Thanksgiving 08: GF newsletter

It takes a little planning ahead to guarantee a great Thanksgiving. In many ways, it’s easier if you’re hosting, because you know what you can and can’t have. Most people hate to impose on their hosts, but it’s easier on you AND your host to ask beforehand than sit through a four-hour meal and watch others eat. Remember, nothing is more important that staying safe! Here’s a list of 40 recipes and round ups for GF Thanksgiving recipes from around the web.

Also, here’s a run down of the usual foods, and what you need to plan for:

Turkey

Though it’s always good to check, the good news is that all plain fresh turkey is naturally gluten free. However, self-basting turkeys usually contain gluten. Most gravy packets are a problem, too. Here’s my turkey list with information on many brands of turkey, plus other common Thanksgiving main meals.

If you’re not hosting Thanksgiving at your house, talk to your host as soon as you can. If they haven’t already bought a turkey, they may be open to buying a different brand. In addition to the brand of turkey, you’ll need to talk about:

  • Broth used for basting
  • Seasonings
  • Stuffing in the turkey
  • Cross contamination
  • Stuffing

This is obviously more of a challenge. You can go the nontraditional route and do a wild rice, buckwheat or quinoa stuffing. You could use a GF cornbread or premade bread crumbs.

Gravy

Almost all canned gravy and gravy packets are not GF. However, it’s pretty easy to make a simple gravy with GF broth and cornstarch instead of wheat (and if corn is a problem for you, arrowroot can be substituted 1:1 instead). Or, try this recipe using xanthan gum as a thickener from the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness.

Side dishes

There are lots of good options here. Green bean casserole, baked yams, cranberry relish, gelatin salads, butternut squash soup, mashed potatoes, roasted veggies, applesauce…all of these things are easy to adapt to food restrictions.

Dessert!

For many people (myself included!) dessert is the highlight of the Thanksgiving route.  If you’d like to use your standard recipes, you can easily make a crustless pumpkin or sweet potato pie.  Or, you can easily make a crust from crushed up cookies, shredded coconut or almond meal. Apple crisps are also simple, too. And, of course, now with the new GF Betty Crocker mixes, a cake or brownies are pretty simple.

One last thought: we sometimes get so busy during the holiday season that it’s easy to forget that the point of Thanksgiving is to give thanks for friends, family, and the many gifts in our lives. Happy and healthy Thanksgiving, from my family to yours!

Harris Whole Health offers individual sessions, family sessions and classes to help people eat healthier and feel better! Whether you are dealing with Celiac Disease, food allergies, picky eaters, chronic illness, or if you just want to improve your diet, Cheryl can help you achieve your goals. For an appointment with Cheryl Harris, Registered Dietitian and Nutritionist, click here or call 571-271-8742.

Thanksgiving Roundup

Here’s a list of information from many major brands of turkey. This list was last updated on Nov  2016. Please note: NONE of the brands contain gluten in their plain, unstuffed turkeys. Some hams DO contain gluten, and so does holiday Tofurky.Please let me know if there are any broken links!

Thanksgiving tips, tricks and a ton of recipes HERE

General turkey tips:

  • Fresh, plain turkeys that are not stuffed are naturally gluten free
  • All regular stuffed turkeys contain gluten, even if you don’t eat the stuffing.
  • Check the gravy/seasoning packets very carefully. Some are g-free, but some are not.

Turkey/Ham/etc.:

Aaron’s Best
Shipped Kosher turkey, goose, duck, etc. WITH GF stuffings (buckwheat, quinoa or rice). Pricey, but wow!
Here’s their product list.

Butterball
800-288-8372
http://www.butterball.com/

D’artagnan
(800) 327-8246
“All of our raw products are Gluten free..” via email,

Empire Kosher Poultry
717-436-5921

Esskay and Mash Hams
1800-638-7350
“Esskay and Mash hams gluten free.” Via email, November 2011.

Honeybaked Ham

http://www.honeybaked.com/

Per website, Nov 2014 “Please note: You are now free to enjoy any of our signature meats (HoneyBaked Ham, Sliced & Glazed Turkey, Hickory Boneless Ham) without wheat gluten!”

Honeysuckle White

316 -683-4691
Honeysuckle White Turkeys are GF, but some of their other products have gluten.  A list of products that DO have gluten here. All other products are GF, according to the manufacturer. Updated Nov 2014

Hormel Foods
1-800-523-4635
Gluten-free list includes turkey products and ham, too. (updated Nov 2014)

Jennie-O
800-523-4635
Listing of all GF products

Manor House (Safeway brand)
877-723-3929

“The Safeway Brand Holiday Turkeys, fresh or frozen are Gluten Free.”

Perdue
800-473-7383
Are your products gluten free? “Yes. Many PERDUE® products are free of gluten. Perdue chickens, chicken parts and turkeys are all gluten-free. These are sold fresh, as well as frozen, and some are flavored with seasonings.”

Plainville Farms

http://www.plainvillefarms.com

800-724-0206
“Yes, our turkey is gluten free and casein free. However, our turkey gravy and our homestyle dressing contain wheat.” Nov 2013

Shadybrook Farms
1-888-723-4468
The majority of Shady Brook Farms® products do not contain Gluten. However, the following list of products do contain Gluten:
While some Tofurky products are now certified gluten-free, holiday tofurky products are wheat based. (updated Nov 3 2014)

Wellshire Farms
(856) 769-8933

Wellshire Farms’ website labels each product for the presence of gluten, casein, and a range of allergens. Some hams DO contain gluten.

Gravy:

Trader Joe’s, Mc Cormick and Whole Foods have gluten-free gravies.

* Disclaimer: This information is based on websites, email and telephone correspondence and is intended for informational purposes only and not as medical advice. Harris Whole Health is not responsible for any changes in ingredient lists, and always recommends double checking all labels.*

Harris Whole Health offers individual sessions, family sessions and classes in Fairfax and Alexandria, VA to help people eat healthier and feel better! Whether you are dealing with Celiac Disease, food allergies, picky eaters, chronic illness, or if you just want to improve your diet, Cheryl can help you achieve your goals. For an appointment with Cheryl Harris, Registered Dietitian and Nutritionist, click here or call 571-271-8742.

 

 

 

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