Preparing for the Holiday

When managing a gluten-free lifestyle, on holidays, for travel and particularly for both at the same time, advance planning goes a long way toward ensuring a good time is had by all. For the Thanksgiving holiday, B. and I will be heading south to spend the week with his family. We leave Saturday morning, which means that this week, I'm busy preparing.

Beside obviously getting clothing ready for the much warmer weather than we have here in the Midwest right now, I'm also compiling the various food items I'll need for the duration. Like most trips, I'll have my stash of bars and treats available for snacks and in case breakfast proves difficult. But because it is a holiday, and because we can't be certain of the availability of essential gluten-free items, we're taking quite a bit with us, too.

A partial list of those pantry items we're packing:

• Ener-G breadcrumbs
• Breads From Anna pumpkin bread mix
• Tinkyada pasta shells
• MimiCreme cream substitute
• Namaste pizza crust

And so on ...

I'm looking forward to discovering new gluten-free resources there and along the way, but again, as I can't be certain of what we'll find, I'm going prepared.

We also have called ahead to the area Fresh Market and ordered fresh turkey, as well as made sure that the store will be carrying products we need, like Pacific Foods' chicken broth and perishable items that can't be brought with us like Andrew & Everett shredded cheese (it's casein-free!).

When we get down there, I'm going to be doing a lot of the cooking. Gluten-free is somewhat of an unchartered territory for B.'s family, so we'll be demonstrating what's involved. (I did have some initial reservations about taking over someone else's kitchen for a week, but I have been assured that it's more than OK with everyone. I like to cook; they don't. I have dietary restrictions; it's just easier for everybody this way.) In order to plan ahead, B. and I have had several conversations about the various menus, including Thanksgiving brunch and dinner, and Iron Bowl nosh, to suit all palates and dietary needs.

Actually, my preparations are not all that different than they would be if we were staying home; the only real difference is having it all organized before we leave -- just a little bit sooner than I might have otherwise.

Expectations are high during major holidays like Thanksgiving, particularly when it comes to the meal. It's almost as if gorging oneself is actually sanctioned. Yet, add certain allergen-free requirements to the mix, and it's a potential recipe for disaster. Holidays can be a challenge when living gluten-free -- more so at the beginning when you're still adjusting to the lifestyle change, although even after several years, the possibility for disappointment can remain high.

Making sure everyone can partake in the special meal is important. Because I'm the one with the restrictions, I tend to cook to ensure I'm happy with the outcome. But for families hosting gf(cf) members, here are some suggestions:

• Processed frozen turkeys often have additives that render them not gluten-free, so fresh turkey is the best option for the gf menu.
• Have a gluten-free bread available -- savory and/or sweet. I'm making pumpkin bread this year. I may also make an herb bread too, if inspiration strikes.
  
• Stuffing is a traditional Thanksgiving menu item. You could say it doesn't seem like Thanksgiving without it. That said, in the past, I never really cared for stuffing -- I didn't like the texture, and it never sat well; now I know why. Instead of a bread-based side, now I typically make a gf wild rice version.
• A word on dairy- or casein-free mashed potatoes: they're easy to do without any special products. Boil and mash the potatoes per usual, except when you would normally add milk and butter, conserve some of the cooking water and use that instead, along with some chicken broth, and salt and pepper. The result: flavorful, moist potatoes.
• A gf dessert of some sort is a must. Only watching while everyone else indulges is not fun. It doesn't have to be pumpkin pie. Baked apples would be a good seasonal alternative that everyone could enjoy.
  

In short, if there's a tradition in your family when it comes to the meal, try to make it gluten-free if at all possible. Otherwise, the person who can't partake will feel excluded -- not a sentiment you want to evoke on what's supposed to be an inclusive celebration.

So, whether it's at home or 1,000 miles away, it helps to think ahead as to what you'll need in the kitchen to make it a gluten-free holiday -- and a happy one at that.