First gluten-free Christmas – help!

[ChristmasMad1]

Hi all,
This will be my first Christmas being gluten free and I’m feeling a bit daunted about how much I’ll need to think ahead. I don’t want to miss out on the festive food.

Does anyone have tips for any good gluten free food, including nibbles, biscuits, chocolates etc?

Also is there any sneaky “hidden gluten” I might not think of at Christmas?

I’ll be with family who don’t eat GF, so I’ll probably need my own bits and pieces.

Thanks in advance – I really want to enjoy it without feeling like I’m missing out!

Marks and Spencers do lovely GF food, including Xmas cake.
Biggest trap I can think of at Xmas is stuffing. You can get GF stuffing but if a bird's going to be stuffed it'll have to be GF for all OR you have meat that hasn't touched the stuffing and get yourself a tray of your own stuffing separately.
Also separate gravy.
You can get GF mince pies and Xmas puds easy.
Honestly you'll be fine!
Best of luck!

Christmas is super easy for GF. Loads of options in the supermarkets, and a few simple switches, and you'll be fine.

Things you'll need to think about are gravy and stuffing (easily made GF). If you do yorkshire puds use Becky Excell's recipe and nobody will even know (if anything they'll be better than ever).

All supermarkets will have Christmas items in their free from aisle. I’m dairy free so can’t comment on how good the gluten free items are but I have seen gluten free cakes, Bisto gravy etc.

Are you doing the catering, OP? Much easier if you are..

My best tip is not really about Christmas food but if theres anything from the dedicated gluten free section that you use regularly start stocking up now because they reduce the shelving to put in the Christmas stock.

Also check the regular Christmas products that you buy for naturally gluten free foods. For example tubs of quality street are all gluten free so I buy for the coffee table rather than risk one of dc accidentally picking up a gluten one in a box of celebrations.

Dc1 favourite Christmas thing is pigs in blankets so I buy them early to make sure they are gf (Tesco do some). Dc2 actually prefers making his own gf pigs in blankets so we do that too. They obviously have less gf stock so if you see something buy it (dont think I'll get it next week).

Yeah try not to worry. Main pitfalls are stuffing, gravy, pigs in blankets (in terms of checking the sausages are GF - a lot are), yorkshires, bread sauce and Xmas cake/pudding. Risks to the rest is just the usual cross contamination risks of food prep & how it’s all cooked. Are you doing the cooking? If not, have a chat with whoever is doing the prep incase not all of it is GF.

Schar do a nice GF panettone in Tesco. They go, so grab as soon as you see them, if you like that!

Watch out for sausages - lots contain gluten. Also, dry roasted nuts often contain wheat flour in the coating.
Nairn’s has recently expanded its range of crackers and cheese biscuits, so you can go all out with the cheese board!

You can get some great recipes in Becky Excell’s “Gluten Free Christmas” book. We have bought all her books as my daughter was diagnosed with coeliac disease a couple of years ago and they have been a lifesaver!

GF Christmas is pretty good - meat and veg is easy obviously.

GF crackers are nice (esp the oaty ones) for having with cheese. Check chutney is GF - most use spirit vinegar.

mini sausages (not cheap ones) usually ok to make pigs in blankets etc.

it’s the stuffing and gravy as PP have said - we just do those gf for everyone and to be honest our wider family haven’t noticed!

it’s the canapés that are the bugger - but GF puff pastry is pretty good to make little cheesy puff things, I made blinis a couple of years ago for smoked salmon and they were reasonably easy. A few of the shop bought ones (eg some satay skewers from memory) can be but it is slim pickings there.

shop bought GF mince pies and Christmas pudding are pretty good.

honestly, it’s the time of year where it is the easiest imo!

m&s has a lot of gf things that may not even be advertised as GF (eg roulade frozen puddings) and they are pretty delicious easy shop bought swaps if GF cooking is a faff.

my mum even makes me a GF Christmas cake and that’s pretty great!

Practice a few roasts with the GF swaps between now and Christmas and all will be well (can get GF Yorkshires in Sainsbury’s which are decent if you don’t want to make them yourself) xx

I do the whole meal gluten free, same gravy for everyone, made from meat juices knorr stock cubes, corn flour instead of wheat flour.
Meat veg roasties are all Gluten free anyway, unless you buy frozen.
Choice of desserts, one is my choice GF that I'll have. Usually a Roulade.
I don't get GF nibbles for me as I don't want any, so get normal stuff.
Asda makes GF fake Doritos now in GF section, only £1 a bag, so I'll get some of those incase I want to nibble.
A bag of mixed nuts and some nut crackers are gluten free too.
Chocolates I have in are Dairy Milk box.
I forgot about mince pies I get GF ones and everyone seems to like them. Last year I had Tesco and Aldi ones.

Gluten free stuffing!! I used Jamie Oliver’s recipe, using gluten free sausages (Black Farmer) cut out of their casings and a warburtons gluten free sourdough for the breadcrumbs and it was literally just as good as the normal one.

Gluten free Yorkshires I have to buy as I cannot get them right home made (although I am not a talented cook so it may just be a me problem!)

gluten free gravy, I make the same but I thicken it with a gluten free flour. Same with cauliflower cheese.

Give everything a trial run before the big day!

I'd second the gluten free Christmas book. Also stock up on basics before Halloween because some supermarkets will cut their free from section back to accommodate "seasonal ranges". Because obviously coeliacs don't eat cornflakes or fish fingers between October and January 😫

Yes I am! Luckily there's only 4 of us and I'm the only GF, so need a separate stash

I don't eat raisins / sultanas, does anyone know of a plain or chocolate panettone/ Pandoro?

Also really struggling for GF dessert, normally for Xmas dessert I buy a tiramisu, but can't find one. Any suggestions for GF dessert era which does not include raisins / sultanas?

Schar do the most amazing gf lebkuchen - they are pricey so I treat myself to 2 packs across December.

I'm not a fan of raisins and the traditional Xmas cake/pud/mince pies and we tend to always have roulade. Most are gf as standard and not heavy after an Xmas dinner!

M&S did a really nice Clementine and almond cake last year, in the normal Xmas section

Pavlova is a great dessert as you can make it look so festive with berries.

Echo the others in that Christmas is pretty easy GF. If you can’t be bothered to cook as there is only 4 of you, Cook do great gluten free Christmas dinners. When I had a newborn I bought it all from there and it was so simple. All GF, no nasty ingredients, such a breeze and I got to relax with some bubbly!

I’d just make it all GF, saves any cross contamination especially as the oven will be full!!

Gluten free mince pies, Christmas pudding etc are widely available but may sell out so buy earlier if you definitely want them. Buy gluten free gravy (or make own) and consider a rice based stuffing perhaps. If you make a traditional Christmas dinner from scratch most is gf thankfully. The free from frozen nibbles are usually in store in October so buy ahead, they often sell out

This will be my 3rd gf Xmas, it gets easier as you learn the best gf stuff you like. We do a lot of baking around Xmas so the Becky excell book mentioned has been used lots. A quick desert we have in is the Daim frozen one from Tesco.

I have never heard of Cook? Do they do a meal for one as I am only cooking the GF, my partner is doing normal.

If not does anyone know of anyone who does a GF Christmas dinner for one?

Lidl do roulades which are gluten free and delicious! I saw one in Tesco the other day aswell, both are just in the normal fridge sections, not the special aisles. Lidls fridged macaroons are also GF and lovely, but their frozen ones aren't, so don't be caught out there.

You really don't need to be entirely separate. Christmas dinner can be inherently gluten free if you just don't stuff the turkey and instead cook stuffing separately. And avoid bread sauce!

Most of the posh pre-made gravies you can buy at Christmas are gluten free.

My husband and brother are both fully GF and it honestly works fine.

My son in law is gf and I do everything gf if he is in our company. Just needs a bit of thought. He really appreciates being able to eat everything on the table.

You don't need separate stash Just make everything gf and buy only gf snacks etc.
Anyone bringing non gf keeps that separate.

Mostly no one will notice if you eg lay out gf crackers and gf mince pics
.just say
I am making everything g f. Let me know if you bring anything with gluten and I will set out a separate table for gluten products

So turn it around. This house is gf but happy to make allowance for gluten products to come in and be kept separate

Tesco m and s waitrose you can get tonnes of gf stuff including stuffing pigs in blankets picky bits