Help, Newbie Here With Lots Of Questions.

[grey66]

Hi everyone,

My husband was recently diagnosed with Celiacs disease. I have a ton of questions.

I've read that I need to keep everything separated. From cooking utensils to dishes to food. Is this true? Is this for everyone or just the extreme end of it? Do I have to worry about seasonings? Such as the McCormicks seasonings? What type of flour can I keep on hand to substitute for regular flour in recipes? How about conversions? Ie; 1 cp regular flour to how many gluten free cups of flour?

Thanks in advance for any help!

[BelleVie]

Hi grey, it would be a good idea to check out the Newbie 101 thread. It will give you all of the information you need to get started.  It can seem overwhelming at first, but you will get the hang of things. It will eventually become second nature! 

[nvsmom]

Welcome to the board.  

 

You don't need to keep everything separated unless it's likely to become contaminated before it is used on gluten-free cooking. Things like cutlery are safe if washed well but if your cutlery drawer is anything like mine, it tends to fill up with crumbs and that won't be safe unless the gluten-free person washes cutlery before using it.

 

Toasters are one appliance that you can't compromise on, if wheat flour is used in it, your hubby can never use it. He'll need his own toaster or put his toast in protective toaster packets every time he toasts something. Plastic or wood cooking utensils and teflon pans that are damaged can hold onto gluten and should not  be used with gluten-free food. Mesh collanders should be replaced.

 

It is true of all celiacs that they must be extra careful about cross contamination. a tiny crumb can set off the autoimmune reaction that will cause inflammation even if symptoms aren't obvious. If there is gluten in the house he'll need to be careful. Many of us just have gluten free homes so we don't have to be so careful all the time. Home is our safe haven.  

 

Yep, you'll have to check all seasonings for gluten. If you do baking you'll need to use baking soda and powder, as well as sugar that could not be contaminated with wheat by measuring spoons or cups. You'll have to check soups, boullion cubes and sauces like soy and worchestershire sauces. Read all your labels - every single one.

 

As for a flour conversion, they do sell gluten-free flours that you can substitute cup for cup but I don't know the brands as i've never used them. A google search should give you a few brands.

 

Good luck! And don't worry- it's quite a learning curve at first but it gets easier in a couple of months.  

[anti-soprano]

As for a flour conversion, they do sell gluten-free flours that you can substitute cup for cup but I don't know the brands as i've never used them. A google search should give you a few brands.

 

 

One of them is actually called "Cup 4 Cup" Open Original Shared Link

They sell it at William-Sonoma and Whole Foods.  I don't have either of those stores in my town, but bought some when I was visiting.  I haven't used it yet, so I can't tell you how it  is.

 

McCormick is pretty good about listing ingredients.  They are a friendlier company.  When I first started out, I would google products with the phrase "gluten free" to check what I could eat.  Most of the time, there is information out there.  But you can always call the number on the package.  You do have to check everything, though, which is exhausting at first.

 

When looking into cooking equipment, don't forget the grill grates.  I used to grill pizza and got sick a couple of times from using it before changing the grates. I'm sure your are fine if you haven't stuck raw dough on them.  But now you've been warned in case there is ever a gluten reaction after cooking on it.  As long as you use clean utensils on the gluten free food, and they're cleaned well after gluten use, it shouldn't be a problem.  One major no-no is using the same spoon to stir regular and gluten free pasta cooking at the same time.  

 

Good Luck and breathe deeply!  There's a big learning curve and it takes time.

[grey66]

Thank you everyone. I'm so overwhelmed. And with four kids this is no easy task! Last night hubby and I got I to a huge fight because after making a gluten-free pasta dinner for everyone, I mistakenly put smart balance margarine on his slice of gluten free bread. Well that set him off. I have no idea other than wheat, barley, oats, and rye of what I am looking for especially in things such as mixes, spices, etc. HELP,

[kareng]

Thank you everyone. I'm so overwhelmed. And with four kids this is no easy task! Last night hubby and I got I to a huge fight because after making a gluten-free pasta dinner for everyone, I mistakenly put smart balance margarine on his slice of gluten free bread. Well that set him off. I have no idea other than wheat, barley, oats, and rye of what I am looking for especially in things such as mixes, spices, etc. HELP,

I think the Smart Balance is gluten-free. However, if you have been dipping knives in it after using them on gluten bread, there will be crumbs in it.

You really only need to look for wheat, rye, barley and oats. In the US and Canada and many other countries! wheat must be clearly labelled. Rye isn't in much but a bread or cracker you would probably realize is not gluten-free. Oats and barley are labelled because they have to label any ingredients and they will want you to know they have used these expensive ingredients. Sometimes barley is labelled as " malt" but usually " barley malt".

Did you read the newbie thread? https://www.celiac.com/forums/topic/91878-newbie-info-101/

[kareng]

Here are some things to look for.  Most of these are specialty wheats that I have never come across.  Even then, when I have seen them listed, they said "spelt wheat".

 

Abyssinian Hard (Wheat triticum durum)

Atta Flour
Barley Grass (can contain seeds)
Barley Hordeum vulgare
Barley Malt
Bleached Flour
Bran
Bread Flour
Brewer's Yeast
Brown Flour
Bulgur (Bulgar Wheat/Nuts)
Bulgur Wheat
Cereal Binding
Chilton
Club Wheat (Triticum aestivum subspecies compactum)
Common Wheat (Triticum aestivum)
Couscous
Dinkle (Spelt)
Disodium Wheatgermamido Peg-2 Sulfosuccinate
Durum wheat (Triticum durum)
Einkorn (Triticum monococcum)
Emmer (Triticum dicoccon)
Enriched Bleached Flour
Enriched Bleached Wheat Flour
Enriched Flour
Farina
Farina Graham
Farro
Flour (normally this is wheat)
Fu (dried wheat gluten)
Germ
Graham Flour
Granary Flour
Groats (barley, wheat)
Hard Wheat
Heeng
Hing
Hordeum Vulgare Extract
Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein
Kamut (Pasta wheat)
Kecap Manis (Soy Sauce)
Ketjap Manis (Soy Sauce)
Kluski Pasta
Maida (Indian wheat flour)
Malt
Malted Barley Flour
Malted Milk
Malt Extract
Malt Syrup
Malt Flavoring
Malt Vinegar
Macha Wheat (Triticum aestivum)
Matza
Matzah
Matzo
Matzo Semolina
Meripro 711
Mir
Nishasta

Oats - not certified gluten-free
Oriental Wheat (Triticum turanicum)
Orzo Pasta
Pearl Barley
Persian Wheat (Triticum carthlicum)
Perungayam
Poulard Wheat (Triticum turgidum)
Polish Wheat (Triticum polonicum)
Rice Malt (if barley or Koji are used) -- just rice malt is OK
Rusk
Rye
Seitan
Semolina
Semolina Triticum
Shot Wheat (Triticum aestivum)
Small Spelt
Spelt (Triticum spelta)
Sprouted Wheat or Barley
Stearyldimoniumhydroxypropyl Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein
Strong Flour
Tabbouleh
Tabouli
Teriyaki Sauce & soy sauce not labelled gluten-free
Timopheevi Wheat (Triticum timopheevii)
Triticale X triticosecale
Triticum Vulgare (Wheat) Flour Lipids
Triticum Vulgare (Wheat) Germ Extract
Triticum Vulgare (Wheat) Germ Oil
Udon (wheat noodles)
Unbleached Flour
Vavilovi Wheat (Triticum aestivum)
Vital Wheat Gluten
Wheat, Abyssinian Hard triticum durum
Wheat amino acids
Wheat Bran Extract
Wheat, Bulgur
Wheat Durum Triticum
Wheat Germ Extract
Wheat Germ Glycerides
Wheat Germ Oil
Wheat Germamidopropyldimonium Hydroxypropyl Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein
Wheat Grass (can contain seeds)
Wheat Nuts
Wheat Protein
Wheat Triticum aestivum
Wheat Triticum Monococcum
Wheat (Triticum Vulgare) Bran Extract
Whole-Meal Flour
Wild Einkorn (Triticum boeotictim)
Wild Emmer (Triticum dicoccoides)

 

[nvsmom]

I printed a list like the one Karen gave you and took it shopping with me, every time, for the first few months. You'll get it.  

 

I notice you have kids. Have you had them checked? Celiac is a genetially linked disease so there is a chance that your children could have it. Someone with a first degree relative should be tested every two years or so if they are still consuming gluten - testing just once isn't enough.

 

Best wishes.

[heymom45]

HI Grey66!!    Welcome to the celiac world!!  It's kind of like going to a haunted house for the first time, huh??  Just take a deep breath...

 

It IS a bit overwhelming when you realize that gluten is EVERYWHERE. I am almost 45 years old and have lived with celiac since I was 13. I have 6 kids (6-26), 3 of them are still at home. I am the only one diagnosed w/celiac in my home. I will be having my 6 & 8 year old tested soon & my 18 yr old is planning to get herself tested too. Of my 3 other adult kids, only 1 has officially been diagnosed, but despite the consequences she's NOT going gluten free!  I've seen other posts here urging you to have your kids tested and that great advice. From other posts I have read on this site, I may have dodged quite a few other health crises by having been diagnosed younger!! (my mom may be far from perfect, but she gets a lot of the credit for that one!! .

 

STEP ONE IS GETTING THE GLUTEN OUT OF THE KITCHEN:

 

A couple of years ago, I (being the lone one w/celiac) got sick of the sight of all the gluten in my home. So one day I went through EVERY food item label and if it contained gluten it went into a cardboard box!! (not to be tossed or given away because my husband would have lead the mutiny! lol) This became a teaching moment for my family!!  Since they did not understand "celiac disease" or "gluten free diets" (their whole life, they just knew mommy didn't eat certain things), I had stumbled upon a way to show them that being on a gluten free diet was not so strange as it sounded!!  When I was done the gluten-free food was all that was left in the kitchen, and the gluten food was in the cardboard box. Now it did not seem so overwhelming to go gluten free!!  I/we/they only needed to replace-not "give up"- the items in the box. EVERYTHING ELSE that was left in the kitchen was TOTALLY OK TO EAT. After that, my husband understood my diet a little better and "going gluten free" didn't sound like I had to take away all their food!!  The gluten box remains separated from the kitchen.    That said it is imperative that your husband consumes NO GLUTEN. The first 18 months are crucial, and full of ups and downs. But one day, one meal, one snack at a time you will find your way. I'm new to this online support, but even given my life with celiac there have been things I've learned! The newbie 101 is a great place to start here.

 

I live in IL and a couple of years ago HY-VEE opened a store nearby. Out this way, they are the greatest chain store or gluten free shopping!!  Others here on this site have made great suggestions too. I love Mexican food (and my hubby is Mexican) and I have found that it goes well with the celiac eating style (doesn't that sound so much better than "celiac diet"?  lol)

 

Welcome and feel free to pm me anytime. In all my years with celiac, this is the first time I've sought support and I'm glad I finally did! Others with celiac are the only ones who truly understand ALL that it entails, and it makes the load lighter when we can share it. Message me anytime if you'd like to talk more!

[anti-soprano]

The cardboard box is a great idea!  That may be your first step.  If you're not sure what's safe in your pantry, look it up on the web or call the number.  If it's glutenous, throw it in the box.

 

At first when I was eating gluten-free, my husband was still eating gluten.  I remember getting very upset with him a couple of times when he handled my food and didn't take the care I would have taken. Mind you, "the care I would have taken" was obsessive at that point because there was so much I didn't know and it made me feel insanely bad. So, I understand your husband's reaction.  I would just back off and let him do his thing for a while.

 

The Smart Balance is gluten free- I've eaten a lot of it.  But it is no longer gluten free the moment you butter a piece of regular bread and dip the knife back into the tub.  All those little crumbs would devastate most of us.  I used to label my own tub of butter with a sharpie saying "Back up off my butter!"  Then I knew it wouldn't be contaminated.

 

For now, you might want to try purchasing mixes/spices/and-such that are labeled gluten free.  I would suggest using a smart phone when you're at the grocery store.  Go without your kids the first few times so that you can take your time to check each item.  Look for gluten free or gluten containing items.  If you're not sure, whip out your phone and look it up on the web.  It will take time at first, but will become easier because you can go back to the same products.

 

A meal suggestion:

I love eating chili.  There are gluten free mixes/spices, throw in the meat and veggies as well as some tomato sauce and you're good to go. Your family won't miss the gluten.  Your husband can use fritos (gluten free) on it instead of crackers or bread- or find some gluten free crackers.  Here's my favorite and it can be found in a regular grocery store:  Open Original Shared Link

[MGR]

Again, what a good idea the cardboard box is...!! I am also learning.. But I still keep glutening myself accidentally- my last one happened two days ago with a fruit juice of all things - Capri Sun ( I am not sure if they have it in America- I'm in Europe and here it is popular in several countries) . And don't do what I do: assume something should be gluten free, put it in my mouth and then read the label.

READ THE LABEL FiRST, THEN PUT IT IN YOUR MOUTH..

My home is mostly gluten free now, but I still keep a few treats with gluten as I still haven't had a chance to have my children checked-

For spices, I now make up my own mixes as I've also glutened myself badly from commercial mixtures in the past. And I loooovee cooking foods from different parts in the world. Just let me know if you need any advice..