OPINION: Gluten free no great disaster

DIETARY DILEMMAS: When one is gluten-free, trying to find options when going out for a meal can be difficult.

For medical reasons, my wife's diet has been gluten-free for the last four years.

Being head cook in our house, I thought the world had ended and I could not get my head around how I was going to cope in the kitchen.

I started cooking separate meals and using separate utensils and cooking equipment to avoid any cross contamination. Food that has been prepared on equipment that may have had gluten on it is a big no-no. It became a constant battle to do it right and not put her at any risk.

Then we made a decision that took away all the stress and worry. At home, I would be gluten-free too.

Once that decision had been made, I discovered that being gluten-free wasn't such a big deal after all. And...our diet didn't change that much. However, I am not the most popular person when I sit next to said gluten-free wife and eat a chocolate eclair -- her favourite.

The one thing I do not like and never will like is gluten-free bread. Bloody awful. So, I do have normal people's bread and we have separate toasters. Yes, even bread crumbs can be dangerous.

For a gluten-free person, reading food labels is essential. So grocery shopping takes a little longer because of that. Luckily, in Wairarapa, there are a couple of great stores which specialise in gluten-free food -- Cornucopia in Carterton, and James Cameron's Food Forest Organics in Greytown are our most popular haunts. Cornucopia has a wonderful range of pasta, and is generally a nice shop to poke around in.

Going out for a meal however, can be challenging. In some eateries, a blank look is given in response to our request for gluten-free options. In others, we get presented with a separate gluten-free menu. Buckhorn in Carterton and Lonestar in Masterton are very obliging.

Some time ago, we went to a wedding and I mentioned to the bride that one of us was gluten-free. Not a problem.

Not only was there a special platter of gluten-free nibbles, the whole main course buffet was gluten-free and, for the first time in ages, my wife could walk the buffet line and choose whatever she wanted.

In comparison, we recently attended a function, again commercially catered and dietary requirements advised. My wife certainly enjoyed the slices of cucumber and the strawberries!

Not good enough in this day and age.

So, being told by the doctor you must stay away from gluten is not the end of the world.

I am very proud of my wife for her commitment and diligence with her dietary requirements.