How To: Gluten-Free During The Holidays

Only 10 or so years ago, there weren’t a lot of dietary options for those with celiac disease, or those who ate gluten-free for other reasons. When it came to eating-out or buying baked or package goods at the grocery store, the selections were pretty limited, or non-existent. 

Now, there are a wide range of options; many restaurants offer a gluten-free menu and there are sections of grocery stores dedicated to gluten-free products. On one hand, this is great news when it comes to eating out with family & friends, as it enables those who were once very limited with the menu choices, to have a variety of delicious options to choose from.
Unfortunately, despite the strategic advertising, many of these store-bought options are heavily processed, and offer very little nutritional value.
What I suggest for anyone who must avoid gluten (and even for those that don’t!) is to take things back 10 or 20 years to when these products didn’t exist, and opt for some simple, delicious at-home recipes to fuel your body and keep your mind (& digestion) at ease!
There are many options that are naturally gluten-free, such as fruit or veggie trays, meats, deviled eggs, or nuts.  Many traditional gluten-filled recipes can be made gluten-free with some simple substitutions, and still taste delicious!
Check out this spin on traditional gingerbread:

Gingerbread Brownie Recipe

​If your issue extends passed the actual food, and you expect holiday gatherings to bring you face to face with other guests who challenge the way you eat, or those who just don’t understand the implications of eating gluten. Perhaps you’ve heard this one too many times -  “just a little won’t hurt!”.
Whatever the case, these people should not have the power to ruin your Christmas, Hannakuh, Kwanzaa or other holiday celebrations. Check out the Canadian Celiac Associations Holiday Survival Guide for tips on how to handle situations in which individuals challenge the way you eat.

Gluten-Free Holiday Survival Guide

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​Resources

Bateson, C. (1994). Allergies: Disease in disguise. Summertown, TN: Books Alive.
Dermer, E. (2016). 10 Survival Tips for Gluten-Free Holiday Parties. Retrieved December 10, 2018 from https://www.glutenfreeandmore.com/issues/10-survival-tips-for-gluten-free-holiday-parties/
Duncan, T. (2018). Holiday Survival Guide. Retrieved December 10, 2018 from https://www.celiac.ca/living-gluten-free/holiday-survival-guide/
Hopkins, A. (2018). 10 Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, NO-BAKE Dessert Ideas. Retrieved December 9, 2018 from https://blog.thatcleanlife.com/glutenfree-dairyfree-nobake-summer-desserts/
Ratner, A. (2015). What Can I Eat? 25 Tips for Handling a Gluten-Free Holiday Retrieved December 9, 2018 from https://www.glutenfreeliving.com/gluten-free-foods/diet/gluten-free-holiday/
Ruscio, M. (2018). Healthy Gut, Healthy You. The Ruscio Institute, LLC: Las Vegas, NV.
Wolf, R. (2017). Wired to eat. New York, NY: Harmony Books