The Best Christmas Gifts for Your Celiac Friends
What better way to show your celiac friend(s) how much you care than getting them a gift tailored to their gluten-free diet. I’ve never met anyone in the celiac community who was opposed to receiving a gluten-free/kitchen-related Christmas gift. So whether they’re newly diagnosed or a seasoned celiac, here are my top picks for celiac-approved gift ideas.
Danielle Walker Cookbooks
I discovered Danielle Walker’s Instagram and cookbooks when I was first diagnosed and she has remained one of my favorite gluten-free bloggers. Though she doesn’t have celiac disease, she uses food as medicine for her autoimmune disease and all of her recipes are grain and dairy-free. She also offers a lot of helpful substitute suggestions for people with other dietary restrictions. If they don’t already have them, I highly recommend gifting a Danielle Walker book. Plus, she just released a memoir about her journey to an autoimmune diagnosis (which I just finished reading) and it’s a great read!
Against All Grain: Delectable Paleo Recipes to Eat Well & Feel Great
Against All Grain: Meals Made Simple
Celebrations: A Year of Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, and Paleo Recipes for Every Occasion
Eat What You Love: Everyday Comfort Food
Food Saved Me: My Journey of Finding Health and Hope through the Power of Food
It's one of the most useful kitchen gadgets, in my opinion. I despise owning kitchen gadgets that only serve a single purpose so I love how versatile air fryers are. I’ve also noticed that brands like Feel Good Foods and Trader Joe’s have been coming out with all sorts of new frozen gluten-free products that are perfect in the air fryer. Now is the time to hop on the air fryer bandwagon!
I just said air fryers are the most versatile kitchen gadget, right? Maybe I change my mind. If you haven’t heard of it yet (but I’m sure you have), the Instant Pot is basically a pressure cooker that’s super easy to use and also does a million other things. I have found mine to be immensely helpful for meal prepping...and trust me, the large majority of celiacs are meal preppers. My Instant Pot was gifted to me when I first moved out on my own and I used it every single week!
This has been an absolute lifesaver for me with all of my traveling and out-of-the-house activities. You plug in this little lunch box wherever you are (school, work, conferences, etc) and it heats your food and keeps it warm until you unplug it. Because...you can only pack cold sandwiches and salads so many times until you want a nice warm meal for lunch. 5 stars without a doubt.
Cosmetics
A little change of pace here...did you know skincare and cosmetics often have gluten-containing ingredients?? Yeah, it’s ridiculous. So if you know your celiac friend is a beauty guru, you need to be extra careful about which products you’re picking up for them.
The celiac community constantly raves about this brand. All of their products are gluten-free, paraben-free, and vegan so you’re in the clear to pick anything from their site.
All Too Faced products are gluten-free except the Borderline Lip Pencil (so steer clear of that one). The Better Than Sex Mascara has become a staple in the celiac community and is the best gluten-free mascara I have tried so far.
Back to food:) If they love to try new experiments in the kitchen, then getting them the supplies to make fresh pasta could be the perfect gift. The best part is you can present it as something you two can do together. You’d be surprised by how much it means to have a non-celiac friend want to learn about making gluten-free food. They’ll be touched, I promise
Online Pasta Making Airbnb Experience
And since you’ve already got them the supplies to make fresh pasta, they’re ready to participate in my Online Airbnb Experience: Making GF Pasta by Hand with a Celiac in Italy. During our virtual cooking class together, they will learn all the best-kept Italian secrets to making perfect fresh pasta…but without all the gluten! From my kitchen in Florence, I walk guests through each step and they have me at their disposal for any questions. It’s almost like we’re standing in the kitchen together:)
Plan a Gluten-Free Trip to Italy
Finally, if you’re feeling adventurous, why not suggest a trip to Italy! Italy is one of the most celiac-safe countries in the world with gluten-free pizzerias and gelaterias on every corner. I know planning a trip can be super overwhelming (especially when you have to factor in a medically necessary gluten-free diet) which is why I’ve launched this brand new Online Airbnb Experience. Before you take off, book a 30-minute travel consultation when I will be available to answer all your questions about traveling safely as a celiac in Italy. This is a completely personalized experience, so feel free to ask me anything and everything! I am a native English speaker with all the local, insider secrets on traveling gluten-free in Italy…it’s the best of both worlds:) Let's plan your gluten-free Florence vacation together!