Nephew with celiac - what is fair/appropriate when visiting grandma?

[Anonymous]

Our 2yo nephew has celiac. The whole family is visiting grandma's summer home for 5 days this summer. She has fully cleansed the kitchen in the main house to protect him, and the rule is no gluten products there. I assumed we would get the guest cabin which has a kitchenette, so I figured we would feed our kids there when necessary, but I learned that nephew's parents claimed it (they also have a new baby so they should get first pick) so we are in the main house. This would be fine with me but for now we have no place to feed our kids any of the foods they normally eat, most of which have gluten (sandwiches, pizza, hamburgers, chicken nuggets, pasta, crackers, etc). I honestly can't think of more than one meal they eat that doesn't have some gluten in it). I really don't want to be trapped at the house for 5 days with hungry kids, and there are no restaurants nearby, but celiac is serious and I understand why they are worried about contamination. What accommodations can I ask for, if any, without being a brat? Or should I just suck it up and make my kids live on fruit and cheese sticks all week?

[Anonymous]

Buy some gf bread and make sandwiches or get corn tortillas/taco shells or rice crackers. This used to be harder, but there are a lot of good substitutes nowadays. Your children can live without pizza and nuggets for 5 days. Homemade food is often naturally gf.

[Anonymous]

Wow
Well if they want the guest cabin, that is where they eat, that is what stays gluten free. They cannot have it all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Buy some gf bread and make sandwiches or get corn tortillas/taco shells or rice crackers. This used to be harder, but there are a lot of good substitutes nowadays. Your children can live without pizza and nuggets for 5 days. Homemade food is often naturally gf.

Bread genius??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wow
Well if they want the guest cabin, that is where they eat, that is what stays gluten free. They cannot have it all.

I agree with this. They sound crazy. Any school their kid goes to will not be gluten free so they might as well get used to it.

[Anonymous]

Wegmans has two aisles of GF stuff like pasta. Do some online research. Ask the parents to send ideas for snacks and meals.

[Anonymous]

Do you eat together as a large group? Or does each smaller nuclear family make their own meals?

[Anonymous]

Grilled chicken, corn in the cob, salad, ice cream

Grilled cheese on GF bread, tomato soup, fruit salad

Burgers on GF buns, chips, cole slaw

Yogurt, GF cereal

Fajitas on corn tortillas

Life is easy.

[Anonymous]

I'm going to suggest you try a few gf options first -- most are inedible and I pretty much guarantee your kids will hate them.

Just plan a week's worth of meals that don't rely on gluten. Relax your rules a bit -- the kids won't miss bread if they get more ice cream.

[Anonymous]

Id send the celiac parent an email saying nicely - we are excited to see you. Understand that you guys want the cabin, which is fine with us. Just wondering where you would feel comfortable with us preparing food for our kids, without putting your son at risk.

[Anonymous]

I might ask them to switch, honestly.

Unless the situation in your parents' house is going to be such that the noise of the baby up in the night is going to drive your parents nuts, at which point, suck it up.

Also, is it your sister or SIL who is the mom of the new baby? If it is your sister, just communicate. If it is your SIL...how is that relationship? She is putting up with a lot to travel with a special needs two year old and a new baby--hard to ask her to do more. Maybe check in with your brother.

[Anonymous]

As an aunt to a kid with numerous food allergies, while mine have none, I say suck it up and be grateful you only have to worry about it for a week. I can't imagine how stressful it is to have to be constantly aware of what your child is eating. You and I are lucky - we can spend one week dealing with what our siblings deal with every day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I might ask them to switch, honestly.

Unless the situation in your parents' house is going to be such that the noise of the baby up in the night is going to drive your parents nuts, at which point, suck it up.

Also, is it your sister or SIL who is the mom of the new baby? If it is your sister, just communicate. If it is your SIL...how is that relationship? She is putting up with a lot to travel with a special needs two year old and a new baby--hard to ask her to do more. Maybe check in with your brother.

Yes, "maybe" communicate with your brother.

Here we go again. Women are in charge, men can't be trusted with family relationships and logistics.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I might ask them to switch, honestly.

Unless the situation in your parents' house is going to be such that the noise of the baby up in the night is going to drive your parents nuts, at which point, suck it up.

Also, is it your sister or SIL who is the mom of the new baby? If it is your sister, just communicate. If it is your SIL...how is that relationship? She is putting up with a lot to travel with a special needs two year old and a new baby--hard to ask her to do more. Maybe check in with your brother.

Yes, "maybe" communicate with your brother.

Here we go again. Women are in charge, men can't be trusted with family relationships and logistics.

Not what I meant: I meant, check in with your sibling, be think twice of what you're asking if it's your SIL.

[Anonymous]

I would get a hotel and take my kids out to eat. Its not reasonable to ask everyone to follow that diet given there are options and they should stay in the main house. I have a kid with food allergies and picky. He could not go without bread and pasta or he would never eat.