UPDATED 7/907 Yesterday, September 11,[this article was first posted on 9/12/06] was a good day to consider disaster preparedness. Finding gluten free food is not a high priority in a case like that, but — if something unthinkable happens — I’d like to face the situation without my gut tied up in knots by a celiac reaction. I’ll start by linking you to an article written to help celiacs prepare for possible problems related to Y2K. That disaster never materialized, but the basic information is still valid (except for the links at the end which no longer lead anywhere). I suggest The Amazon Grocery, one of the newest offerings from this internet giant. This site rquires that you in case lots (usually 6-12 items). This is normally a problem, but in this case it is exactly what you are looking for. Prices are excellent, especially since there is no shipping charge on orders over $25. Click on the banner to visit.

I have taken the liberty of reproducing portions of the article here. Hopefully, the article I have linked you to will remain indefinitely. The information will always be vital and the need to be prepared for anything will continue. I have no idea how to get in touch with the copyright holder. I hope that she will get in touch with me so that we can make some satisfactory arrangement.

Emergency Preparedness for Celiacs

The range of opinions on what will happen after the year turns to 2000 runs the gamut from "nothing" to "armagedon" with the most likely answer being somewhere in between. The fact is that, from opinionated curmudgeon to bona fide expert, no one really knows; but it pays to be prepared. Though my own opinion is that the inertia of human life will make everything move forward in a fairly normal style, with some eddies and tornadoes of SNAFU’d energies in one thing and another, I am nonetheless preparing for the worst because, well, because I should have done so a long time ago, even if Y2K were not an issue. All celiacs have a special situation when disaster strikes — we can’t eat most of the food Red Cross will be handing out — and so it’s important that we prepare in advance a kit that will get us through the worst of times (and hope we never have to use it).

Recently, on the St. John’s list, Joany Janicki wrote a very detailed article on Y2K Preparedness especially for celiacs, and she has kindly given me permission to reprint it here.

Y2K Preparedness
by Joany Janicki

The recent hurricanes that have swept through our area and the ice storms this past winter that left many of us without power for several days have created unique challenges for those of us with celiac disease. Even without the impending disruptions that Y2K might bring forth, celiacs should be prepared for such natural disasters.

No one can really predict the extent of problems, if any, that might arise with the Y2K transition. In an emergency, however, preparation means everything. Most emergency planners suggest having enough supplies to last you and your family for three days to a week for weather-related events.

However, because of our dependence on special foods and foods that are imported from other countries, celiacs might want to plan for longer periods of time. Do you know where your tapioca or rice flour comes from? Experts are predicting that many third world countries might be significantly less prepared for Y2K than the United States and this might create longer term complications with international distributors.

It might be advantageous to stock up on your gluten free staples, or have a store of baked goods to last several months after Y2K problems are corrected. In addition, if Y2K creates disruption in the transportation of food products within our own country, our familiar, and confirmed, gluten free brands of non perishable items might not be available on our grocery store shelves.

If there is such a need to go to a Red Cross shelter, celiacs must bring their own food. The Red Cross suggests having a two week supply of specialized food on hand and not to depend on emergency relief food to see to our needs.

The following are just a few suggestions to help in making up a celiac disaster kit (food in the kit should be rotated every three to six months to ensure freshness). Note that this list pertains to our specialized needs only. Refer to the contact list for further information regarding the basics for disaster planning and more information on Y2K:

• Medication – Make sure that you have an adequate supply of required medications. Place in proper air tight containers. Store an adequate supply of gluten free pain reliever.
• Vitamins – Store enough to last you several weeks.
• Water — Water should be stored in plastic containers. Avoid containers that break if you need to transport them to different locations. Store one gallon of water per person per day: Two quarts for drinking, two quarts for food preparation/ sanitation. Purifying agents might also be necessary if you are dubious of your local water supply.
• Food
  * Dried foods- powdered milk, coffee, tea, cocoa, eggs, cornmeal, rice, gluten free flours, instant potatoes, gluten free cereal.
  * Canned or jar fruits and vegetables – Small cans are best. Canned vegetables do not require heating. Applesauce, high protein beans such as chickpeas or kidney, Nutella, (make sure you have a hand operated can opener)
  * Juices -available in single serving boxes or cans, Gatorade, V-8 Juice – many of their drinks are not gluten free – check with the company, Minutemaid with Calcium is gluten free and comes in individual boxes.
  * Milk- Powdered or canned.
  * Canned meat/ fish – Salmon, tuna fish, chicken, canned chili – Hormel, canned chunk ham, canned stew – Dinty Moore. Canned or instant gluten free broths: Powdered type can be mixed with only water for a nutritional soup. The commercially available gluten free broths are Health Valley (both the chicken and beef), Herb Ox bouillon cubes, Dominiques, Campbell’s Healthy Request Chicken, Shelton’s Chicken Broth, Kitchen Basics (both the chicken and beef), Trader Joe’s has its own brands of broths.
  *Staples – sugar, salt, pepper, rice, gluten free pasta, bread – EnerG makes a bread that keeps very well on the shelf. Gluten free pancake mix that can be used for pancakes made on a camp stove.
  * High energy foods – Jelly, peanut butter on gluten free crackers, nuts, raisins, protein bars.
  * Stress and comfort foods – Cookies, hard candy such as Lifesavers, tortilla chips and other such snacks.
  * Rice cakes – these will no doubt last forever.
  * Dehydrated foods – AlpinAire Foods manufactures packaged freeze dried foods for backpackers and several of their items are gluten free. Call 1-800-322-6325 for their gluten free list. www.alpinairefoods.com
  * If you have your own dehydrator, take advantage of it and package up some foods for your kit, gluten free jerky, dehydrated soup mixes.
  * The Tamarind Tree Company makes several Indian style gluten free entrees that are shelf stored and can be heated in boiling water.
  * Baby food – Much of it is gluten free, stores well and comes in individual containers. This might be your only option if you find yourself in a shelter with no food.
• Utensils, plates and pots and pans – if you have to go to a shelter or someone else’s house and are concerned about cross contamination.

Article "Y2K Preparedness" Copyright ©1999 Joany Janicki All Rights Reserved Worldwide. Rest of the page and layout Copyright ©1999 Linda Blanchard All Rights Reserved Worldwide. Date Added: October 23, 1999. Last Update: October 23, 1999.

A gluten free Halloween is not an easy thing to manage. Here are some more ideas on the subject. If you have not already done so, you may wish to scroll back to my post dated September 3. The experts all seem to agree that gluten free trick-or-treating is difficult or impossible, and that the best strategy is to provide a wonderful Halloween party that the youngsters will accept as an alternative. Here are two sets of Halloween Party plans, one “Calling All Ghosts and Goblins” and one that screams “Eek! It’s a Haunted Open House”. Click on the title that will entrance your trick-or-treaters. “The Gluten Free Bible” suggests several Halloween activities and describes them in such an enthusiastic and exciting way that even I would like to take part. “The Gluten Free Bible” is the one essential book for those living the gluten free life style. It lives up to its name by providing all the resources you really need and the encouragement that we all need.

9/7/07 AN EXPANDED AND UPDATED VERSION OF THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN PUBLISHED. CLICK HERE IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO MOVE TO THAT ARTICLE.

Halloween is a spooky experience for gluten free trick-or-treaters and their families. It’s ridiculous to imagine that every item in a trick-or-treat bag will have an ingredients lists or even to assume that miniature candy bars are formulated like their grown-up cousins. That’s the word from the Allergy Food and Anaphylaxis Network. (Click on the title for a list of their on-line publications.) The best strategy is to create a distraction and here are a few suggestions for doing so: I normally do not suggest recipe sites that are not totally gluten free, but perhaps you can convince your child to forgo trick-or-treating in favor of homemade snacks such as Decayed Corpse Chips with Entrail Sauce, Creepy Crispy Crunchies, Brittle Merangue Bones, or even Eerie Eyeballs. These treats are all gluten free as described on the site, and most of the others can be modified easily. I’ve got a hunch that most youngsters would love to explore this site and create their own gluten free Halloween party. Click here to begin the adventure. If you prefer more conventional party fare, click on the titles for recipes for pumpkin cookies, flourless peanut butter cookies, or flourless chocolate cake. I have more idea on this subject. You may wish to click ahead to my post dated September 9. In either case, Happy Halloween and don’t let the hassles of living gluten free spook you too badly.

Several articles on Halloween are featured on this site. Click here for a summary and up-date on all the information I have about this holiday.

UPDATED 6/30/07 This simple but totally delicious gluten free strawberry and ginger cheesecake is reprinted compliments of Allan Gardyne, Australia’s great gluten free recipe collector:

1 packet gluten free RICE COOKIES or gluten free CORNFLAKES 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon ground ginger 3 oz. butter Blend all ingredients in a food processor. Press into a dish and place in the fridge while you make the strawberry topping.

1/2 pint cream 100g sweetened condensed milk 1/2 cup lemon juice 1 lb. strawberries Mix all the ingredients together until combined, add the topping to the base and refrigerate. I’ve capitalized the only ingredients that concern celiacs. I’ll have to leave it to your imagination how many cookies or cornflakes constitute a packet. I’m writing this post on a hot summer day and am really looking forward to a no-bake summer treat. I deeply appreciate Allan Gardyne’s permission to reublish his recipes. Please click here to visit his site for more wonderful ideas and great recipes.

UPDATED 6/27/07 My favorite gluten free brownie recipe comes from Australia. Small world, isn’t it? Here is the recipe in full with thanks to Allan Gardyne for permission to republish it.

Turn on the oven to 36o degrees. Put butter, sugar and chocolate in a large microwavable bowl. Micowave on medium high for one minute. Stir well. Repeat. Repeat for maybe a total of four minutes. stirring well so the ingredients are properly combined. Sift gluten free flour, cocoa, and baking powder into the mixture and stir well. Add the beaten eggs. Stir. Add nuts. Line a greased 11X7 cake tin with non-stick baking paper. Pour in the mixture. Bake in preheated oven for about 35 minutes. Test with a skewer in the center to check that its cooked. Gently remove baking paper and place on rrack to cool. Slice. Serve as a dessert with ice cream. capitalized all the ingredients that are of concern to persons living gluten free. I must confess that I know of no As I mentioned, this recipe comes to you compliments of Allan Gardyne. I’ll close this post in the same way that he does: Please e-mail this recipe to a friend and add the following: "I found this wonderful recipe at: Best Gluten-Free Recipes http"//members.ozemail.com.au/~coeliac. Thanks."
Thank you, Allan, for permission to reproduce this recipe. The address above is a "clickable link" so be sure to visit this great site. You’ll come away with great ideas and wonderful recipes.