I want to give you a little peek into what cooking for my family entails now that we know Grace and Charlie have Celiac Disease.
Soon after Charlie's diagnosis, I wanted to get some refried beans. I looked through every can on the grocery store shelf and couldn't find any that didn't have "natural flavoring" or "spice", either of which could or could not contain gluten. Buying a can of beans was out of the question until I had time to look up each brand on the internet and find one that was safe.
Instead, I found a recipe to make my own refried beans and decided to go that route so that I'd know exactly what was going into their bodies. Beans are naturally gluten free, so it seemed like an easy solution. But then I ran across an article explaining that many dried beans are packaged in the same facilities and on the same machines as gluten-containing grains. I did a little more research and found this to be true. So I did what I've done many times since the kids' diagnosis and contacted the company directly to find out how the beans are packaged. Once I hear back, I'll know whether or not I can make the beans myself. Otherwise, I'll start researching all those brands with "natural flavoring" and find one that is safe. ALL just for some refried beans!
One might wonder if it really matters. If there is just a little bit of gluten on the beans does it really make a difference? Yes, it does. Charlie spent most of last Saturday in the bathroom in quite a bit of pain. The energy he has regained since going gluten-free was zapped from his body, and he returned to the sick little boy he's been since last summer. He didn't eat anything that should have made him sick. He somehow experienced cross-contamination. I read that it takes as little as 1/1000 of a piece of bread to start a celiac response to gluten. So, yes, it matters.
Am I sharing this with you to earn your sympathy? Well, yes, a little bit. I'm hoping you'll feel sorry enough for me, my kids, and the estimated 3 million Americans who have Celiac disease to take 60 seconds out of your day to sign this petition calling for accurate and reliable labeling laws for gluten. (All you have to provide is your name and email address) As it is now, the FDA has failed to finalize standards for gluten-free labeling despite being tasked in 1997 by the FALCPA to do so. People are getting sick from food labeled gluten-free that clearly isn't. Restaurants can advertise a gluten-free menu without the food actually being gluten-free. For someone just casually cutting gluten out of their diet, a little cross contamination isn't that big of deal, but for someone with Celiac disease, it is a huge deal. For me personally, it would mean being able to go the grocery store without having to research every.single.thing. It would mean feeling more confident that the food I feed my children won't send them to the bathroom for the next couple of days. It would mean that it will be easier for my kids to one day feed themselves safely. It would mean a lot, so please help me out. :)
Thanks so much for taking the time to read this and signing the petition!
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