How to Host a Gluten-Free Guest, Part 1

 

Are you wondering how to cook for a gluten-free guest? Thinking of inviting that girl from work over for dinner, or that guy from school over for a snack, but feeling a little afraid that you might accidentally poison them? Have a family member who suffers from Celiac or gluten-intolerance and happily brings her own food to family gatherings who you want to surprise with a Christmas feast?

Do you feel overwhelmed at the long list of don'ts that comes with preparing food for someone with such sensitivity that a crumb can knock them out for days?

You've come to the right place. Today begins a 3-part series in hosting a gluten-free guest for a meal.

Part 1? Ingredients.

So you've taken the plunge. Congratulations! You've invited a gluten-free-er over for a meal and said, "No, I'll provide the food. Don't worry. It'll be safe." You've extended hospitality even when it may be difficult. You deserve at least one gold star. Maybe fifty. Seriously. Not everyone will go out on a limb like this! You rock!

But now you're terrified. What if you make him sick for DAYS? What if she never comes back!? What if he ends up in your bathroom all night and you and your family have to go down the street to the gross one at the Quik Mart and you never know how to speak of this awkward night ever again?!?!

The possibilities are endless, really.

The good news is that cooking for a gluten-free guest is not impossible. You must be vigilant, careful, and focused throughout the process, but it is definitely not an insurmountable task. I'll break it down into three basic steps over the next three days: Ingredients, Preparation, and Serving. Let's begin by looking at ingredients.

How to Host a Gluten-Free Guest, Part 1: Ingredients

 1. The more natural, the better.
It's easy to get in trouble with prepackaged food items. Unless they are explicitly labeled "gluten-free," you must be a very careful label reader. So the fresher the food, the better. The closer to nature it is, the less likely it is to contain gluten. An apple straight off of a tree won't make any Celiac chick sick, while a prepackaged apple pie might kill her.

A clove of garlic is better than garlic seasoning, or even chopped garlic in a jar.

Fresh, unfrozen chicken is better than the stuff in the freezer section (which may be frozen with gluten-containing broth or additives).

Shredded cheeses are often dusted with gluten-containing starches to prevent sticking, while a fresh block is usually a very safe bet.

It is nearly impossible to go wrong with any fresh, uncut fruits or veggies, unmarinated meats like chicken, fish, lamb, and beef, and sole-ingredient staples like olive oil, white or brown sugar, balsamic vinegar, butter, salt, and pepper.

In short, when choosing ingredients, ask yourself: can I get this in a more natural state than the item I'm choosing? If so, choose a more basic or natural ingredient.

2. Look for a "gluten-free" label.
Cooking a meal for a gf friend need not mean there can be no pastas, breads, pastries, cookies, etc. Most grocery stores are well stocked with gf goodies, all of which will be clearly labeled "gluten free." Anything you might want to make for a "normal"  guest can also be created in a gluten-free version.

If you aren't sure where to find gluten-free products, ask the store manager or a gluten-free friend. Sometimes there's a special section in the store, other times the food is on the normal store shelves but is labeled as gluten-free. Breads, rolls, and pastries are usually in the freezer section.

If you aren't sure what products are tastiest, ask around - gluten-free products vary widely in their ability to successfully mimic "regular" products. (Gluten-free Bisquick is reeeealllly tasty.)

3. If you must use anything prepackaged that isn't explicitly marked "gluten free," read the label or Google the product. And then call your house guest to double-check.
Of course, check labels for the obvious ingredients: wheat, rye, and barley. But anything prepackaged, from a salad dressing to a can of seasoning to broth to a rice mix, can be a pitfall.

Check the ingredients. Look for the following words, all of which may signal gluten: malt, food starch, modified starch, starch, caramel coloring, broth, oats, vinegar, or the mysterious "natural flavors." If it contains any of these, call the guest in question to double-check, or Google the product. Usually just typing in the brand name of the product and "gluten" will reveal whether what you're about to add to the meal is safe as can be or potentially toxic to your guest.

My dad once cooked me an amazing dinner only to dump some garlic seasoning on it at the last minute. The savory meal went from perfectly safe to glutened in a few seconds, and when we realized the label of the seasoning stated, very clearly, "WHEAT," we were  both very sad.

So check! And double-check! And check again. Resist the urge to reach into a cabinet for "just a dash" of something you haven't double-checked. Nothing says "Sad Day..." like a meticulously prepared meal ruined by a dash of malt vinegar.

4. Double-check with your guest for any other food allergies.
Unfortunately, gluten-intolerance is often linked to other food issues such as lactose intolerance, casein intolerance (the protein found in dairy), allergies to soy, eggs, nuts, fish, you name it. Odds are that your friend would have already mentioned this if it was a problem, but if not, it's good to double-check. Once you're cooking gluten-free, eliminating another allergen like mangoes or dairy isn't much of a stretch.

Having safe ingredients is most of the battle when cooking for a gluten-free guest, but be sure to check in for tomorrow's post. Having safe ingredients in and of itself does not ensure a gluten-free meal! Cooking and serving precautions must be undertaken as well. But don't worry - it's simple.

Stay tuned...

Tomorrow... Part 2: Cooking!