Making Grill Parties Safe

Kayleigh here. Every summer, we all look forward to that unique flavor in foods that can only come from dragging out and firing up the old outdoor grill. For many, it is the chance to perfect that burger recipe, or to figure out how to sear that salmon steak to lock in all the juices. For most, it's a great excuse to have a few parties and enjoy some outdoor time with good friends and neighbors. For gluten intolerant folks...those hotdogs look tasty, but when was the last time that grill was even scraped down, much less cleaned?

An interesting fact to note- gluten can actually be removed from a surface if it is thoroughly heated for a good length of time, like the cleaning cycle on your oven. Short of requesting that the cook heats the grill up to 500 degrees for a half hour in between their food and yours, the best thing you can do is sacrifice getting pretty grill marks on your food and ask that they cover a small section in aluminum foil to keep your stuff separate from the rest. Bring your own utensils for them to use, to avoid stray crumbs, and make sure the cooked food goes straight onto your plate and skips the serving tray. It may sound a little pushy, but it is a lot better to be safe than to get glutened and have your buddy feel bad about it.

We do have some good news out of this- there are loads of good gluten free cookout foods available pretty much everywhere. Most sausages are completely gluten free, and will often say so pretty predominantly on the front of the label. Gluten free preformed hamburgers can be a little trickier to find, but looking for ones that are labeled as 100% beef can quickly narrow down the playing field, so you just need to check the back to make sure their facility did not contain wheat products. As for veggie burgers, most of the main brands are unfortunately out, but a trip down the organic/natural foods aisle should grant you at least one safe variety. Finally, fresh produce should be entirely safe, and most common condiments are as well (just double check the label). Do stay away from the teriyaki burgers (unless they were made specifically with gluten free sauce), and opt out any spice mixes that you do not get to okay in advanced- stick with the one ingredient spices.

Finally, as with making all gatherings safely gluten free, try to get anything you want from buffet-style tables first, before they can get cross contaminated through people double dipping or spilling a few crumbs here and there. If you brought a dish to share, save out a little portion for yourself in another container just in case. And offer to bring your own buns or bread, so the host does not need to get anything special for you- you probably already have some on hand anyways. Worst comes to worst, you can always use a bed of lettuce or tortilla chips on the plate and take a fork to it.

 

Jason here. I’m pretty lucky in that sausage hot dogs are my favorite cookout food. They are easy to find in a variety of different flavors, so getting two or three means pretty much everyone will find something they enjoy. I love getting together with some friends, so bringing a sheet of tinfoil and some gluten free buns is never an issue. 

 

On the days where the cookout gets rained out, be sure to have a backup plan. Sometimes it’s as easy as throwing the sausages in the oven or stovetop, but other times it takes a bit more creativity. I’ve found that brining some nacho’s with salsa or cheese dip to be a great back up plan. They can be picked up last minute from a grocery or convenience store, and require zero prep. If you have a little extra time, you can always throw to together some homemade dip. Our friends always seem to enjoy it when we bring over our spinach queso dip.

No matter what your style, don’t let gluten scare you away from spending some times with your friends and enjoying a cookout.

Tips for the Holiday Host/Hostess

Kayleigh here. Continuing on with our Host/Hostess tips post from several months back, we thought we would get a bit more specific and talk about holiday dinners. Times where the hosting house does most of the cooking, but others may provide extra sides and desserts. How can these occasions be made gluten-free friendly, when so many of the dishes are tried-and-true traditions?

First off, figuring out who is making what dishes can really help the process along. See what dishes are already gluten free, and what can easily be altered. Simpler dishes like mashed potatoes, butternut squash, and steamed/boiled vegetables are almost certainly safe bets. One thing to watch out for, though, is the turkey. If you are putting the stuffing (or dressing) in before baking, then the turkey and the gravy from it will have traces of gluten in it. If someone is willing to bake a smaller turkey as-is, or even just a part or two of the regular bird to cook separately, then that solves that problem. You can always make a gravy out of a bouillon cube and some corn starch to thicken it.

Once you've nailed down the safe dishes, make sure everyone is on the same page when it comes to safely preparing the food. Keep the gluten free dishes on a different prep space, and make sure all of the dishes, bowls, and utensils are thoroughly washed to remove traces. It may be easier to just put foil down on the baking trays, and use disposable dishware when possible. As my mother found out this year, you can get cutting boards and other hard to sanitize cookware at the dollar store for temporary use. Toasters should be avoided, but putting the oven or toaster oven on broil works just as well.

When it comes to serving, put the gluten free dishes first in line (or on a separate table), and let your intolerant friend get food first. That way, you do not need to worry about someone doubling back and getting some breadcrumbs in the cranberry sauce dish.

Jason here. I successfully survived Thanksgiving dinner without any issues thanks to my fantastic family. I’ve found it was easiest to go first, grab my meal and then sit down just in case. We were extra careful, and the gluten free food was placed on a separate table in the adjoining room. 

I even got to eat my favorite type of gravy, which Kayleigh described above. You can make it as thick as you want, and add bouillon cubes or powder to taste. On a related note, it is possible to add way, way too many bouillon cubes. The first time I tried this technique, I had never used bouillon cubes before. I added so many it literally hurt my mouth from all the sodium and made me feel ill after just a single spoonful. Don’t go overboard, and it will be an amazing, easy to make gravy. 

Cheers to a great Holiday season. I hope you find this tips helpful, and if you have tips your family uses, leave them in the comments below.

Gluten Free Cooking for the Host/Hostess

Kayleigh here. The tone of this post is going to be a little different- not necessarily for the celiac, but for the friends and family of that gluten-mourning person. When you first discover that someone close to you has developed a serious intolerance, that can change plans and rituals around for you almost as much as for them. And without such a big incentive to research every little fact about what does and does not contain gluten, the only safe way to put foods out seems to be by buying exclusively from the gluten free shelves at the supermarket. Safe? Certainly. But not so kind on your wallet, especially if you do not want to sacrifice any of the parties, dinners, and outings you are used to having with them.

The good news is, catering to a gluten-free person is really not as hard as it seems at first. Fresh produce, basic meats, and most cheeses and plain milks are guaranteed gluten free, without needing to check any sort of ingredient label. Buy single spices instead of blends to season the foods, and you have avoided another confusion. Add some rice or potatoes to the side, and you have made yourself a stress-free, gluten-free meal!

For parties, put the crackers and bread squares on separate plates from safe dips and spreads. Offer cut raw vegetables, plain potato chips, and tortilla chips as well (they are almost always gluten free!). In fact, if you bread any fried foods in crushed tortilla chips, cornstarch, or cornmeal, then even that will be safe! Most importantly, keep the packages of anything you put out, and let your buddy read the ingredient list for themselves. And really, do not feel guilty about asking them to bring hamburger buns or dressings/sauces for themselves. It is a whole lot cheaper than you going out and buying a whole package, and will make them feel a lot safer, since they are avoiding any accidental cross contamination.

One last tip- try to cook for them using either very clean/new cookware, or coat surfaces in tinfoil or plastic wrap. This will be an easy way to avoid touching any breadcrumbs or contaminated areas with the gluten free foods. Also, try to make sure that everyone else you are inviting is aware of what is and is not gluten free in the spread, so they know to use spoons to get dip instead of dipping the cracker straight in, and to not swap around serving utensils between dishes.

Jason here. If you are not a gluten free household, or used to cooking gluten free, it can be a little overwhelming. I’ve found many people have a knee-jerk reaction where they suddenly can’t think of any food that doesn’t contain bread or pasta. It’s less that gluten free food doesn’t exist, and more that panic of trying to think of something on the spot. Like mentioned, basic meats, cheeses, vegetables, fruits are all going to be gluten free. To get the starch fix, through in some form of potato and you’re done.

When I go to parties, I’m often worried about accidentally eating gluten. Either I am not certain exactly what was used to cook the dish, or I am worried about cross contamination. If you are hosting a party where guests are encouraged to bring food, also ask your guests to bring along allergy cards for their dish. If someone takes the time to explicitly mark their dish as gluten free, and I feel pretty safe about eating it. Sometimes it’s just not possible to prevent cross contamination. In a large enough party, someone is going to dip a cracker from one plate, into the gluten free dip. The best way to help out your gluten intolerant guests is to help them get to the food earlier. The earlier they can grab a plate, the less of a chance crumbs have fallen where they shouldn’t have.

Just remember when you have a gluten intolerant guest, don’t panic. It’s really not as difficult as you might at first think. Some simple food items mentioned above, and simple safe measures taken while prepping the food, and you are good to go!