BY GUEST BLOGGER, KYRA BUSSANICH of Crave Bake Shop
With December in full swing, holiday parties abound as the perfect event to put a little cheer into dreary weather. Those of us with gluten allergies are well-versed in avoiding party foods that obviously contain gluten—like gingerbread cookies, pie, crackers and bruschetta. But what about the foods that you might think are safe and free of gluten?
It may come as a surprise, but gluten can masquerade under different names (hydrolyzed vegetable protein, monosodium glutamate, barley malt extract, modified food starch, and many more). And even more shocking are the products that might contain one of these forms of gluten, so I've compiled this list of foods to beware at your next holiday party. Your best odds are to bring your own dish to share, (or eat beforehand, so you're not tempted at the party).
The Top 10 List!
1. Swedish Meatballs: Most premade meatballs are mixed with breadcrumbs or flour as an inexpensive way to stretch the meat. And that's not even considering the gravy the meatballs are doused with. If you aren't completely certain about the ingredients, your best bet is to just stay away.
2. The Meat and Cheese Platter: Many deli meats contain natural and artificial flavors (including those which include gluten). I have unwittingly consumed gluten-laden turkey, not realizing that the "natural juices" that it was marinated in contained MSG.
3. Candied Nuts: Most times these should be gluten-free, but I have seen packages of candied nuts that contained maltose (which may be derived from barley, which is not gluten-free). Of course, if you make a giant batch yourself, you can control what ingredients you use, and as a bonus, a tin or bag tied with a ribbon full of candied nuts makes a lovely hostess gift.
4. Bloody Marys: Some brands of Bloody Mary Mix (ahem... Mr. & Mrs. T) are not gluten-free. Whether the gluten is from the caramel color, the disodium guanylate, the autolyzed yeast extract, or something else I can't pronounce, let alone spell, I do not know. But if you're craving a Bloody Mary, make it with pure tomato juice or V8, which is gluten-free.
5. Bacon-Wrapped Little Smokies: Whenever my friends Rob and Amy host a party, there is a crockpot full of bacon-wrapped little smokies. And no matter how good it smells, with its brown sugary, bacony goodness, I stay away. Why? In this case, the source of gluten is likely not the bacon, but the ingredients in the little smokies sausages, or the sauce that it contains (soy sauce, worchestire sauce, and smoke flavoring all contain gluten of some kind, unless made gluten-free). And because the holidays are such a busy time of year, I don't have weeks to recover from ingesting gluten. So I smell but don't taste.
6. Cheese-Flavored Popcorn: Do you remember those Christmas tins of 3 different flavors of popcorn? When I was a kid, I adored these, alternating between the caramel and the cheese corn (Chicago style!). But as I went gluten-free and started reading labels carefully, I realized that not all cheese popcorn is created equal. And while there are brands out there that are gluten-free, there are also those the use MSG (or other gluten-containing ingredients) as an inexpensive way to flavor.
7. Fudge: Two years ago, I was tossing back fudge at a holiday party, not thinking twice about it. I had surveyed the buffet and pegged the homemade (though not by me) fudge as one of the safe items for me to eat. It was lightly spiced, like chai, and I was enjoying my 5th piece when the hostess came up to me and said, "Do you like it? Its gingerbread fudge! I crumbled up gingerbread cookies into fudge as I poured it into the pan!" Needless to say, the gingerbread cookies were not gluten-free, and because I had failed to ask questions (or avoid the buffet altogether), I had to cut short my time at the party.
8. Candy Canes: Most—but not all— candy canes are free of gluten (and dairy)! This is one of the safer items, but it's still best to check the package ingredients and brand before you accept that peppermint hot chocolate, or unthinkingly stick a candy cane in your mouth. I know Bob's, Spangler's and Hammond's all make candy canes that are free of gluten. But read ingredients anyway.
9. Eggnog: When made from scratch, eggnog should be gluten-free, containing only cream, milk, sugar, eggs, nutmeg and flavorings such as bourbon, rum or vanilla.I have, however, seen some of the carton-ed stuff containing wheat flour, presumably as a thickener. Like candy canes, eggnog should be safe, but read labels to be sure.
10. The Dip on the Veggie Platter: Usually a ranch dip accompanies pre-made veggie trays, and chances are fair that the dip contains gluten. By all means, eat the vegetables, but unless you know for sure the dip is okay, it is safer to avoid. And this isn't even considering a cutting board that has already been used to cut bread and other gluteny items and thus is subject to cross-contamination. It is always safest to bring something you made yourself, but then make sure you serve yourself first. I've been to plenty of parties where a congregation around the food table means hungry (and unthinking) guests use the pasta salad spoon to also dish up "safe" fruits (thereby contaminating the most innocuous seeming item at the party—the fruit platter).
Before you Party...
Holiday parties mean temptation in the form of food and drink aplenty. To stay safe, read labels, bring your own food, or, do as I do now: eat beforehand so you can make smart decisions and not graze mindlessly at the party. Have a small meal with protein and fat (like almond butter on an apple, or a coconut milk smoothie) before you head out the door. You'll be eating something you know is gluten-free and safe for you, the lack of starchy carbs means you won't feel bloated at the party, and the protein and fat will keep the pangs of hunger at bay so you're not tempted to indulge in something that looks safe, but might not be. This is also the best way to make sure I can still fit into all my party clothes after the new year!
Happy holidays!
A note on MSG from Elisabeth
We had a reader question about whether or not MSG (monosodium glutamate) is gluten-free. There is a lot of chatter on different sites about MSG, and MSG can come from a variety of sources like corn, sugar beets and wheat. Many sources say that MSG in the US is rarely made from wheat today (or that the protein is distilled/process out of the end-product, and the purity of any distillation is also of some debate), but I have no evidence of that either way right now. Also, I double-checked with Kyra, who, as a pastry chef works closely with her ingredients and their sources. She said that she included MSG as something to beware of, in part because her own reaction to it mimics her reaction to gluten, but mainly because there are food processors that use MSG as a flavoring. More importantly, even if the processor is a US company, they don't necessarily strictly use US ingredients: she's worked in places that have sourced their ingredients from Asia, where the MSG may or may not be derived from wheat.
Whether derived from wheat or not, MSG does, however, cause reactions in many people such as nausea, headaches, lightheadedness and heart palpitations or heart rate changes. Though the FDA say it is a "safe" additive, enough people have an adverse reaction to it that is similar to an allergic reaction. It is best to avoid MSG, esp. if you have allergies to its source product, or a reaction to the MSG itself. As Kyra told me, "its better to be safe than sick!"Thanks to our reader for this question!
ABOUT KYRA
Gluten-free Pastry Chef, Kyra Bussanich, of Crave Bake ShopKyra Bussanich is the owner of Crave Bake Shop, and the first gluten-free winner of the Food Network's Famed, "Cupcakes Wars". Kyra graduated with honors from the prestigious Le Cordon Bleu patisserie program, which gave her a solid foundation of knowledge about classical French baking techniques which she was able to apply toward baking gluten-free. Kyra was diagnosed with an auto-immune disorder when she was 20 years old. Part of staying healthy meant switching to a gluten-free diet, avoiding all wheat and overly processed foods. Whenever possible, she uses local ingredients, and serves customers with multiple allergies, as well.
More About & From Kyra
Kyra's Perfect Gluten-Free PicnicBehind the Scenes of Cupcake Wars with Kyra Bussanich
Kyra's Baking Class: Replacing Common Ingredients
Recipe: Truffle Fudge Brownies from Crave Bake Shop