How to handle - gluten free situation

[Anonymous]

As someone from a gluten free home (celiac) I agree that it’s gracious to provide one or two gluten free options if hosting someone you know has celiac. Keep the items in the package and look for the “gluten free” label on the package so the person knows for sure it’s gluten free. If I were hosting at my gluten free house I’d provide all the food.

[Anonymous]

I agree that no gluten containing foods should be brought into the GF person’s home. Probably nothing homemade - only sealed store bought things or things like fruit or a veggie tray with sealed and labeled dip.

[Anonymous]

If they have celiac then it is like a severe allergy. Food that is prepared near gluten can be cross-contaminated and make them sick. My DD is ill for days after being glutened. I’d ask the person their preference. They may prefer to bring their own. But I also agree that there are lots of naturally gluten free snacks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s once a month. Can’t you deal with once a month gluten free food? I agree to go with natural gluten free food or the tried and true one you like.

But then, if another person is vegan, one is allergic to soy, one to nuts, etc,this approach leads to all snacks having to meet all the requirements. Makes much more sense to just make sure there is at least one option for the GF person and at least one option for anyone else with a restriction. The exception would be if someone were deathly allergic and couldn't even breathe the same air as the allergen.

As a vegetarian, who doesn't eat much eggs or dairy, I usually eat before I go or bring something or will just find something.

I did a gluten free option for someone who we were having over regularly and then he'd ever eat it. Its really expensive so not reasonable for all the food to be gluten free.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In principle, I agree with OP. This is an adult, it doesn’t sound like a severe allergy, it’s just snacks, not a meal, and it’s infrequent. If there’s one option for the GF person and everything brought to her home is GF, there should be no issue. It would be like if someone is pregnant and not having wine. Everyone else can still have wine, and the pregnant person can have lemonade.

That said, if lots of other loud voices insist all snacks must all be GF for all monthly meetings, I would just go along with it, even though I agree this is unnecessary. There are a bazillion things that are naturally GF that other posters mentioned. No need to buy special GF bread or other frankenfoods. It’s just snacks, not even a meal. Honestly I don’t even know why adults need snacks in the first place.

In her house, if it's gluten-free you don't bring gluten but that's not reasonable for her to expect every home to be gluten-free.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Honestly as a celiac I would appreciate the thought but probably wouldn’t eat the offered snacks. There’s such a high chance of cross contamination in someone else’s kitchen no matter how well intentioned someone is.

This. I prefer to bring my own food. I don't do well with gluten free processed foods. I do better with fruit, cheese etc.
A lot of people will bring gluten free processed foods which also make me sick.

[Anonymous]

It is really extreme to make everything gluten free every time. Having multiple gf options is nice but we are talking about snacks here, not a plated dinner.

Now, if I’m doing a party for little kids (like kindergarten) and I know there’s an allergy, I try to make all the snacks allergy free because I would expect a little kid might feel left out if they can’t eat a certain snack everyone else is having But an adult, I don’t feel the same obligation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No- the celiac member can bring their own food. That's what the ones I know do, because they don't possibly trust some or "all" food being gluten free. It's way to risky for them.

This is absurd. GF food is not that hard. They should not have to "bring their own food" unless they prefer that. There should be sufficient GF options, but no, all options need not be GF.

NP and several close family members of mine have celiacs and I have a family member who died from not being diagnosed early on with celiacs. GF actually is hard- cross contamination happens often, my family members are incredibly sensitive to small amounts of gluten. They bring their own food when they eat at most restaurants. They probably wouldn’t touch the GF food offered anyway.

[Anonymous]

So just serve Mexican or Chinese food which is usually gluten free (minus the flour tortillas, but you can use corn tortillas).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:GF is really easy for snacks. Most potato and tortilla chips are gf. All crudite are. Cheese, hummus, guacamole, salsa all should be. Vast majority of charcuterie items are.

We are trying to be lower carb and I prefer slices of cucumbers to crackers for many cheeses/spreads and carrots are fantastic with spicy guac.

I think OP is being a little mean and special.

+1

It’s not hard to find GF rice crackers.

Fruit

Veggies

[Anonymous]

What does the person with the allergy prefer? As a few PPs have said, many people with allergies prefer to be in charge of what they're eating to avoid issues.

[Anonymous]

In a potluck snacking situation I think accommodating dietary restrictions is rather silly TBH. I have a food allergy and don’t even mention it for things like this- I just bring something I can eat. Why do adults need snacks all the time anyway?

I always ask and happily accommodate if having someone to my home for a meal- that is totally different.

That said, if someone is making this into a big issue, just roll with it. You’ll look like a jerk otherwise, and accommodating GF is easy. Annoying but not worth fussing over.

[Anonymous]

A member of one of our monthly groups is gluten free, and we do everything gluten free. It's really not that big of a deal, there are plenty of gluten free products out there.

[Anonymous]

Ask the person!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So just serve Mexican or Chinese food which is usually gluten free (minus the flour tortillas, but you can use corn tortillas).

A lot of soy sauce has gluten as well as some salsa. Gluten is hidden in places you might not consider. Even small amounts of gluten are harmful to someone with celiac.