are $18 each.)
Please feel free to contact us. Our contact information is on this email.
Sincerely, Maryclara Joyce Johnita Crawford Gluten Free Essentials Thank you Maryclara -- Your gluten free lemon poppy seed muffins could make my dreams come true! :) R
January 24 Getting 'glutened'Okay, friends -- I know that most days I am obnoxiously optimistic about this gluten free diet - I tout how relatively 'easy' it is to eat out - to talk just a little bit to your restaurant server, and give them enough information about 'gluten' to help them make you a safe and tasty meal. But occasionally there are the days that I want to just give up in the middle of the 'gluten is in wheat, rye, barley... and in anything made with those grains....' informational spiel, and go running home to the safety of my gf food stash.
Recently I had one of those days ---
The family and I were running errands, and I asked if they wanted to pop into a local place that I had not eaten at previously, but had seen their menu. It's Mediterranean cuisine - easily adapted to a gluten free diet - and always yummy. The two twenty-something counter attendants seem very eager to help, there is no language barrier, and both seem intellegent. They listen to the spiel, nodding with understanding ... and then eagerly go on to make several recommendations for meal choices and adaptations. Wow -- this is great! My mouth was watering with anticipation of the dishes they were describing --- until reality set in --- Just when I'm sure this girl is my new favorite counter chef, she says "..... and then you can have it all on a pita, they don't have any wheat in them, they are white - not wheat."
????......Uh, Wait just a minute.......I'm confused. It was all going so well.
I ask her - "Are they made out of some other flour then, not wheat?". Yes, she replies - "they are made out of white bread - there is no wheat in them". And she says that with cocked head and an impatient little "Duh - isn't that what I just said?" - tone to her voice. Vinegar was another questionable ingredient, her reply: "there is no bread in the vinegar". (At this moment, my son and husband make brief eye contact with me before scurrying to the other side of the restaurant - fearing perhaps that my head was going to explode or that I might jump the counter and hurt the girl with a pack of pitas.)
****heavy sigh****
Obviously there is a problem. My beauty pagent beautiful counter girl, definitely a high school grad, and more than likely on her way to a college degree as well, is another one of those people who doesn't know the ingredients in bread, much less what gluten is -- a person totally out of touch with what their food is made from. The person who, when you ask where chickens come from, thinks first, 'a package at Publix'.
Sadly, this in not the first or even the tenth time that this has happened.
So for this particular meal, instead of choosing any of the menu items that seem to be easily adapted, I choose what
now seems to be the safest choice - "and PLEASE LEAVE OFF THE PITA". I eat the delivered meal with mixed feelings - happy tastebuds, because it is indeed delicious - but with a knot in my stomach from the fear of having been 'glutened' by these charming but blissfully food-ignorant people. Luckily, the night passed without intestinal incedent, only anxiety.
How can people be out of touch with where their food comes from or what it is made from? It is hard for me to understand anyone except maybe kids from the deep inner cities who have never been to the country, or indiginous peoples in far off lands where the education of sustainable agriculture is just being brought to them -- along with water from their first communtity well. But not here in Birmingham in 2009.
So, what to do about it? Short of taking over the educational system, we'll educate them one at a time with our restaurant awareness program, that's what. I'll send any restaurants gf information to help educate them on our diet, and maybe even get them to get certified as a gluten-aware restaurant.
What I need from you is the name and address of the place that you either: 1) had a dining out problem similar to mine, or 2) you just want to eat there again - without the worry of 'getting glutened'. Just email me the name and address of the restaurant to our birminghamceliac@hotmail.com address and I'll get the information out to them.
Good luck out there!
November 16 Are you feeling lucky?Or are you feeling like nobody knows what you are going through with your celiac disease and the gluten free diet? Sure, right now it might seem like not a whole lot of people know about the condition - but that is changing- Celiac disease awareness is growing all over the country.
Think about these numbers right here in our neighborhood:
It is believed that 1 in every 133 people has Celiac Disease, with only 3% of those people diagnosed - so it is not 'rare' - just 'rarely diagnosed'.
According to those numbers;here in Jefferson County alone, where the population is around 662,047 - potentially there could be around 5,000 Celiacs!!!!! (Holy Cow! We're going to need more chairs at the meetings!) Our group covers a lot more than Jefferson county - we have members who live as far North as Cullman, some all the way down at the Gulf coast, and about 60 miles both East and West. That's a whole lot of undiagnosed celiacs walking around out there!
At a 3% diagnosis rate, about 150 of us in this county know that we have it! We are the lucky ones! We know what makes us sick, and we have changed our diets to manage it.
We are each a success story!
Just this week, we have added six more newly diagnosed people to our group. Welcome friends, and congratulations on finding out what was making you ill - how lucky you are to finally know!
Now, it's just a matter of making the changes in your diet - not always easy at first, but you have us -- our experience, support and advice, our sympathy, dedication, recipes,and recommendations.
We are here to help you live successfully gluten free - like us! November 13 Happy Thoughts For The HolidaysI'm feeling like spreading some holiday cheer to my gluten-free friends --- So here are some good things to think about ---
10 good things about ‘being celiac’ during the holidays:
10 You can’t eat the whole pumpkin pie alone any more. 9 Not having to eat the cookies left out for Santa. 8 Menus are easy to plan when you can eliminate ‘most of the good stuff’. 7 Butterball turkey (plain) is gluten free. 6 Honeybaked Ham has reformulated their glazes – now they’re gluten free! 5 No one expects (or wants) you to bake the cookies, cakes, and pies. 4 Your gingerbread houses were always too hard to chew anyway. 3 Visiting relatives treating you to dinner have to take you to Carraba’s or Outback. 2 You can put a ‘gluten free’ label on anything (gf or not), and have it all to yourself. 1 Getting a free pass on Grandma’s fruitcake – “ ‘cause you’re allergic.”
=) Rebecca (=
October 22 My new favorite dish - Chef Wendy's Nam Sod!I would like to thank Chef Wendy Cruse (Healthy Connections, Inc.) for the most delicious Nam Sod I have ever had - wow! I'll be posting her recipe online for all of you to try it at home. Too bad you all couldn't be there to taste it --
those who did raved about how tasty the Nam Sod was, and also got to enjoy some summer rolls and rice noodle salad. We had a good time!
Thanks to everyone who was able to make it to the demo - and to Organic Harvest for hosting the event - I really appreciate everyone's help and participation in the events!
Take care -
Rebecca
Here's the recipe for Chef Wendy's Nam Sod:
(Makes 2 servings)
Ingredients:
1/2 to 1 lb Ground Turkey
1/2 lb firm Tofu
1/2 oz. minced Ginger (small knuckle)
1/2 small Sliced Red Onion
2 Chopped Green Onions
2 T. Fish Sauce (gluten free)
2 T Lime or Lemon Juice with zest if possible
1/4 cup Dry Roasted Peanuts (gluten free)
6 pc Chopped Fresh Chili peppers or Chili sauce (only if you like it spicy)
Several Fresh, uncooked Cabbage Leaves (cutting the head into about 4 - 6 wedges makes good sized pieces for this dish)
Technique:
First saute the pork, 1/2 of the ginger, and the tofu.
In a large mixing bow, place the cooked meat mix, and all ingredients except for the cabbage leaves.
Place the cabbage leaves on a serving plate and place the bowl ingredients on the top - to eat, scoop up the mix with a cabbage leaf - eat and enjoy! October 19 Trick or Treat?! Handling the holidays without glutenAh, Autumn in Alabama .... Last night it was chilly enough for a jacket, and today warm enough for shorts again. For those of you new to the area - get used to it - that is how the whole season will pass, until one day it seems bitterly cold, and you know that the shorts won't work - sometime mid-to-late winter --- lol!
In addition to the very welcome cooler weather, this time of year brings lots of nice things: Much needed rain, autumn squash and pumpkins, my favorite apples (Honey Crisp), baseball playoffs (Go Red Sox!), football games (Vestavia Rebels!), and party plans.
Parties... I love them! Unfortunately, not everyone feels that way -- I get a lot of questions from newly diagnosed people who are in a panic when they get invited to holiday parties -- and I hear a lot of sad tales about people who don't go to parties because of food issues. Don't let your gluten free diet hold you back from having a good time! This is your new life - you have to adapt, just don't expect everyone else to.
The best way to handle holiday invites is to follow the scout motto, and 'always be prepared'. Don't expect your party host to be immediately celiac-savvy after hearing that you are on a specialized diet ("I can't eat wheat, rye bar....bla, bla, bla..."), and don't assume that your spouse has told the people coordinating the annual office party.
A little advance planning can help you and your host breeze through dinner parties without an embarrassing empty plate, it can help your child feel like part of the party without feeling left out, and it can save you from those well meaning relatives who accidentally 'gluten' you because they bought a box of gluten free cake mix for you and then floured the baking pan!
Here's some tips to help get you through:
* Dinner parties: Immediately upon receiving the invite - drop the hostess a note or an email giving them just enough information to let them know the situation and make them feel comfortable with it:
'Dear Jennifer,
I am really looking forward to attending the dinner that you have planned! I wanted to let you know that( I/my child/spouse) have special dietary restrictions because of my Celiac disease. I must follow a gluten free diet at all times, or risk getting ill. I plan on attending your party, and don't want you to feel like you have to make special accomodations for me, but it would be very helpful if I knew what you were planning on serving. Please call me on my cell phone at 555-1212 at your convenience.
You probably already know someone else with Celiac disease -- it affects as many as 1 in every 133 people in the U.S. - but only 3 percent of us are diagnosed! When you have about ten minutes of spare time -could you read about it on the internet? You might be able to refer another friend or family member with the disease to the right doctors/diagnosis! I get a most of my gluten free recipes off of the internet - and I'd like to bring a dish to the dinner, if you wouldn't mind.'
(You may want to refer them to a web site with specific information for preparing meals for celiacs such as:
10 Guidelines for Hosts with Gluten-Free Guests, Menu and Kitchen Safety Guidelines By Nancy Lapid, About.comUpdated: November 1, 2008 http://celiacdisease.about.com/od/socializingwithoutgluten/a/GuestPrep.htm) or: http://www.befreeforme.com/ViewArticle.aspx?ArticleID=28Your hostess will usually want to be helpful, and will make at least a dish or two that will be safe -- it will be much easier for them to do this if you arm them in your note with the information that they need - like how to spell 'celiac' - so that they can google it.
I usually take a platter of fresh cut veggies, and some gf dip to every invite. The crunchy veggies are good to chew on to keep your mind off of whatever glutinous no-no everyone else may be eating - AND they are better for you, too! You can buy gf dips and dressings - but try a home-made one like the onion dip in the following link for that special touch: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/guy-fieri/french-onion-dip-recipe/index.html - substitute gluten free ingredients for the regular stuff - really easy and good!
And now - we have the fabulous gf Rice Chex - so making a crunchy bowl of Chex mix is easily done as well!
*Children's parties - same letter as above, and maybe offer to bring a tray of gf cupcakes for everyone to try - then your child can have a cupcake or two when the birthday cake is served.
And guess what? The veggie platter is usually a hit at kids parties also -- kids like finger foods. I have cut up broccoli and celery at all kids parties - and one of the games is 'act like dinosaurs' - the dinos are eating 'trees' and giving their best (vegetarian) T-rex impressions.
You'll feel better knowing there are some antioxidents mixed in with the regular sugar coma inducing party fare! And the kids don't care if the food is gluten free or not - so yours won't feel left out or different. Chex mix is always a winner with kids, too.
* Office parties - usually catered - call and find out by who, find out what's on the menu, and what are the ingredients. Nothing you can eat, and they aren't willing to accomodate? Don't worry. Bring something easy to eat, protien bars, a fruit cup, pack of cheese cubes, etc. to hold you over until you can get something safe - just remember not to drink too much instead of eating. (Bad hangovers are almost as painful as gluten attacks!)
*Halloween/Harvest parties - if you need some ideas visit : www.specialchildren.about.com/od/allergysaferecipes/qt/gfcandy.htm - there are links there to find safegluten free goodies for trick or treat. And http://glutenfreereviews.bustablog.com/?p=6 has a 2008 gluten free candy list.
*Alcohol - Happy hour! : Go to: http://www.glutenfreedrinks.com/AlcoholBeverages2.htm For a list of gf beverages.
I carry a bottle of wine in the trunk of the car during the holidays, then I have something to drink if I don't have the list when I'm out, or there are no gf beverages. It also comes in handy in 280 traffic.... okay, just kidding, please don't drink on 280 - I'm probably stuck in the traffic there! (If you like Merlot - look for my car! :)
* If you are hosting the party - it all needs to be gluten free! Dazzle everyone with your good and gf food! It is really easy to adapt most recipes to gluten free, unless you are trying to make some kind of seven-course-sauce-covered-baguette-eating-French feast for your friends --- and then your problem is not celiac disease my friends - you are just plain crazy!
Bottom line - being responsible for everything that you eat, just like you do every other day, will help make your holidays safer and more fun. Sorry - but celiac doesn't take off for the holidays, so you either adapt and party like you always have, just eating healthier, or you sit home feeing sorry for yourself - forever. Be happy and pro-active! If you bring a gf dish to every party, not only will you certainly have something to eat, but talking for a few minutes about the dish being gluten free will educate your companions, maybe help get someone diagnosed, and will take the fear of feeding you out of your hostess for the next invitation.
I know, who wants to talk about celiac disease at dinner or a party? You want to get away from it for a while. Just remember 1 in 133 people have it, and most don't know -- I don't know how long you were sick before diagnosis, but I sure wish that even once in all of the years I was searching for answers, someone would have mentioned celiac disease to me.
Check our blog list for great gf recipes suggested by our friends, and have a great time!
Rebecca
Thanks for visiting! I hope that you were able to follow the links to information that was helpful to you, and answered any questions. If I can help you with any other information, please send an email to birminghamceliac@hotmail.com.
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