When you are first faced with the task of gluten free cooking it can be a real challenge. Finding out what ingredients are safe to use and learning how they are prepared and cooked is difficult enough, but then there is the problem of contamination.
You can pick the freshest, gluten free products and then unwittingly make mistakes in the kitchen that make the food unsafe for a celiac to eat. This page will give you tips and hints for avoiding those problems in your gluten free cooking.
Gluten Free Food Storage
Try to keep gluten free foods away from items that could contaminate them
Instead of leaving gluten free flours in the paper bag they are bought in, transfer them to a sealable container before putting them away
Wheat flours, if required by other members of the family, should be kept in sealed containers preferably in a separate cupboard
Biscuits and cookies, again, could be stored in a tin, rather than putting an opened packet back on the shelf
If your child is the one on the special diet, try to store the food they shouldn't eat out of sight on the higher shelves. Safe snacks can be kept where they can reach them if they get hungry between meals
It is often easier to just keep gluten free sauces in the home. It lessens the chance of picking up the wrong bottle and tipping it into, or on, your food without thinking.
If it is necessary to have sauces that are unsafe for the coeliac, try to give them their own place in the kitchen and always return them, so that mistakes are less likely to happen
Jams, jellies, honey and margarine can easily be contaminated by re-using a knife after spreading wheat bread. To avoid having to buy two jars of everything, try to educate the rest of the family not to do this. It is easy enough to use a spoon to deposit the jam on the side of the plate and then each person use their own knife for spreading. If their are younger members of the family that find this difficult then either spread the bread for them or divide the jar/tub up when you first buy it, transferring some of the contents into a labelled container to keep it gluten free
The
FreshVac 3-pc. Square Vacuum Food Storage Containershave the advantage of a date dial on the top, with which you can note their sell by date. They are also microwave and dishwasher safe and due to the fact that they stack inside each other, don't take up much space when empty.
Gluten Free Food preparation
Before starting your gluten free cooking, thoroughly wipe down any surfaces. Even if you can't see them, there may be traces of breadcrumbs or other unsafe foods lurking!
Chop the gluten free ingredients first on a chopping board that is used for nothing else, such as the
blinQ 15.75x3x12-in. Cutting Board which comes with different coloured edges. Tell everyone in the house which colour is to be used for gluten free food preparation only!
Do not marinate meats in soy sauce, unless you use Tamari which is gluten free
Do not dip meats into wheat flour before frying them
Safe gluten free cooking
If you can, try to cook the same meal for all members of the household, ensuring it is safe for the coeliac. If you do need to cook two separate meals there are some things to keep in mind.
Do not dip your spoon into a saucepan of wheat pasta and then into the special meal! You will need separate utensils for the gluten free dishes
Do not place sausages or breaded food on the grill at the same time as the food you are cooking for the coeliac sufferer. If the grill has been used for such food beforehand, wipe it and cover it with foil before grilling the gluten free food or, if it is too hot, use a clean frying pan instead.
Do not strain gluten free foods in the same colander that has been used for wheat pasta. Pasta leaves a sticky residue that is sometimes difficult to remove. The
Chef'n 11x14.5x5.5-in. Colanderis a useful addition to your kitchen. It collapses so it can be stored in a tiny space, and when expanded it has its own built in stand so that you don't have to hold both the colander and the saucepan. Again they come in different colours so it is easy to tell which one should remain gluten free
Do not fry potato chips/french fries or other food in the deep fat fryer if the oil has previously been used for breaded/battered items! Some remnants will still be in the fat and will contaminate the potatoes. (By the way, you also need to check the ingredients on frozen chips. They may have a coating or seasoning on them)
If cooking two meals in the oven,use the top shelf for the gluten free version. Cook other foods at the bottom where they will not cause harm if they overflow
Do not toast gluten free bread in the toaster that everyone else uses. However clean you keep your kitchen, if you turn your toaster upside down and shake it you will find crumbs. These are enough to cause harm to a coeliac sufferer. The
Hamilton Beach 2-slice Toastation Toaster/Toaster Oven will take thick cut, home baked gluten free bread slices, and also has room below for gluten free pizzas
Avoiding contamination when serving gluten free meals
After taking care while preparing and cooking a meal be extra careful not to lose concentration at the end and pour gravy over the gluten free meal! Even my mum has done this without thinking. The same goes for custard and other sauces
Don't pop a bread roll on the side of the plate or sprinkle croutons atop the gluten free salad
If you follow the tips above, and use your common sense, gluten free cooking should not carry too much risk of contamination. It is well worth the trouble and care to keep those you love safe and well.
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A day in the life . . .
of a coeliac sufferer. Read a page from my journal and see what life is really like on a gluten free diet.
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