Thanksgiving And Family...

[Trudyjerry]

For those of you that are going to friends and family for Thanksgiving, how will you be dealing with the GFD and possible CC?

I am supposed to go to my mother's for our meal. She's three hours away, so just eating when we get back home is not an option. She will be cooking at my step-father's house, who probably hasn't even been informed of my issues. He has offered to buy the groceries. My mother still thinks that this is just a fad diet for me, not a life long process. I was thinking that I would at least be able to have potatoes and veggies but my mother puts butter on everything and I can't do any form of dairy.

Would you go ahead and risk upsetting everybody by bringing your own food to heat up while you are there? I don't want to hurt anybody's feelings but I don't want to make myself sick either, especially with a three hour car ride home. Not really in the mood to hit up every rest stop between her house and mine.

[bartfull]

Bring your own. They have no right to be upset that you are doing what you need to do in order to take care of your health. If you bake, make a gluten-free pie or other dish to share. Just make sure you serve yourself first.

Enjoy your family! Mine is gone now and I miss them so much, especially at Thanksgiving. It was always my favorite holiday. My gluten-free Mom always did the cooking, some gluten-free and some not. We had grandparents from both side, aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends. There were usually anywhere between 14 and 26 people there. After dinner and cleanup there were card and other games, music and singing, great conversation, more food of course, and so much love in the room!

I wish you and everyone else here the warmest, most loving, and most Thankful Thanksgiving yet!

[Celiac Mindwarp]

I'm with take your own, with as brief an explanation as you can get away with

The idea of taking something gluten-free for all to share is great.

So far, the more matter of fact I am the easier it seems to be.

I go with things like 'I just want to make sure I can enjoy some time with all of you, and bringing my own food means I can do that'. So far so good

Happy holidays

[GottaSki]

Absolutely bring your own food, along with printed information regarding Celiac Disease to leave with her when you leave.

If you tell her in advance, be simple and clear. Ingesting gluten is harmful to my health. Even minute amounts of gluten cause my immune system to destroy my digestive system which leads to serious health problems. I am not asking for your help - only understanding that this is the way I must eat every day - Celiac Disease observes no holidays. While I am looking forward to our time together, I will provide my own food.

Try to bring your meal as ready to go as possible. I usually bring a beautiful salad to others homes - for a holiday I would bring a nice meal as close to what is being served - heat it in the microwave - if the table is set formally I transfer to my host's china and change the subject away from my food unless the person asking is actually curious then I either answer their question or let them know I will be happy to answer their questions after the meal.

Maybe offer to bring the mashed potatoes, cornbread or wild rice stuffing or pumpkin pie? Most people are pleasantly surprised at how good gluten-free food really is.

[Adalaide]

Bring your own meal. I also agree that bring a gluten free dish to share with everyone (with your own portion out already) is a great idea so people can see gluten free is delicious too is a great idea.

Offended? That you are A: taking care of your health and B: came for the family and not the food? I'm not going home for Thanksgiving because it is 2000 miles for me but if my family did that it would be my very last family holiday. Holidays are about supposed to be about family. The food is a nice side effect of that, not the focus.

An alternative that is far too late for this year but a possible alternative for next year. I love to cook, if you do also you can opt to host a holiday. Make it clear that under no circumstances is anyone to bring anything. Honestly, I did cancel my holidays but only because I have no family to invite that aren't a bunch of ingrates who eat and leave without valuing family togetherness. (And because they'd beeline for the pantry and contaminate my entire dinner and leftovers, I don't have the money to spend on one huge meal just to throw it out or send it home with other people.) But, if it is the sort of thing you'd be into doing I would certainly say go for it next year.

[kareng]

Take your own. If you were paralzed, you would bring your own chair. Would that insult anyone?

Just tell them you are rather limited on what your doctor allows you to eat right now but you are feeling soooo much better. I even have a note from the doctor that says "She must bring her own food". (Meant for things like football stadiums but could work for you). "No, thank you." everytime they offer something. You can even say you are sad as thier pie, dressing, etc is always so delicious.

If you bring a dish to share, keep some in a separate container for yourself. I wouldn't want to watch the kitchen & table like a hawk until dinner to make sure I got the first serving, someone didn't stick the gravy spoon in my potato dish, etc.

[Trudyjerry]

Thank you all for your responses. I figure I'll take a couple of pumpkin pies and some almond coconut macaroons for everybody to share. Although, I think I'll put some aside for just myself, to have with my coffee. I'll also figure out some food that I can reheat in the microwave. If they don't like it, I guess they can just get over themselves.

[Celiac Mindwarp]

Yeay, go for it :)

[shadowicewolf]

Coolers are helpful in this case. make everything you'd want then pack it to go. You also get the bonus of having leftovers

[tarnalberry]

For those of you that are going to friends and family for Thanksgiving, how will you be dealing with the GFD and possible CC?

I am supposed to go to my mother's for our meal. She's three hours away, so just eating when we get back home is not an option. She will be cooking at my step-father's house, who probably hasn't even been informed of my issues. He has offered to buy the groceries. My mother still thinks that this is just a fad diet for me, not a life long process. I was thinking that I would at least be able to have potatoes and veggies but my mother puts butter on everything and I can't do any form of dairy.

Would you go ahead and risk upsetting everybody by bringing your own food to heat up while you are there? I don't want to hurt anybody's feelings but I don't want to make myself sick either, especially with a three hour car ride home. Not really in the mood to hit up every rest stop between her house and mine.

I would absolutely bring my own food to heat up there. No question about it.

True story - a number of years ago, my husband and I joined my inlaws at their friend's house for thanksgiving. The lady cooking loved cooking, and did her best to research how to make some items gluten and dairy free. She was telling me about using margarine in the mashed potatoes so it wouldn't have dairy and I picked up the can of organic swanson's chicken broth she had also added. Turns out, that is one of the few broths that contains wheat. I couldn't eat the potatoes.

if people want to get butt-hurt that you're not willing to make yourself sick for the sake of their own sensitive souls.... well, that's their problem.

(I'm only being moderately tongue in cheek - family, REAL family, doesn't take offense to someone taking care of themselves.)

[KMMO320]

I agree with go ahead and bring your own. I would if I had too. Thankfully, my Sis in law is also Celiac and she cooks dinner every year. I would die if I had to eat at my mother's, she still thinks Gluten free either means Sugar free, or that we can ONLY eat whole wheat. AY yi yi!!

My sis in law was diagnosed WAY before me and she always brought her own food to cookouts, parties and Christmas Eve dinner, which we have at another family member's house. You would rather eat than starve, yes? So bring some food.

[ButterflyChaser]

Hi, glad someone had a similar question to mine.

I have been invited to friends for Thanksgiving, and I am following a very strict diet because of a combination of multiple (eek!) thyroid disorders and GI issues, even if it seems I may have NCGS, rather than celiac. I do feel a lot better off gluten. But I am also avoiding soy, canola, millet, almonds, peanuts, strawberries et cetera,

Is it obnoxious to "bring my own" food even if I am not diagnosed with celiac disease? I really don't know how to explain to my friends that it's not just in my head, and that eating "normally" means I'll have to occupy either their, ahem, restroom for hours, or their couch, staring at the walls in dizziness and confusion...

I also have to be there for three days, and it's a 6-hour trip there, so it is difficult even to bring stuff

[GottaSki]

Hi, glad someone had a similar question to mine.

I have been invited to friends for Thanksgiving, and I am following a very strict diet because of a combination of multiple (eek!) thyroid disorders and GI issues, even if it seems I may have NCGS, rather than celiac. I do feel a lot better off gluten. But I am also avoiding soy, canola, millet, almonds, peanuts, strawberries et cetera,

Is it obnoxious to "bring my own" food even if I am not diagnosed with celiac disease? I really don't know how to explain to my friends that it's not just in my head, and that eating "normally" means I'll have to occupy either their, ahem, restroom for hours, or their couch, staring at the walls in dizziness and confusion...

I also have to be there for three days, and it's a 6-hour trip there, so it is difficult even to bring stuff

Yes, you bring your own too. You keep it simple....you have had some serious health problems that are related to food intolerance. Regardless of NCGI or Celiac, If you eat the items you are currently avoiding you will become ill. If these are folks that want specific info and you feel comfortable sharing then explain how thyroid, digestive and autoimmune diseases are all strongly related and the "fun" symptoms you will have if you are not careful. You wish to spend as much time with them as possible without becoming ill.

I find it easier to bring most of my food along from home for short trips, but ALWAYS check which stores are available wherever I travel so that I can stop and get fresh items whenever I please. I also keep my food in plain grocery bags in the most out of the way spot in my host's fridge and try to prepare very simple items. I even bring my own knife and small cutting board in the pockets of my soft cooler to slice and dice quick snacks without having to wash dishes in order to eat.

If you are matter of fact and self sufficient everyone adapts pretty quickly - at least this is what I've experienced.

Safe travels and Happy Thanksgiving to you

Oh...if you don't already take them, be sure to bring some digestive enzymes along.

[ButterflyChaser]

Thank you! I feel a bit better now. Though I have improved, I still struggle not having to justify why I eat the way I do. It is a very charged topic for me, because at the onset of my autoimmune disease no one - friends, doctors - believed I was sick and they just insisted I had an ED, and I "ate like a rabbit" - because eating leafy greens and simple food is part of the cultural heritage of the poor, rural area I come from.

Even if I am overweight now, and having always been known as a connoisseur and a great cook, I still feel like I have to justify myself, probably because such misconception was, in my case, almost lethal, because they let me get to a BMI of 13 before someone did blood tests.

I think I need to stop apologizing because I have auto-antibodies...

[GottaSki]

I think I need to stop apologizing...

This is a great idea - and often easier said than done.

You can do it! When in doubt come here...there is always someone hanging around that has been through very similar frustrations.

[ButterflyChaser]

Awww.... thanks! This is very sweet!

[Trudyjerry]

After talking to my mother yesterday, it was agreed that she would cook for everybody else and that I would just go ahead and bring my own food. So, I will be making gluten free pumpkin pies, almond coconut macaroons, and pink peppermint meringues. Then because my five kids actually prefer the denser gluten free breads that I make at home, I will also take a sandwich bread, a gluten-free pumpernickel bread, and a cinnamon raisin bread. For my own meal, I will be taking homemade sushi and some fresh tuna sashimi. I also informed her that I will bring a couple of gluten-free beers for myself and some coconut coffee creamer. I will also take our rice cooker and some basmati rice because i have problems with a lot of the american grown rice. She is not thrilled with me but she understands that if she wants my husband, our five kids, and myself there then this is how it's gotta be.

Then Friday we will have a Thanksgiving meal at home with duck and potatoes and all the fixings. I have a lot of cooking ahead of me. I guess it's a good thing that I love to cook and bake.

[Celiac Mindwarp]

That's so great you got it sorted out, brilliant job. Your food sounds yummy. I've noticed everyone thinks my food looks better than theirs when I take my own

[Trudyjerry]

That's so great you got it sorted out, brilliant job. Your food sounds yummy. I've noticed everyone thinks my food looks better than theirs when I take my own

Thanks.

As soon as my kids got wind of the fact that I will be having sushi for Thanksgiving, they decided that's what they want too. Well, until they found out that if nobody ate at grandma's house then there would be no point in going and that it would really hurt her feelings. They understand but I'm still to take extra for when they are done with turkey and all. They love mummy's cooking.

[Celiac Mindwarp]

Hehehe x

[1desperateladysaved]

I am bringing my own this year. My brother sent me a message on face book not to forget to come on Thanksgiving.

I said, I would be glad too. We will bring some corn to share. Of all the strange things I gotta do this year I will bring my own plate of food. I will be disappointed because I want to join in, but happy because with my celiac even a tiny bit of gluten can cause a response like eating a whole box of natural licorice! (My brother did that when we were young). I also promised that if he found out before next week that he had it too, I would bring food for him also.

I sent a simalar message to my sister that will also be there. Dad and Mom got an explanation from me when I visited at lunch time once. I have caused offense with my food rules before, but I simply do not have a choice. We are making some turkey for me to take today. I think I better bring stuff for a sandwich also. It is almost a 3 hour drive. If anyone remembers I was dreading this a month or two back, but now I am looking forward to it. It might be our last Thanksgiving with Mom and she probably can't provide her dinner rolls this year. I will be okay with that!

Have a safe holiday and enjoy your families. Next year mine are coming here, so I will need some fool proof recipe. This year I am bringing corn which I cannot eat!

Diana

[shadowicewolf]

Luckily we're not going anywhere. So a turkey from the butchers (yay!), and some sides. My family knows what i'll eat and whatnot so its not that big of a deal.

Quick question though are marshmellows gluten free?

[Trudyjerry]

Luckily we're not going anywhere. So a turkey from the butchers (yay!), and some sides. My family knows what i'll eat and whatnot so its not that big of a deal.

Quick question though are marshmellows gluten free?

Someone correct me if I'm wrong but I do believe that the Kraft Jet puffed marshmallows are gluten free.

[kareng]

I have not found any marshamallows with gluten. Kraft would be a good one to get.

[Adalaide]

Jet Puffed are awesome, I haven't even found any flavors that aren't safe. I have a dish of krispy treats on my counter (miracle they aren't gone yet) that were made with the peppermint ones. I have a sort of obsession with their flavored marshmallows.