Navigating Special Diets During the Holidays
With many delicious vegan and gluten free alternatives, entertaining is simple with just a few adjustments!
Hosting Many Appetites
We all know the holidays can be a busy time of year, even without the added stress of adhering to specific dietary restrictions and preferences. To make your celebrations and feasts manageable and welcoming for everyone, here are some helpful tips that will bring ease and joy to your time spent in the kitchen. After all, cooking should be fun!
The first step in understanding how to cook for a special diet
is to learn what the people with these diets can or cannot eat.
Up first, the GLUTEN-FREE DIET!
Gluten is the protein component in wheat. People with celiac disease or gluten intolerances can have immune reactions to this specific protein that can cause damage to the lining of the small intestine, resulting in digestive discomfort or even medical complications. Cases of individuals developing gluten allergies or intolerances are on the rise and this can make dining out difficult. However, cooking for a gluten-free diet is relatively simple. The most common ingredients to avoid when cooking for gluten-free diets are wheat-based like flours, pastas, or breads. Thanks to the commonality of this specific diet, you can now find countless organic and non-GMO wheat flour substitutes available on grocery shelves. If you’re unsure of how to make certain dishes for your holiday table from scratch, you’ll also find many organic and non-GMO pre-made gluten-free holiday cooking and baking ingredients like pie crusts, pasta, gravy, stuffing mix, and even breads.
The holidays are, without a doubt, an indulgent time of year, especially when practically every meal is basted with butter or includes bacon fat.
So how do you accommodate your guests who are vegan or vegetarian?
When someone tells you they are a VEGETARIAN, what do you assume is in their diet?
The most common type of vegetarianism today is ovo-lacto vegetarianism, in which individuals will eat eggs and milks that are produced by animals, as well as products that contain these ingredients. They will not, however, eat animal meats like beef, chicken, or pork, and most often even fish and seafood. Cooking for a vegetarian diet can be straightforward and often uses meat substitutes or replaces any meat products with vegetables.
If you take the vegetarian diet,
subtract the eggs and milk, or any animal byproducts for that matter,
you’ll have VEGANISM!
Vegan diets are a bit more complex when it comes to cooking for the holidays, but with the rise of the plant-based diet comes the rise of plant-based products. You can find all kinds of organic and non-GMO meat alternatives on shelves today, or even try making some of your own with just a few ingredients! For savory entrees and sides, replacing meats with hearty, protein-rich vegetables are always a good option. When it comes to desserts, you can find many options for egg and dairy substitutes. There are also excellent plant based “butters” you can substitute in your favorite recipes.
Another recent diet that has gained popularity in recent years is the ketogenic diet, or simply keto. This diet minimizes carbs and restricts protein to an adequate level, which means it is a high-fat diet. There are ways to make desserts keto-compliant. Many holiday tables spotlight a roasted meat with a variety of vegetable sides. With some ingredient swaps and careful recipe selection, you can satisfy someone on a keto diet without straying too far from holiday favorites.
Gluten Free and Vegan Green Bean Casserole
This is a great recipe that can easily be made ahead and thrown in the oven to bake on the day of your holiday gathering.
A big thanks to Craig, our produce manager, and his wife, Carly, for sharing this dish, which has always been well received by their family, even though many family members are not vegan or gluten free.
Tips:
Do not go rogue and substitute alternate gluten free flours for those specified. There are certain properties of the different types of flours that make some more suitable for a successful dish, than others.
It’s a great idea to prepare this ahead of time, so you don’t have to fuss with it on the day of your celebration.
The gluten free onion rings were a bit of a challenge for me. Since I substituted an alternate flour from the coating recommended, the coating did not stick well and, for some reason, they did not get crispy like they should have. Follow the directions and use the ingredients recommended. Lesson learned!
Click here for the Gluten Free Fried Onion Rings recipe. Substitute non dairy milk for regular milk.
Click here to see the recipe I used for the Vegan Green Bean Casserole, from the blog Minimalist Baker. I substituted coconut flour for all purpose flour to make it gluten free, but Carly had suggested brown rice flour, which I think might be the best option.
Putting together a vegan cheese board is a breeze at Choices! Just ask one of our team members to show you where to find these delicious options!