The Fright before Christmas
Posted on the 14/12/2011 by
Yes folks it’s that time of year again, already our customer Careline are receiving calls requesting yummy gluten free recipes for Mince Pies, Christmas Puds and Stuffing and as always we look at ways we can help our customers enjoy a free from Christmas dinner. However, December can still be difficult for people diagnosed with coeliac disease or those suffering from a gluten and wheat allergy or intolerance. Last year DS produced a gluten free guide to Christmas with hints and tips on avoiding cross contamination and gluten free recipes but every year Christmas can still cause problems for people following special diets.
We conducted a survey via our DS-gluten free e-newsletter to see how our consumers manage Christmas on a gluten and wheat free diet. We asked over the Christmas holidays how many people were unwell because of the food they’d eaten. Nearly half our respondents (41%) said they had been affected after eating typical foods such as gluten containing Christmas puddings and mince pies. Most people were subjected to cross contamination either from buffet food or the Christmas dinner being prepared around so many gluten containing foods. We then discovered that 22% of people that entered our survey ate gluten containing foods over Christmas knowingly because they’d missed traditional treats they’d normally eaten or couldn’t find gluten and wheat free alternatives. At Christmas gatherings many people share the same foods or give out hampers, selection boxes etc. as presents which may be why 76% or people felt left out from friends and family or felt as if, in general, they were missing out at Christmas.
In the past when we have asked our customers who normally cooks in the household it is usually the person with the special dietary requirement that arranges all of the meals or goes shopping for the rest of the family. Christmas was no exception with 40% of participants stating that they cook the Christmas dinner themselves for others, 31% said their partners and 24% of responders go to their parents. Very few people go to another family members or friends and even fewer go to a hotel or restaurant. This could be because 35% of people that we asked felt uncomfortable with others cooking for them if they didn’t suffer from coeliac disease or follow a gluten free diet. Similarly 32% of people felt that family and friends didn’t understand their special diet.
However, this is not unusual as people describe dietary requirements as a learning process. If other family and friends have not heard of a gluten free diet previously or know how important it is to avoid cross contamination it is no wonder a percentage of our responders are over cautious at Christmas. To make sure they maintained their gluten free diet our responders said that they make all of their food from scratch (92%), take gluten free foods with them to friends and family and if they’re ever unsure if a food is gluten free they go without.
If you have any experiences or tips you would like to share with us about following a free from diet over Christmas please comment below. For more information please visit our Guide to a Gluten Free Christmas or if you would like any further advice please contact our friendly Careline on 0800 954 1981.
Tags:
gluten-free-recipes,
-coeliac-disease,
-gluten,
-wheat-allery,
-intolerance,
-gluten-free-guide,
-cross-co,
Leave a reply
Jean Pattie says
I am the coeliac in the family. I cook Christmas Dinner but everyone eats GF except for mince pies and Christmas Cake. I don't like them but make them for the others. This year we are hosting two students both of whom are vegetarian - so that is an additional layer of complication!! - 13:14:54
colin barford says
coeliac for 15 yrs -aged now 63)christmas day cook -partner -non coeliac(all coeliac food cooked separately)
christmas eve is a visit to partners sister - i eat very little- no consideration for my condition - take my own bread (very very wary)(as i am a insulin controlled diabetic -im inclined to say at home)
I dont use christmas restaurants over the festive period ( i do go to a selected few at midday when its quiet
that i have identified as 'safe' over the years for festive food!' (in essex)
overall the the lowlevels of gluten content in non identified food (sweets etc
can effect me oddly
Overall christmas is a time to be very very vigilent - sadly not one i look forward too with the same excitement)
- 13:54:53
Judy Openshaw says
Where ever I am invited to I usually mention to the hostess that I have food allergies. If they are unable to cater for me then I take my gluten free rolls, crackers and cakes. People generally have cold meats and salads on a buffet so then I can make my own sandwiches up. Usually when people try my gluten free cakes others usually try them because they taste so delicious. Thanks DS. - 15:31:42
Margery Alexander says
It was very interesting reading the results of your survey. I cannot believe that anyone who has been diagnosed with coeliac disease would purposely eat food they KNOW to contain gluten - just because they miss them. Coeliac Disease is the one disease which, once you are diagnosed and stick to the diet, results in improved health and a better life. There are so many diseases others may contact which leave them with poor health and possibly death. I feel that the best thing that ever happened to Fiona and myself was that we WERE diagnosed. We would never jeopardise that by ignoring the diet.Even though we are so careful, we have both been affected already this christmas season. This was, when in the company of people who assured us the food was safe, we both experienced mild symptoms after reaction to food which must have contained gluten. We now eat out only where we have learned, from experiencr, that we are safe. We are hoping that the new guidelines for 2012 will go a long way towards improvement in standards.
To those who knowingly make themselves ill I would say - shame on you !
Happy Christmas to all at DS and carry on with the good work.
- 16:14:01
Glennis Rogerson says
I have coeliac disease and also cannot have dairy foods, alcohol, nuts because of the fat, herbs, spices, sucrose and no parsley or pineapple. Please stop moaning if you only are coeliac think of those of us wiht multiple allergies and intolerances. Thank goodness for teh white cake mix. Mine is added to cocoa and made into a chocolate cake. - 16:28:46
gillian purcell says
I dont understand why anyone would risk their health but i do find it quite misserable as i now also diabetic so it wilol be partically difficult
- 18:48:22
Julie Mace says
Yesterday we had our annual get together with some of our customers. These get togethers usually involve a buffet and not something that I have wanted to miss out on since stopping eating Gluten just over two years ago. Last year I made a few items to go with the items which were bought so I had something to eat, this year I decided to make it a Gluten Free affair and made lots of items myself. There was only one exception and that was the mini Sherry Trifle as to cater for a Vegetarian amongst us the only suitable jelly was not gluten free. We had all the usual bits, sausage rolls, scotch eggs, cocktail sausages, mince pies. All the sandwiches were made with Gluten Free bread and as most of them were eaten people couldn't have had too much problem with the bread. Appart from a few people I don't think most of them even knew it was Gluten Free bread. There were also a lot of compliments over the home made bits. - 19:03:39
Carol Chapman says
Year after year I am asked out to eat out in Restaurants at Christmas. Even though it is stated that the food is gluten free there always seems to be cross contamination. Education in the catering trade seems to be the answer but I feel that it will take years for this to happen. Most of the time I do not eat out and have got quite used to that and my husband says that the one benefit is that we save a fortune!! It is isn't the end of the world to stick to a gluten free diet, and it keeps the weight off. Happy Christmas - 19:26:40
Shirley says
I find Christmas very hard as gluten free foods are so expensive, some of the Supermarkets do not stock much freezer products at all i live in Leicester and the Tesco's near me has a very poor frozen gluten free range. Most people do not realize how strict this diet is, they say a little wont hurt, they have no idea. - 19:42:08
Ann Curry says
Christmas is a mine field, i'm now 80 and it's taken all my life to be able to say, I'll help as much as I can but, in my case, this is the only way I can eat - it takes a lot of preparation! - 20:36:12
Andrew Bunce says
Thank you for the new range of sausage rolls and yorkshire puddings, this will make the holiday cooking a whole lot easier on my wife. - 23:21:39
Suzanne says
Helpful Xmas newssie! I used to try & eat out but the complete lack of real understanding about wheat/gluten ended with me sick and feeble. Salads with croutons hidden inside, suppose chef forgot to remove them all, are typical of so called gluten free meals out. Likewise malt vinegar, mustard, Mayo etc etc. Really so expensive and like running the gauntlet! - 08:57:17
SHARON GREENWOOD says
I cook in my family as I always have even before my diagnosis but with 3 members of my family with coeliac / wheat intolerance its easier as everyone gets the same. My problem is when eating out is the chefs thicken sauces with wheat flour or coat the meat to make it brown and dont think that counts! I never eat desserts in restaurants it's too risky . - 09:40:06
Shine says
Personally I find it upsetting that people who don't understand about food intolerances that it is dismissed as a fad. I have Coeliac disease and had it three years now and it isn't easy but obviously better than it has been for those who have had it much longer as everything is getting easier. It is still hard to smell those delicious aromas in places you know you can't go so one has to change the way the mind thinks. I wish everyone a Happy, Peaceful Gluten free etc Christmas and think of the weight we won't put on. Ha! x - 10:34:00
Mrs Hazel Davis says
I would like to know how and where I can get cocktail sausages from at Christmas time because I would like to make pigs in blankets as they are commonly known, because I can't find them anywhere this year. - 12:30:44
Elizabeth Andrews says
Not specifically about Christmas food. I have just come back from a few days in Barnstaple staying, for the second time at the Park Hotel. I understand they hold Gluten free luncheons for Coelliacs and seem to have an understanding of our problems. I had mentioned that I needed a gluten free diet when I booked and when I arrived was told that they had bought in Gluten free bread for me (I believe there is a local bakery that makes it.)Throughout my stay I was very aware of there care of my diet.
- 14:27:57
winifred says
Thank you for such a interesting newsletter, I feel like so many of your survey responders.fortunately I have a very very concerned daughter- in- law who checks everything she is preparing with my needs, for other things , bread cereals,christmas cake, mince pies, sauces,stock cubes I take my own, my grandchildren are also very aware and will say grandma can you have this ! Thank you for all the information you pass on. - 19:40:27
Norma Wilcox says
I have a tendency to get depressed at times, especially at Christmas. I belong to three bridge clubs and always go to the Christmas Parties, taking my own food of course, but it doesn't stop me from looking longingly at the marvellous food put on by the clubs. Friends invite me for a New Year Party but they are truly wonderful friends and make food I am able to eat without any worries, including some marvellous desserts. So once a year I don't feel left out. I hope others like me also have good friends. Happy Christmas and New Year. - 15:41:48
Keith T Oxley says
When eating at restuarants/pub carveries,alway's enquire with Cheff, or,carverystaff,which foods on offer are cooked,GLUTEN FREE, as I have found,that
Roast potatoes can sometimes be coated with "seasoning" prior to cooking,
so become GLUTEN CONTAMINATED, If you don't ask,you may suffer later.
- 17:17:02
Pam Jones says
Re Christmas, I dont think I have missed out on anything. I made my own puddings, stuffing, trifle etc. but most things like mince pies are available in sainsburys or tesco. Pigs in blankets have been available for at least 2 years at M and S, they also sell lots of gf sausages and burgers all year round. - 21:02:53
- May 2012 (3)
- April 2012 (1)
- March 2012 (2)
- February 2012 (2)
- January 2012 (2)
- December 2011 (1)
- November 2011 (2)
- October 2011 (4)
- September 2011 (1)
- August 2011 (6)
- July 2011 (6)
- June 2011 (3)
- May 2011 (4)
- April 2011 (2)
- March 2011 (2)
- February 2011 (1)
- January 2011 (1)
- December 2010 (1)
- November 2010 (2)
- October 2010 (2)
- September 2010 (1)
- August 2010 (2)
- July 2010 (2)
- June 2010 (1)
- March 2010 (1)
- February 2010 (1)
- January 2010 (1)
- December 2009 (2)
- November 2009 (1)
- October 2009 (1)
- July 2009 (3)
- June 2009 (1)
- May 2009 (1)
- April 2009 (1)
- March 2009 (1)
- February 2009 (1)
- January 2009 (1)
- December 2008 (1)
- November 2008 (1)
- October 2008 (1)
- September 2008 (1)
Sign up and choose a free product from our extensive range...
We recommend these perfect profiteroles, made with our DS Yorkshire Puddings!
If you are struggling to find your favourite DS-gluten free foods in the supermarket, buy direct from us.
Bread, rolls, crispbread, ready made pizzas, pasties, sausage rolls, ready meals - you can't beat DS for choice!
A simple guide to naturally gluten free foods, foods to check and foods which contain gluten.