The Gluten Free Super Bowl Survival Guide

Its Super Bowl weekend.  For people with gluten intolerance or Celiac Disease it can be a nightmare as party invitations start rolling in. The truth is I’m not a sports follower at all, and I just don’t get the hype really.  But I do get the fun in getting together with friends.

Around these parts we tend to have Super Bowl Commercial parties, where we eat good food and talk while the game is muted in the background, and then the room grows quiet while the commercials come on and the tv gets unmuted.  I think its a product of living in a bohemian town.

Whatever type of fan you are or aren’t, chances are if you’re an American, you are either going to be hosting a party, or going to one.  Which for those who try to eat consciously and also are gluten free, can be a huge challenge.

So I’m providing a little survival guide to make it through the day with the utmost attention to health and fun!  Because lets face it, what you’ll likely be faced with are chips, dips, mac and gooey  cheese, more chips, beer, processed meats, things covered in breading and fried, and more chips… did I mention chips already?  Well, you get the picture.

For someone that is gluten intolerant, this kind of part can be a nightmare.  So below are some tips to help you enjoy your day and eat too.

1.  Eat a full meal before going and make it a lovely one. As the picture above shows, it doesn’t have to be something elaborate, but making it beautiful and delicious will not only fill you up, but give you the feeling of indulgence.  I find this helps when I am left watching a crowd of people eat and I’m having to abstain because nothing offered is good for me.

2.  Offer to bring a dish. You know what you like, and you know what you put in it.  At the very least if there is nothing else at the party you can eat, your dish will be it.

3.  Host it. That’s right.  Its a lot of work, but if you are the one hosting the party, you have ultimate control over what is served, and you can gaurantee yourself that none of it will have gluten.

4.  Know where the hidden gluten can be. This is always a problem with dips and with salad dressings.  Most have MSG in them or flour to thicken them up.  No matter where you are going its always a good idea to bring your own dip and dressing in a small little container.  Believe me… this one gets me every time and its not worth it.

5.  No beer. I’m lucky in that I’ve never liked beer so giving it up was not an issue for me in the slightest.  I know this isn’t the case for others though, who have always loved a cold beer on a celebratory weekend get together.  There is gluten in beer and its just not good.  Stay away and find a new refreshing drink to share with friends.  *ahem*  I highly recommend a Martini!