The holiday season is soon upon us, and that means one thing—Christmas dinners.
Unless you have the opportunity to host a gluten-free Christmas dinner, chances are that the family meal will be packed with gluten. However, this shouldn’t be a reason to dampen the holiday spirit. . With some precaution, you will be able to have a gluten-free Christmas with no hassle or stress.
Here are the most important tips you need to get a safe and gluten-free Christmas dinner.
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4 Tips for a Gluten-Free Christmas
- Try To Determine What Flavor You Are Craving . At Christmas dinners there is no shortage of tempting dishes. However, you can endure without caving gluten. Rather than giving into your temptation, figure out what aspect of that dish you crave. Take stuffing: do you crave the salt or other flavors from the seasonings? Chances are you can find a gluten-free alternative to hit the spot. Try sprinkling the same seasonings on your main dish, or requesting a jus that you can have instead of gluten-rich gravy.
- If There Is A Dish Your Must Absolutely Have, Bring It Yourself If there is a dish that completely defines Christmas for you, whether it’s pumpkin pie or the hot stuffing, that doesn’t mean you have to go without. Contact the host of the dinner, and let them know that you are happy to bring that dish over. This way you can have that quintessential Christmas dish without any of the fear or anxiety of being gluted during the holidays. Love a bit of cheese but worry about only having mac and cheese available? Bring a delicious Brussels Sprout or Cauliflower Au Gratin to hit the spot.
- Protein Is King. . If your diet allows for meat, chances are that if the dinner’s main protein is guaranteed gluten-free, you will survive the dinner just fine. It can be difficult asking your loved ones to change all of their traditional Christmas menu to gluten-free, but if you could get them to change one dish in the entire menu, it should be the main protein source (e.g. turkey, or chicken).
- Host the dinner yourself!. Sometimes, this is the best option available. You can make sure you’re your main dishes are gluten-free so you don’t have to worry, and you can take some of the pressure off others who may want to relax a little bit this holiday season. Of course, you can welcome any side dishes they want to make (who knows, they may have their own food allergies to consider), but this way you absolutely know that your dinner is going to suit your needs.
We know that it is easy to feel disheartened about your food options about the holidays. However, never forget that you are the best advocate for your own health, and you should never feel guilty about taking your health into your own hands. Here’s to a delicious and gluten-free Christmas season!
What is your best tip for having a safe, gluten-free Christmas?
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