Pushing the Gluten Panic Button
Anyone who knows me well knows that I carry two copies of the same gene for celiac, plus a second celiac gene, and a third gluten-intolerance gene. Basically put, I’m loaded up with the genes I didn’t want. That also means that both of my parents carry these genes and have at least one celiac gene each. However, getting them to change their diet has been a loosing battle, so far, even though they know they both show signs of celiac and have problems with inflammation. They realize how sick gluten makes me and the kids, and wouldn’t knowingly expose us, but so far they haven’t taken the plunge into the diet themselves. They value being able to eat out anywhere and getting cheap food over their long-term health.
That means that when we are here to visit, we have to deal with having gluten in the environment. Trying to function in a kitchen that isn’t yours and has gluten in it can be daunting. What do you do if you know you’re going to be in a gluten-filled environment?
The keys are coming prepared and avoiding contamination. If you have notice that you have to travel, making freezer meals is ideal. But I had little notice of this trip and because I only had two single-serving meals in the freezer, I knew we’d need those for the night we arrived. I’d have to cook once I got here because the freezer stash had been used up in the move. Making a detailed food packing list including the menu for the week and what you’ll need to accomplish each meal is key. I pulled out the Rush Meals Crock-pot Issue (Volume A Issue B) and used the shopping list to pull from my pantry. I packed my crock-pot and some food storage containers, my skillet and a couple of saucepans, knife and cutting board, some disposable plates, and then made a quick run to the store for what I needed that wasn’t in my pantry. I also picked up some extras like calcium-fortified OJ, fruit, some trail mix for the car ride, and a box of cereal for an emergency breakfast in case I woke up sick one morning and wouldn’t be able to cook. I knew lunches would be covered since the meals make enough for 4 people, and it’s just me and the kids. Breakfast was covered with some eggs, and I had the crockpot and some quinoa so I could do a fruit and quinoa porridge.
To avoid contamination, I’m keeping my items in closed boxes. I turn the pots and pans over in case any flour goes flying, it will settle on the bottom of the pots. I rinse all items before use, just in case, since we’re so hyper-sensitive to exposure. Cooking in a covered crock-pot is ideal, because my mom is a late riser. I’ll start my dinner in the mornings before mom has gotten up and gotten in the kitchen, and any dust floating around has had a chance to settle overnight.
So traveling when you have celiac or gluten intolerance isn’t impossible if you have a game-plan ahead of time, or an already prepared menu like a rush meals issue and a stocked pantry to pull from if you have to leave in an emergency.