The Kitchen Conundrum

Once I found out that gluten was my enemy, I started to become scared of my kitchen. What was safe? What food could I eat? I kept reading online about people talking about cross-contamination. It seemed like everything in my kitchen was going to hurt me.

It seems daunting at first, but don’t worry, you’ll get through it. You just need to remember that this is a transition and to think of everything in stages. It makes it less overwhelming and is a realistic approach to your new life. You can’t just throw away all your food, plates, and cookware. So let’s break everything down into sections:

1. Your pantry and fridge
2. Your cookware
3. Your surfaces
4. Your silverware, servingware, and cutlery
5. Your appliances
6. Roommates and spouses

Now remember, as we go through this you need to keep in mind that there isn’t ‘one method’ that will work for everyone. Some people are really sensitive and some people aren’t. Also, just because you don’t feel any pain, it doesn’t mean that you aren’t damaging your body if you eat something with trace amounts of gluten in it. The jury is still out on lots of things relating to celiacs and gluten intolerance, so you need to decide what works best for you. People will probably try to convince you that it isn’t “that big of a deal” but it is for you and your comfort level is what’s important. So keep in mind that you are going to have to stand up for your health as you go through this exercise. Be strong!