The Bowdoin Gourmet

I had the opportunity to spend this past weekend in Denver with people from Udi’s Gluten Free, as well as fellow gluten-free people from all across the country. It was an enjoyable time, and though we had some delicious Udi’s productes (which we are so lucky to have here in our dining halls), we were also served some delicious items that weren’t actually a “specialty” product but were instead what I sometimes call jokingly “normal people food.” While I think most of us gluten-free fellows love to have bread and the like that does taste good, there are so many fantastic naturally gluten-free foods. So many times I’ve been asked, “But if you can’t eat bread and pasta and stuff, what can you eat?!” As long as it isn’t prepped in a gluten-y way, a lot! The fact that I was treated to so many different kinds of good gluten-free food over the weekend made me want to post about how there are many great options of the gluten free variety beyond special products. And so, without further adieu, a three plate vignette…

Meal 1. A lettuce salad with tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, and craisins (and some gluten-free pretzels for a little crouton-like crunch). Sweet potatoes! (a.k.a. the best food that ever existed)

Meal 2. Roasted chicken. Mashed Potatoes. Broccoli. I grew up with a lot of meat-and-potatoes combinations, so this is always a comforting meal.

Meal 3. Pot roast. Baked beans. Sweet and sour coleslaw. Broccoli. Excellently varied in flavor and texture.

So now you’ve seen a bit into the “deprived” live of someone eating gluten-free…as you can see, not a matter of deprivation at all. It is a bit easier for me, because I eat meat and can eat dairy products…the gluten-free/vegetarian or gluten-free/dairy-free or gluten-free/dairy-free/vegetarian folks have it a bit harder. Beyond avoiding the obvious gluten-ful items like bread and pasta, the next most commonly gluten-ful items are processed foods, so to have access to all sorts of fresh things is very fortunate indeed.

Gluten(free) Nacht! (a variation on Gute Nacht, if you didn’t catch that)

-Danica