Chelsea Clinton’s wedding cake was gluten free. All bread served at the reception was gluten free. Most of the food served was vegan, although there were options for meat-eaters. Chelsea is described as having a “gluten allergy“. I was not able to find out her exact status. The most detailed description of the cake can be found here.

I was so surprised when I read this I decided not to republish the information unless I could confirm it from different sources. Actually, I found dozens of references such as those found in the first paragraph.

It’s great to know that it is possible to prepare a five hundred pound gluten free wedding cake that would be acceptable at a million dollar wedding  I’m glad that the gluten free diet is no longer a “big deal”. The Clinton’s seemed comfortable about having it mentioned in print.

Published 8/9/10

I loved the gluten free pizza that I recently enjoyed Godfather’s Pizza in Portland, Oregon. My wheat-eating wife — who normally eats gluten free pizza primarily to keep me company and give me ideas for these reviews — was equally enthusiastic.

The “safe” pizza is only available in the small size. This is great if only one person is eating gluten free but could be a problem because this is a crust that everyone can enjoy. It does not “taste gluten free”.

Godfather’s publishes an attractive brochure picturing and describing its six different gluten free pizzas but cautions that all varieties are not available at every location. I had three options the night we were there.

I’m glad that Godfather’s uses the term “gluten free pizza” rather than “gluten free crust.” Godfather’s seems to be stressing the idea that the toppings are gluten free and that the pizza was cooked in a “safe” manner.

Follow this link to read more about Godfather’s Pizza. For more sources of please have a look at my power page “Gluten Free Pizza Restaurants” which covers pizzerias all over the nation.

Published 8/8/10 Updated 8/13/10

Parents of gluten free children will need to pack at least 175 lunches per child this school year. Other parents face the same dilemma, of course, but our challenge is greater because we can’t allow our children to “trade lunches” with wheat-eating children or to “cheat” because they have refused to eat the lunch we pack and end up being so hungry they will eat whatever is available. It’s a huge problem!

Here is some basic information that may help:

This article sets the goal for all parents. I have added some comments in parentheses to make it relevant to the parents of children living gluten free:

“Our goal is “to make sure that the lunches you pack are envied (or at least not scorned) by other (wheat eating) children, but eaten (not traded or thrown away) by your child”

The article makes many suggestions about how to do this, and modifying the ideas to meet our needs will be relatively easy. “Thirty Ideas for School Lunches“, an article prepared by Good Housekeeping, is not specifically gluten free, but the ideas are useful.

Encourage your children to e-mail me with their ideas about their favorite gluten free lunch. My address is gfceliac@gmail.com.

In this video, a mother outlines her unique plan for dealing with a gluten fee child during a school celebration in which gluten toxic food is being served.

→As the school year begins, parents of gluten free children have many concerns. Hopefully, these ideas will make things go more smoothly.

→ The Childrens’ Hospital of Boston publishes a list of guidelines for working with a school to provide the best possible experience.

→ School supplies are an issue if children put them in their mouths. Gluten does not pass through the skin. Most Crayola products are “safe” according to their website. Discount School Supplies offer a wide selection of gluten free materials. There is a recipe for gluten free play dough in the article I mentioned in the last paragraph.

→ The video at the of the article explains one mother’s strategy during school occasions when gluten gluten toxic goodies are being served.

→ The gluten free mom is a blogger who writes from personal experience on about gluten free issues at school.

→ A gluten free child should have an excellent lunch. I’m planning an article on school lunches. I promise to publish it next week. Where has the summer gone?

PCC Natural Food Markets, with nine locations in the greater Seattle area, is the first organization to be certified by the Gluten Intolerance Group as a “gluten free retailer”. This week I added this organization to my “Gluten Free Supermarkets” page.

I also added Thriftway Supermarkets and Shop-n-Bag markets, two related food chains that identify their gluten offerings with special shelf tags.