Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Question about Common Meals - Cooking for Celiacs

[Douglas G. Larson (ddhle]

> What do any of you do when community members have special food needs?   
> While there are many iterations of such a situation, my own would be that
I cannot ingest gluten (anything containing 
> wheat, barley, malt or rye) -- due to celiac disease.  This doesn't just
mean I'm fine if I just avoid the bread or  
>  pasta at common meals ... it actually means I am not able to eat any food
prepared in a kitchen contaminated with  
> gluten.  And > means also that I could not share cooking or clean up
duties because of the potential contamination, as > 
> wheat flour pretty much gets everywhere.  (I could clean up if I wore
gloves and a mask, I suppose.)  Surely this 
> problem has come up in some communities, as it seems that lots of people
(including, perhaps especially, kids) have 
> peanut and other food allergies as well.


While no one at our community has Celiac, several are gluten intolerant,
including myself. 

Our food program tradition at Songaia has been to honor all dietary
restrictions, including the gluten intolerant ones. If someone makes pasta
for dinner, they have a gluten-free version (usually rice pasta) as well.
When I cook, I don't contaminate any gluten-free dishes with utensils used
in gluten containing dishes. I don't know if the practices we follow here
would be sufficient for your dietary needs. As another responder noted, your
Celiac appears to be quite sensitive. But it doesn't sound difficult to me. 

I personally believe that honoring all dietary restrictions of community
members, regardless of how difficult that is, is one of the best, if not the
best, community building actions any community can take.  


Douglas G. Larson,
Songaia Cohousing

You learn to speak by speaking, to study by studying, to run by running, to
work by working; and just so, you learn to love by loving. All those who
think to learn in any other way deceive themselves. - Saint Francis de Sales




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> What do any of you do when community members have special food needs?   
> While there are many iterations of such a situation, my own would be that
I cannot ingest gluten (anything containing 
> wheat, barley, malt or rye) -- due to celiac disease.  This doesn't just
mean I'm fine if I just avoid the bread or  
>  pasta at common meals ... it actually means I am not able to eat any food
prepared in a kitchen contaminated with  
> gluten.  And > means also that I could not share cooking or clean up
duties because of the potential contamination, as > 
> wheat flour pretty much gets everywhere.  (I could clean up if I wore
gloves and a mask, I suppose.)  Surely this 
> problem has come up in some communities, as it seems that lots of people
(including, perhaps especially, kids) have 
> peanut and other food allergies as well.