Gluten Free Birthday Celebrations

Today is this writer’s beloved sweetheart’s 34th birthday and the celebration has lasted all week. It began yesterday treating Matt to dinner at Saltgrass Steakhouse, where there is a nice selection of gluten free items from which I could choose and carried over to a delicious gluten free Funfetti cake from Pillsbury. This was Matt’s first birthday celebration opting for gluten free (he has no issues with gluten but often refuses to eat gluten containing items in front of me out of respect for the fact I could eat gluten for over 30 years). All in all, it was a fun celebration.

One of the things I have noticed about living gluten free is that sometimes when you mention a food item is gluten free, people automatically bolt from it. Matt, fortunately, knew from the get-go of our relationship that a gluten free life was one I had to adopt and in support of me, he has followed it. Oh, if everyone had it that lucky.

When you are planning your own gluten free birthday celebrations, the ability to make a tasty gluten free cake with frills is becoming easier. With companies, like Pillsbury, embracing the culture’s shift towards eating less wheat, many are stepping up their games to create the tastiest, most creative cake mix possible — even with sprinkles!

If gluten free cakes still leave your leery of cross contamination or flavorful goodness, then having a birthday ice cream party with many of the more popular gluten free ice cream options would be an idea, especially for hot summertime birthdays. Ice cream does not only have to be the side dish to a tasty cake party.

If you are making a gluten free cake for a party — especially a children’s party — it is probably better to not sky write the fact the cake is gluten free. Just as cake companies are making gluten free cakes more creative or flavor filled, they are also not as cardboard-like or dry as they once were. Oftentimes, it is hard to tell the difference between a gluten free cake and one that uses a wheat-based mix. As much as Celiacs MUST know if a cake contains gluten, it is every bit as good that gluten free NOT be broadcast (unless a lot of Celiacs will be at your party) to avoid having a lot of extra food leftover. Some, sadly, do still judge gluten free as a fad, when – for some – it must be a lifestyle.

Lastly, if you plan the birthday party in the afternoon, after lunch and before dinner, you will avoid the need of creating a large meal for the masses. This way, you will not be tempted to have a pizza party (Pizza Hut offers gluten free Udi’s now, true, but the pizzas are small and the costs add up quickly).

Birthdays are still a wonderful time to celebrate the fact that our loved ones have lived another year of their lives as a part of ours, but they should be fun and not bogged down by the remaining stigma that sometimes exists with a gluten free lifestyle. With a few simple steps and planning ahead, you will ensure the day is stressful and happy for everyone!

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Gluten Free Alcohol for Parties

With Easter weekend nearly upon us and the summer season just around the corner, many would say there is nothing better than relaxing with family, friends or poolside with a refreshing drink. For those with severe gluten sensitivity or Celiac Disease, any wheat at all will lead to illness. Now, you may think that beer, especially, is out of the question. There are, however, several gluten free beers on the market. I would recommend proceeding with caution when choosing them however, because they are often made from seeds that resemble wheat or grow near wheat fields. RedBridge from Anheuser Busch is one tasty option made from sorghum, for example.

Many vodka products are brewed from wheat products, but there are some, including Smirnoff, that is sourced from corn. Celiacs should avoid Grey Goose and Skyy due to their wheat content. For the gluten sensitive that can tolerate the risk of “less than 20 parts per million,” Chopin – sourced from potatoes – and Ciroc – sourced from grapes – are good options. Flavored varieties, however, are high in corn syrup or sugar content may be detrimental to other health issues and should likely be avoided.

Whiskey is distilled from rye, barley, wheat, and corn and not safe for Celiacs to consume. While they nearly always rank at less than 20 parts per million of gluten content, whiskeys that are distilled from grains are still problematic for Celiacs.

Rum is a fairly safe option for Celiacs as it is made from sugar cane and free of grain content. Flavored and spiced rums, however, might have grain based ingredients and often contain corn syrup and excessive amounts of sugar.

Kahlua, Triple sec, and Bailey’s Irish Cream are generally safe for Celiacs. Kahlua and Bailey’s Irish Cream contain dairy, while Triple sec is fruit based. Further, brandies and cognacs are usually safe bets. Martell uses a caramel coloring which may be problematic for Celiacs so as always label reading is essential for maintaining good health.

Most distilled alcohols in the U.S. are considered grain free, but sometimes gluten containing products are added after distillation, so it is always best to check the status of the product you wish to purchase. Under U.S. guidelines for certifying a product as gluten free, alcoholic products using cereal grains must not be labeled as gluten free.

Gluten free hard cider is made from fruits, especially apples. Most are okay for Celiacs but some do add barley for enzymes and flavoring.

The majority of wines and wine coolers are made from barley, aside from those listed as having malt in them.

Most gin is made from gluten containing cereal grains. Because of this, the product itself does not contain gluten, but gin cannot be certified as gluten free. Some Celiacs can tolerate gin; others cannot, so it is best to proceed with caution. Cod River gin is distilled from potatoes and is likely the safest option.

One other thing to consider is that product formulations in any alcoholic beverage can change at any time so it is always a good idea to check with the manufacturer to be sure any drinks you consume are safe and will not lead to problems for your disease process.

Have a safe and Happy Easter weekend at your parties and have fun planning ahead for the summer.

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