Thanksgiving Tips for Gluten-Intolerant Students
Gluten-Free Stuffing and Other Holiday Food Alternatives
Nov 7, 2009
Stuffing, dinner rolls, casserole . . . many traditional Thanksgiving foods contain gluten. Gluten, which is found in wheat, barley, and rye, is a source of pain and discomfort for many college students who are gluten intolerant. Therefore, many students are apprehensive when attending Thanksgiving parties and college Thanksgiving events where food will be featured.
While many popular Thanksgiving foods contain gluten, there are several ways students can make gluten-free alternatives of these foods, such as by using gluten-free bread and flour. Most importantly, many of these alternatives are easy-to-make foods. Thus, gluten-intolerant students can have their pumpkin pie, and eat it, too!
Make Gluten-Free Stuffing With Gluten-Free Bread
Most traditional stuffing recipes call for cubes of wheat bread or corn bread, which a person makes from scratch or purchases in a pre-cubed, seasoned form. For gluten-intolerant students, this ingredient can be easily substituted with gluten-free bread. It’s important to note, however, that many gluten-free types of bread have distinct flavors, so the student should try the bread before adding it to the stuffing mixture.
Make Dinner Rolls With Potato Starch and Corn Starch
Dinner rolls with butter are often a staple on many Thanksgiving tables. Most of these rolls are made from wheat and rye; however, there are ways to make gluten-free dinner rolls. Students can use potato starch and cornstarch to make dinner rolls. If students do not have the time to make dinner rolls from scratch, then they can purchase gluten-free rolls from gluten-free bakeries and health food stores.
Use Rice Flour to Make Gluten-Free Gravy and Green Bean Casserole
Many students enjoy pouring gravy over their mashed potatoes and turkey. Unfortunately, wheat is a common ingredient in many pre-made sauces and gravies. Therefore, students can make their own Thanksgiving gravy by substituting rice flour for wheat flour. Additionally, students can make their own gluten-free mushroom soups if they want to eat green bean casserole. Students can substitute the wheat flour for rice flour.
Omit the Crust When Baking a Pumpkin Pie
The most popular Thanksgiving dessert is pumpkin pie. Gluten-intolerant students can simply eat the pumpkin pie filling and skip the piecrust. However, for students who are very sensitive to gluten, or those students who have the time to bake a gluten-free pie, they can make a pumpkin pie without the crust. Several recipes instruct bakers on pouring the pie mixture into the pie tin.
While many traditional Thanksgiving foods, such as pumpkin pie, contain gluten, it is very easy for gluten-intolerant students to make gluten-free alternatives of these foods. Students can use rice flour to make gravies and sauces as well as mushroom soup for green bean casserole. They can also use potato starch and cornstarch to make dinner rolls, and they can use gluten-free bread to make stuffing.
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