Have you ever been served a dish that you were told was gluten-free, but really wasn’t?
Case in point:
A lovely woman I met through my local cooking classes (we’ll call her Anna) told me that her sister made her a special gluten-free cheesecake and served her a slice to try. Upon closely examining the slice of cheesecake, Anna discovered that there was a crust on the bottom and inquired what exactly it was made of.
“Oh, just graham crackers, but you can eat the rest!“
No, Anna can’t “eat the rest.”
Anna can’t eat the entire cheesecake because she has celiac disease (and even if she didn’t, this rule still applies to anyone with a sensitivity or who is avoiding gluten). Once you add gluten into a recipe, even if it bakes on the side or the bottom, or you add wheat croutons or breadcrumbs to the top, nothing in the entire dish is gluten-free anymore. Nothing.
You can’t “pick around the gluten” and be fine. You can’t eat what’s on top and figure it’s okay.
Everything is contaminated and you will get sick.
If you’ve got a family member or friend who doesn’t believe you, email them this post right now!
And if you’re someone reading this who hasn’t taken someone in your life seriously about eating gluten-free and has figured “it’s not a lot of gluten, it won’t bother them”, it will. You are making someone you love sick. You are not helping them. You are hurting them and that isn’t showing them any kind of love.
Gluten-free means gluten-free, not gluten-sort-of.
Tweet this quote by clicking here!
Bookmark this page so that the next time someone does this to you, you can show them this.
I don’t understand why family members often dismiss what is said by those who are diagnosed with celiac, gluten sensitivity or any other issue that requires a gluten-free lifestyle. It’s not a ‘claim’ that folks like you and me make just because we feel like throwing a wrench into everyone’s life.
Nor is it a fad diet or some far-fetched idea that’s all in your head. People including myself have experienced incredible physical transformations as a result of removing something from their diets that was causing physical health problems. (You can check out my personal story here and see my ‘Before & After’ photo here.)
But one last word to those who might not yet have the gumption to pass on the “sort of gluten-free” dish:
Don’t eat it. And don’t feel bad.
Eating gluten-free means that you have to radically choose to take care of yourself. It means you have to stop putting everyone else’s needs and desires before your own. And for many out there, this is really really hard. It’s why you’d rather appease someone else’s kind gesture than graciously thank them and explain that you simply can’t because you’ll become/stay physically ill. Guilt is a powerful emotion and sadly many of us are accustomed to carrying around a lot of it.
I know this is all easier said than done, but when you get a diagnosis where gluten (or any other food is a problem), you’ve got to re-prioritize. You’ve got to make yourself Numero Uno.
Have you ever been served a ‘sort of gluten-free’ meal? How did you handle it?
My sister finally got it when I sent her an article detailing how I could get sick by eating just the little bit of gluten and what’s the big deal? It is so nice to have all my sisters on board( I have 4) so I scan not worry about what I eat over their houses.
I appreciate what you’re sharing Joan! My sister is totally understanding as well and it makes life SO MUCH EASIER! I also am glad that you found articles like this helpful. It reinforces the power of sharing content like this to help those around you really GET where you’re coming from.
ugh. countless times. I once was served turkey meatballs early in my diagnosis, and felt sick almost immediately. I was told “there was only 1/4 cup of breadcrumbs in the ENTIRE recipe!” afterwards. There has been a lot of educating of friends and family since then!
In most turkeys I’ve looked at there is wheat used as a taste enhancer so I would be leery of eating ANY turkey in any way.
This is so good to pass onto your family and friends that just don’t get it. Thank you for writing it Jennifer.
It is not really nice and absolutely dangerous for people to say this. Everyone should be aware about this so they will not endanger themselves. Some people have allergies to certain foods or they have a condition where they can’t eat a particular food. This is a great post.
I’m having trouble keeping on the diet. No help from family
What exactly is going on, Kathleen, that you are having a problem staying on the diet? How is your family not helping you?
They don’t believe that I might be gluten sensative
Uh. Yeah. This happens every so often. I just say “no thank you I’m fine.” If they insist I say, “I’m not sure what in it. I’m good. I’ve got enough food.” Or “I’m full.” However, they have even offered me the box to read the ingredients. When my dad would turn down something made with dairy no one questioned him. I don’t get it, but I try to be casual about it.
Why are families so difficult? My friends don’t have a problem, but my family (parents, siblings) refuses to accept it. “Well, you didn’t have this for 56 years, so why would you have it now?” I stopped going home for holidays because there wouldn’t be one single thing that I could eat, and if I cooked something for myself, all I’d hear was, “That looks disgusting, how can you eat that in front of us?” Even the restaurants they pick when I’m in town are impossible. Does anyone really think that I CHOSE to give up French bread??
Oh yes! Had this exact same thing happen to me! I was at a small church group Gathering where we were having a meal together. One of the ladies who knew that I had celiac disease and another associate have gluten sensitivity made a dish with a crushed pretzel crust. And they were not gluten-free pretzels. When I asked her what it was made of she said “oh you can just scrape off the top!” I advised as best I could and as polite as I could that is called cross-contamination and she could make someone very very sick. And she replied that she didn’t know. But I thought it was pretty inconsiderate, knowing that there were two people in the group that couldn’t eat gluten, that she would make a dish like that. Especially when gluten-free pretzels are on the market these days. Thanks!