Gluten Freedom Nutrition, LLC.

A few of the kitchen tools I packed are all about convenience

I’ve used Stasher for years for lunches, snacks, and food storage. They’re reusable, durable, and have survived countless trips with me! 😊

I also brought my immersion blender with its food processor attachment. While it’s a handy tool, this is probably one I’d leave behind if I were tight on space 😬

My recommendation, focused on the tools that make preparing safe meals easier and fit your lifestyle. Many kitchen tools can be shared safely when properly cleaned. 🧽 The key to understanding which kitchen appliances may pose a higher cross-contact risk 👎 and which are generally low-risk 👍

I teach more about evaluating kitchen risks and creating a safe gluten-free environment inside The Basics of Celiac Disease course. Learn more on my website. Link in bio 🔗



Alexa Prass, MPH, RDN

Not everything I packed was because of Celiac Disease…

Some things came because I enjoy good coffee! ☕️

My furnished rental came with a coffee maker, but I use my own setup instead:
Gooseneck electric kettle
French press
Compact Burr Grinder by
Travel Mug

Sometimes the items that make a temporary space feel like home aren’t about safety, but instead about routine, comfort, and enjoyment 😊

Living gluten-free often requires extra planning, but it’s also important to create systems that make life enjoyable, not just safe ☕️

For more practical tips on navigating life with Celiac Disease, check out the Basics of Celiac Disease Course. Link in bio to the site 🔗

Moving into a furnished rental with Celiac Disease meant making a few strategic decisions about what kitchen items to bring from home.

One appliance that made the cut? My air fryer.

Air fryers work similarly to convection ovens by circulating hot air around food using a fan. While many shared kitchen appliances can be used safely with proper cleaning, appliances that use fans can be a little more complicated because they may circulate crumbs or food particles 🙅‍♀️

That’s why I chose to bring my own. It gives me peace of mind and makes quick gluten-free meals easy. 🍕

Remember that living gluten free doesn’t require you to replace every kitchen gadget. It’s about understanding where cross-contact risk may exist and making informed decisions for yourself or your loved one. 💚

Want to learn more about creating a safe, gluten-free kitchen? I cover appliance sharing, cross-contact prevention, and more inside my self-paced Basics of Celiac Disease course, link to my website in bio 🔝

Hot take? Maybe. 👀

I don’t think label reading apps should be your main strategy for staying safe while living gluten-free.

Are they helpful tools sometimes? Absolutely.
Can they make shopping feel faster or less overwhelming? Sure.

But when it comes to managing Celiac Disease, learning how to actually read ingredient labels yourself is one of the most important skills you can develop.

Apps can:
❌ Miss ingredient changes
❌ Contain outdated information
❌ Give conflicting recommendations
❌ Create more confusion and anxiety instead of confidence

At the end of the day, no app understands your health better than you do.

My newest blog post breaks down:
✔️ Why I don’t recommend outsourcing label reading
✔️ What to actually look for on food labels
✔️ How to become more confident grocery shopping gluten-free

Read the full blog post here https://glutenfreedomnutrition.com/why-i-dont-recommend-label-reading-apps/ 💚

And before the comments come in, this isn’t about shaming anyone for using apps. It’s about building knowledge and confidence so you can make informed decisions for yourself.

“I could never eat like that.”

Comments like this can feel really isolating when you live with Celiac Disease or dietary restrictions every single day.

Trust me, I’d love to not have to think about cross contact, ingredients, restaurants, travel, or whether food is safe. But this isn’t a choice or a trend for me (and lots of others). It’s treatment for my chronic illness.

One thing I’ve learned though? The right people won’t make you feel like a burden for taking care of yourself.

They’ll ask the right questions.
They’ll want to learn.
They’ll help you find somewhere safe to eat.
They’ll support your needs without making you feel “difficult.”

So if you’ve ever felt awkward, guilty, or “too much” because of your food restrictions, this is your reminder that your needs are valid 💚

And to everyone else: small comments can stick with people more than you realize.