A food allergy or intolerances can leave people feeling left out during the Christmas holidays, especially people with coeliac disease. However, the availability of gluten free products has drastically increased over the past decade.
This time last year, Vanessa Feltz made comments on ITV’s This Morning regarding coeliac disease, while talking to a caller who explained that their mother-in-law made the meal gluten-free to accommodate a guest who had coeliac disease.
Feltz said: “So she’s treating celiac disease as if it’s a potentially fatal peanut allergy, and they can’t have anything with gluten in the house, which is completely unreasonable”, which caused over 2000 complaints being made to Ofcom in concerns of misinformation about coeliac disease.
Vanessa later ‘apologised’ saying: “I don’t think I said anything wrong, but if anyone misunderstood or felt that I did, I am very sorry.”
This incident really highlighted the importance of awareness around food allergies and intolerances.
With an abundance of gluten free recipes on websites and blogs all over he internet, it makes home made gluten free cooking all the more accessible.
Coeliac UK, an the independent charity for people living gluten free who fund ‘critical research into coeliac disease and fight for better availability of gluten free food’, is the most reliable source when it coms to 100% gluten free recipes.
Alternatively, as the awareness of food intolerances has become more wide spread, we no longer have to cook from scratch in order to enjoy gluten free cooking; M&S not only have a dedicated gluten free range, most of their Christmas products are clearly highlighted as gluten free!
Similarly, many restaurants in Liverpool are offering gluten free Christmas dinners!
Here’s a list of some of the restaurants offering gluten free food this Christmas:
- Browns (accredited by Coeliac UK!) – 43 Paradise Street, Liverpool One, L1 3EU
- Hanover Street Social (multiple gluten free menus) – 16-20 Hanover St, Liverpool L1 4AA
- The Restaurant Bar and Grill (detailed allergies pdf) – Halifax House, Brunswick Street, Liverpool, L2 0UU
- Bistro Pierre – 14 Button Street, Liverpool L2 6PS England
Check out our YouTube for more!
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/xyNeeYCD388
A more accessible gluten free Christmas
featured image (c) Grace Scargill
