Cooking And Baking For Allergies To Gluten Based Foods
Posted on July 28th, 2010
Gluten allergies mean that you won’t be able to work with the key ingredient to many foods: grains. You can still certainly work with specific grains and find alternatives, but you must know the tricks in safely cooking for someone that has an allergy to gluten.
A baker or cook can’t do their job if they don’t know which ingredients they may or may not use. This is the case with gluten allergies, since certain grains are off limits. These grains would be those such as wheat, barley, and rye. Also avoid products that are derived from such grains. Your physician can give you a complete list of things to steer clear from, and which grains are fine.
Foods that have been processed, such as the average frozen dinner, will need to be scrutinized. Processed food that doesn’t seem like it would contain grain might actually have that ingredient. Other processed foods might be prepared in the same factory that grain-based foods are prepared, and contamination may be present.
The area in which the cook or baker is preparing the food should be cleaned thoroughly before being used. It’s possible that grains are still present, even if in miniscule form. Be proactive about the situation and clean all utensils if they have come into contact with foods not in the dish being prepared. You can never be safe enough when you are dealing with an allergy that could cause a critical condition if not handled correctly.
Gluten-free mixes are sold prepackaged. This is a time saver that the family that lacks the time to cook full-length meals each night should invest in. The mixes guarantee that you won’t have to worry about hidden traces of gluten that could come with buying ingredients yourself. The packages are also easy to prepare, since all that is needed is to mix and bake. Gluten-free mixes are sold on the Internet and through niche grocery stores.
Cookbooks will be of great help as well. Cookbooks today are more than just recipes, since they provide helpful facts and hints too. Find a cookbook in your local bookstore or find one on the Internet that is specifically tailored to someone with gluten allergies. It’s the fastest way to get new ideas for recipes, but also supplement the list with informational websites. In time you will build a full-featured cooking list.
In Conclusion
Allergies to food can be serious if not handled properly. Follow every instruction that physicians give, keep the cooking area clean, and have fun cooking new dishes. Read more on allergies on the Internet to get briefed on more gluten facts.
Learn more about allergy free salad dressings and allergy free trail mix.
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