Written by Slides are from the National Celiac Association webinar:
Q&A Additional Information:
- Myth: Grilling kills the gluten. Grilling does not change the protein, and cross contamination can still occur. Put a barrier on the grill when cooking for a gluten-free person.
- There are certain individuals who can tolerate their problem food when baked in, like eggs in a baked product. However, it still has egg proteins so you are not cooking away the allergen and can still cause a reaction.
- Use soap and water on utensils or use separate utensils. Using wooden utensils would not necessarily absorb gluten, but if a utensil is damaged where a gluten molecule could hide but it is not scientifically shown to be in wooden utensils once washed.
- If something is going to cause anxiety, don’t do it. Mental health is just as important to consider.
- Asking restaurants questions before dining is acceptable and it’s okay to ask each time to be sure processes haven’t changed.
- It’s okay to ask questions even if a menu says the item is “free from” gluten, nuts, etc. to be sure the processes meet your needs. Even a gluten-free menu might have a disclaimer that it’s not safe for celiacs. Letting them know its for medical reasons when asking questions can help the staff know the seriousness of the issue.
- Teen with Gluten issue is eating at Chipotle daily, what can I do as a parent if I’m worried about cross contamination? Know that your teenager is going to make their choices and mistakes. Try to properly educate them and notice signs and symptoms and discuss with their physician to help the teen recover from incidents but let them have the freedom to choose. Talking to the restaurant could help because it might be okay with the precautions that the teen might be taking to stay safe.
- Side note: there is a restaurant card in our resources here on GF Hearts LLC from NCA that your teen could use so they don’t have to openly discuss gluten exposure but can still let the server know so they can stay safe.