Creating a Gluten Free Environment

The Gluten Free Lifestyle Sharing a Kitchen

Areas of concern
Counters, microwave pans, toasters, sponges, cutting boards, sifters, strainers, jars of condiments, community butter or margarine tubs or sticks, any community items,(jars of honey, baking soda, baking powder, sugar)

What you will need to get started
You will need a new toaster or toaster oven
Rice cooker
Crock-pot
New sifter
New Strainer
Cutting boards or the supplements that go over them
Separate Sugar bowl
Separate Salt bowl if you keep kosher salt in a bowl for cooking
Plastic storage bins of all sizes (for GF Flours, Sugar, Pasta, Nuts, Raisins and assorted sundries
Paper towels
Sponges
Red Sharpie for labeling
Tin Foil (to scrape grill)
Bread Machine- new
Mixer- new ( old may have remnants of past baking)

Pantry
You will need 2 upper shelves in the pantry, so crumbs don’t fall on your foods. All open items in pantry need to go into a zip lock bag or plastic containers then labeled. When you buy community pantry items for your family, place yours in the plastic containers or plastic bags first before anyone else dips into it.

Refrigerator
1 upper shelf in the fridge and part of the door shelf. Use squeeze bottle condiments when ever possible if you don’t you will need separate jars and labeled, crumbs can get into the butter, peanut butter, mayo, and mustard, anything that is in a jar and is shared.

If there is ever a question about cross contact, DO NOT EAT IT. Especially if someone is unsure if an unsafe item came in contact with your food

How to start

Before you start any prep wash hands, wipe the area with wet paper towel, don’t use a community sponge, the possibility of crumbs on the sponge causing cross contact is large.

Read labels of items you are using to prepare foods. It helps you to stay in the habit of always reading labels before you eat anything

Always be aware of your surroundings when preparing safe foods always watching for cross contact (counter tops, cutting boards,individuals eating gluten containing snacks around you)

Wipe pans with wet paper before use and inspect for visible debris and wash if needed

Scrape grill with crumpled up tin foil then toss in trash don’t use community scraper

Never use community pasta water

Try preparing a meal as you have in the past but make it GF and just tell your family we are trying a new brand, new brand of bread, new brand of cookies, crackers, cakes, pies. Many times I don't even tell anyone it is gluten free and really they don't know the difference. Don’t deny yourself. You are just changing brands. You will be surprised with all the possibilities.