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Switching to a gluten free lifestyle isn’t as easy as you’d think if you have other family members in your household. Whether you {or another family member} are gluten free due to celiac disease, a wheat allergy, or because you just feel better when don’t eat gluten, there are some challenges when you have other family members that want to eat all their normal foods.
These 6 tips will help the rest of the family adjust to having a gluten free eater in the family and will give you hope and ideas on how to help your family survive this change. I promise, these are easy and really can make all the difference. Make sure to check out my post with 6 Tips for Following a Gluten Free Lifestyle to Help Get You Through the First 6 Months for more great ideas too.
1. If the gluten free eater is a child, then sit down with them and explain how sometimes people will be eating things that they won’t be able to. It’s okay for them to feel sad, but that you {the parent} will do your best to make sure they have something similar to eat. We did this with my daughter when she couldn’t have food dyes from kindergarten to third grade. If her friends gave out cupcakes with sprinkles then I’d make her a special cupcake with dye free sprinkles. Yes, it’s a little more work but so worth it.
2. Keep a shelf in the pantry dedicated to all the specialty ingredients you need. Special flours, crackers, cookies, pasta, etc all need their special spot and make sure the rest of the family knows this shelf is off limits. Organizing all those gluten free flours and grains in pretty containers will help keep things nice and tidy.
3. The rule at our house is that breakfast, lunch, and snacks can be whatever the individual person wants to eat (well…it has to already be in the pantry and within reason). However, when we sit down to supper as a family, the entire meal is made so that every single person at the table can enjoy it. That means spaghetti and meatballs are gluten free {and in our family dairy free and egg free as well}.
4. Community products are bought with the entire family in mind. Such as dairy free butter….we don’t have two types of butter in the fridge. I only stock gluten free vanilla, baking powder, spice blends, soy sauce, etc in the pantry as well. It might be a little more expensive, but it’s less expensive than an ER or doctor visit because someone was cross-contaminated.
5. While everyone in the family is getting used to having a family member with a new food allergy, we surround the person with adults or much older children at the supper table so that no one will not accidentally contaminate the food or space. Ask me how I know this one…I learned the hard way sitting next to my 3 year old {at the time} who didn’t understand.
6. Emergency snacks! This is huge..even for me as an adult. I keep allergy friendly snacks in every purse, bag, and car. There have been numerous times we are out and about and there is literally nothing I can eat. Make sure the snacks are not going to spoil or melt in the car or the bottom of your bag. You will need it some day.
Other Posts You Might Enjoy:
6 Tips for Surviving the Gluten Free Holidays
Gluten Free S’Mores
Military Living on a Budget
Feeding a Family on a Budget
Good article. I certainly love this site. Thanks!
While we are not gluten free, I have had Udi’s and they are delicious…every product I tried was perfect. It’s so great there are now alternatives for folks who need it.
Helpful tips! My in-laws are newly gluten free so we have to adjust when they visit. Will keep Udi’s in mind for sure!
We aren’t gluten-free, but my sister has a child who is, so I understand this. I think number 3 looks like the best piece of advice for eating out with a kiddo who is gf!
Terrific tips. Thank you.
Great suggestions! At buffet gatherings we try to group ‘safe’ foods together. We also print labels on the computer for the serving pieces identifying what the dish is. Color coded – Red means STOP! Not safe, Green means SAFE!
Great tips. I am G-F and also tend to get low blood sugar with little warning, so I keep glucose tablets in the car. They’re gluten free and don’t melt or spoil.
Great advice — caring for a family member who needs gluten free involves caring for their whole-self. Eating as a family, one gluten free meal a day sends a loving, positive message to our gluten free eater that does wonders for their health!
Such great tips… you inspire me to do better!