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!

I've not tried their roulade yet, but may do as it's on offer at the moment. To be honest, although I'm celiac, I don't eat that much GF specific food as it's all so processed and expensive. And the usually poor taste and texture definitely doesnt justify the price!

I only buy the GF gnocchi, pasta and sometimes a Warburtons loaf. I miss bread sauce at Christmas but haven't made any yet. I use a lot of Becky Excell recipes, so may try her Christmas book as mentioned up thread.

M&S and Sainsburys do lovely GF food.

I always find if I opt for things that are naturally GF it’s easier fresh fruit, nuts in natural form, veg, meat, cheese etc.

The biggest risk is cross contamination from other food that isn’t gluten free.

You will need GF gravy, GF stuffing (I think I checked the labels and picked up some yummy cranberry stuffing from M&S that was GF or you can make your own. Party bits are the hardest. You can have nice cheese, grapes, some meats, or GF party bits (just watch out for the crackers if someone does a graze board or similar.

Some chocolate is naturally GF. Just read the labels carefully. Take some of your own stuff for breakfast, lunch and GF snacks.

Do they have to be sausages? If not get some sausage meat and make meat balls, but much smaller than the ones you would have with spaghetti.

For pudding you could poach pears in red wine or make fruit in a sugar syrup. You could make that now and preserve with a water bath. I've done this with easy peelers. Peel the fruit, put in to a sterilised jar. Make a syrup with sugar and water, pour over then put the jar(s) in a deep pan (put a tea towel folded up in the bottom) add boiling water and simmer for 20 mins.

Get Becky Excels book or follow on social media. Most super markets have gf mince pies/biscuits/crakers etc. are you cooking Xmas dinner? Im not gf but my husband is and I always do dinner and he doesn’t miss out at all. Feel free to ask xx

Becky Excell's 2024 Christmas guide is still available.

I just bought the Good Housekeeping Christmas magazine today. It has a whole section on gluten free.

M and S gluten free Cheese Crackers often get eaten by non-Coeliacs in preference to the ordinary ones in this family. Very nice.

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?

I made a GF trifle using gluten free madeleines as trifle sponges, I worked on assumption everyone could eat GF trifle https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/292832035?srsltid=AfmBOoo1VId5JFdKSlRR0BHkXyDO2SJQsBzj0Xi4-GHZZYxeKnE5KnF6

Make gravy using cornflour not flour to thicken

As far as possible make changes that mean everyone is eating the same thing

Another vote for GF trifle. With us it’s dairy free too and even the family sceptics say it’s delicious. I make my own sponge for the base. Can share recipe if anyone wants it.

I regularly make GF sausage rolls using Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference sausages and a pack of Jus rol chilled GF puff pastry. They freeze really well.

Nigella is brilliant for GF dessert and cake recipes. I love the clementine cake and it's really easy to make.

I’m coeliac - honestly it’s fine.

Make your own gravy using GF flour (and GF stock cube if you use a cube).

Use GF bread grated for breadcrumbs to make stuffing or buy GF stuffing. Everything else bar Yorkshire puddings and cauliflower cheese is GF anyway. (I am vehemently against Yorkshire puddings on Christmas lunch so not an issue here…)

Mince pies, Christmas cake, Christmas pudding can all be made or bought GF. Trifle can be homemade GF using shop bought GF madeleines instead of sponge fingers. Viennetta is GF if you like 1970s puds (I do).

Don’t buy the foul GF chocolates unless you’re lactose free as well. You can still eat Roses, Quality Street and some others (check the labels). Posh chocolatiers like Audrey’s are all GF except the truffles.

For Boxing Day and buffet things you can buy GF quiches, sausage rolls, pork pies etc. Morrisons, M&S and Tesco have a very good selection, Sainsburys are good for their dry GF products too. Seafood is obviously naturally gluten free, just check ingredients in Marie Rose sauce or make your own.

Obviously cheeses, booze and other treats are naturally GF. Just buy GF biscuits for cheese and pickles/chutneys made with spirit vinegar, not malt vinegar.

If anyone else cooks for you just double check ingredients eg no flour on roast potatoes to make them crispier etc.

Good luck and enjoy!

My whole family eat GF at Christmas. Paxo do GF stuffing, they actually prefer Becky Excell’s GF Yorkshire pudding. All the sausages are GF, the only thing where I have my own is our smoked salmon on brown bread canapé at 12.