Conquer Contamination now!

Its hard sharing a kitchen with someone who can eat wheat and gluten: watching them eat a lovely fresh baguette (torture!) , smelling the wheat filled food they are cooking up and last but not least pesky contamination!!

I have always had to share a kitchen with someone who is not as challenged as me in the allergy department…and let me say it hasn’t always been easy. As you can imagine, University was a nightmare! Here are my top tips to avoid contamination:

1. Make sure you always get the top shelf. Ensure this is the case everywhere: in the oven, cupboard or fridge. This ensures that gluten particles don’t fall into the food below.

2. This goes without saying but thoroughly cleaning pots, pans and kitchen sides. I keep an all purpose kitchen spray under the sink at all times for a regular kitchen side wipe. It’s not OCD I promise…just sensible.

3. Purchase another toaster and mark it gluten free! Or do as I do and just grill your gf bread…but keep a better eye on it than I do. So so much burnt toast.

4. A glass chopping board is so much easier to wipe clean – buy one now. No wooden ones – what if some gluten gets in those grooves!!

5. Separate butter, condiments and anything else which requires double dipping. Label yours and keep it away from the others.

6. Keep all your gluten/wheat free items in a separate cupboard – cut out all traces.

7. Use separate oils and pans… or just do what I do and cook first. For example I use the pan for gluten free pasta first then my boyfriend will use it straight after. Its also a good excuse for getting your plate first hehe.

8. Put stickers on gluten free items and gluten free containers. Make sure they are fun ones though….because that is also important.

9. Have a separate gluten free only lunch box just for you. These are hard to clean with all their tiny corners.

10. Educate whoever you live with. Let them know it is so important that they keep to the above rules. If you are a family, perhaps think about the printing these rules and popping them up on the wall. I am very lucky that I have lots of understanding people in my life however this is not always the case. Let them know the consequences of leaving that bread on the side or not wiping that tray!!

I really hope these tips help you to make your kitchen a little more contamination free!