How To: Attend Events as a Celiac
Summer is finally here! Blue skies and warm temperatures mean an uptick in gatherings with family and friends. Aside from federal holidays like Juneteenth, Independence Day, and Labor Day, summertime encompasses over 30% of all weddings and a significant number of graduation parties — not to mention barbecues, cookouts, block parties, and other social events involving food.
Attending these events presents unique challenges and concerns for individuals with celiac disease or gluten intolerance. Below are a few tips for celiacs on how to enjoy a summer filled with friends and food and avoid getting “glutened”.
1.
Consult with the hosts beforehand.
If you are attending an event hosted by friends or family, offer to help them plan their menu, or consult with them about the foods they’ll be offering. For example, if they’ll be grilling, suggest gluten-free hot dog brands and buns or send them your favorite burger recipe. Alternatively, if they have specific foods or recipes in mind already, let them know what brands or specific products work for you so that they can have them available as an option. You’ll also want to inform them about cross-contact and how to avoid it if the event menu is not fully gluten-free.
Catered events, such as weddings, can be more difficult; but if you are close with the hosts, you may be able to influence them to select an allergen-friendly caterer.
2.
Pack your own meal and/or snacks.
If you’re concerned or know for sure that gluten-free options will not be available at the event, you can pack a meal or snacks to bring with you. Remember that you may not have access to appliances like a microwave or an oven to heat up your food, so plan to pack something that can be eaten cold or room temperature. To pack your meal, take advantage of a cooler (like Yeti’s), a lunchbox with freezer packs (such as PackIt freezable lunch bags), a thermos, or a bento box.
3.
Bring a gluten-free dish or beverages with you to the party.
For less formal events, such as barbecues, cookouts, and pool parties, offer to bring a dish or twelve-pack of gluten-free drinks with you that can be shared with other guests. Summer crowd-pleasers include fruit salad, potato salad, or a green salad; charcuterie boards or veggie trays with gluten-free dressing or hummus; ribs; gluten-free macaroni and cheese; deviled eggs; or popsicles. (We don’t recommend macaroni salad because, in our experience, cooked gluten-free pastas tend to get hard when they’re refrigerated.)
4.
Look for individually-packaged celiac-friendly items, or naturally gluten-free foods that pose a low risk of cross-contact.
If coordinating with the host and/or bringing your own dish isn’t an option for the event you’ll be attending, keep an eye out for individually-packaged items such as chips that are labeled gluten free, as well as canned or bottled beverages.
In the event packaged items aren’t available or are scarce, look for things like fruit or veggie trays. If they aren’t positioned near gluten-containing items on the spread, use your discernment to determine whether it might be safe for you to snack on those.
For an extensive list of known gluten free drinks, check out our Gluten Free Beverages blog post.
5.
Prepare a dish to have waiting for you when you get home.
Unfortunately, sometimes the only option you’ll have is to stick it out and eat when you get home. Although it can be disappointing and even alienating to not have safe food available at an event you’re attending, it’s better than suffering the consequences of being “glutened”.
As a treat to yourself, prepare one of your favorite gluten-free leftover-friendly meals prior to the event and store it in the refrigerator so you’ll have something delicious to look forward to when you get back —without having to do all the work after you’ve socialized for hours. Simply change into some comfy clothes, reheat, dig in, and enjoy!
We hope that, armed with these tips, you won’t let your gluten-free diet get in the way of having a fun-filled summer!