Preparing a safe gluten free meal for those with celiac disease is easy, as long as you know what ingredients you can use and are careful to avoid cross-contamination.

The first thing to understand is that people with celiac disease are not just being picky when they ask for a gluten free meal. Celiac disease is a condition in which gluten damages the absorptive surface of the intestine. People with this condition must eat gluten free meals. If there is any gluten in the meal, they may suffer painful symptoms.

The following tips will help you prepare a safe gluten free meal. You should also adopt the mantra of the Canadian Celiac Association Edmonton Chapter—check every label, every time. Gluten comes in many forms and in many foods, so it is very important to check labels.

Gluten free recipes can be found in abundance on the Internet and in bookstores. You can find links to some in the resources section of this website.

Follow our tips, be scrupulous about cleanliness, check your labels—and have a great meal!

Avoid contamination with products containing gluten:

• Always use clean surfaces, utensils, pans, and pots.
• Keep gluten-containing food away from the meal you are preparing, including oil used to cook these foods.
• Use separate gluten free tools and kitchen items if possible. Colour coding makes it simple!

Make safe choices:

• Fresh meat, fish, fruit, and vegetables
• Eggs and cheese
• Rice, corn, soy, and potato products
• Flours made from rice, corn, soy, and potato

Avoid foods containing gluten from wheat, rye, barley, oats, and triticale:

• Flours milled from wheat, rye, barley, commercial oats, and triticale
• Bread, rolls, and croutons
• Cakes, pies, cookies, and muffins
• Noodles of any type
• Crackers or cracker crumbs
• Soups, sauces, and gravies that may have been thickened with these flours
• Bread crumbs and batters used for coating

Watch out for hidden sources of gluten:

• Hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP)
• Hydrolyzed plant protein (HPP)
• Malt flavouring
• Malt
• Modified wheat starch or other unidentified food starch
• Farro and other grains
• Oats that are not certified Gluten Free

Beware of the above ingredients in such foods as:

• Bouillon cubes
• Sliced or processed meats
• Worcestershire sauce
• Baking powder
• Salad dressings
• Soup or gravy bases
• Spices and seasonings
• Icing sugar
• Soy sauce