5 Tips For A Safe Gluten Free Christmas Dinner!

This Christmas will be my 5th gluten-free Christmas so far. Each year we always make our own gluten-free food and have a dinner that is 100% gluten-free! I know each family dinner is different from the next and the holidays may not be easy. Some people go to other's houses and have a dinner where gluten may be involved. Some people may have family members in your household who are not gluten-free which means gluten is involved as well. Either way I want to offer some tips as a teenager to make sure you spend the holidays worry free while being gluten-free this Christmas.

Biggest tip:

• Don't be like Buddy the Elf and shove whatever is on the table in your face! Ask about the dish being gluten-free first. If the host doesn't know then it's much better to pass on a dish you aren't sure about than to try it and spend your Christmas feeling miserable. Although you may feel like you are getting left out, you really aren't missing much and it is much more important you feel healthy during the holidays!

My 5 tips for a safe Gluten-Free Christmas Dinner:

1. Figure out what will be available if you are attending a holiday party or dinner. It’s important you know what your options are before you go into the situation. If you feel comfortable enough, ask the host if they can cater some foods to your needs to make it a little easier.


2. Do your research on recipes you can make beforehand! If you're going over to someone else’s house for the holidays, you may not have many options. There are tons of online websites to get recipes from if you just search for them ahead a time.


3. Be aware of cross contamination that is always possible at holiday get togethers. Some dishes may get cross contaminated if utensils are shared or if 2 dishes are close together.


4. Clearly label which dishes are gluten-free. Gluten-Free Labels are a great way to mark them. Also just using a sharpie and sticker can be helpful as well.


5. Separate the gluten-free dishes from the gluten filled ones! You want no chance of accidentally eating gluten on the holidays so it’s important you separate them to avoid this risk.

Have a Merry Christmas! What are your top tips to stay safe during the holidays?