People with celiac disease cannot eat gluten, but this doesn't mean deprivation on holidays! If you're not already familiar with the gluten-free diet, you'll be surprised to learn how many holiday recipes are either gluten-free to begin with, or easily converted to be safe for gluten-free diets. Browse through the links below for a gluten-free trip around the holiday calendar.
New Year's Eve
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To help you get the New Year off to a happy start, here are links to some great collections of gluten-free menu ideas and recipes. These are good for other celebrations, too -- not just for marking the turn of the year.
Chinese New Year
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Luckily for us, About.com's Food and Cooking Guides have posted a lot of recipes for gluten-free Chinese dishes. Take a look at the ones I've linked to, and then try searching for some on your own.
Valentine's Day
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Here are plenty of gluten-free Valentine's Day ideas -- for food, gifts, and cheer -- that will make the day special for everyone. Follow the links to learn about traditional (and not-so-traditional) Valentine's Day gifts and recipes that are especially appropriate for people on gluten-free diets.
Saint Patrick's Day
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Ireland has one of the highest rates of celiac disease of any country in the world, so you can be sure there are lots of people celebrating Saint Patrick's Day with gluten-free food. To help make your Saint Patrick's Day special, here's a round-up of gluten-free recipes from About.com's guides -- and a few from some trusted Web sites as well.
Purim
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For people with celiac disease who celebrate Purim, it may have been a while since you've had hamantashen. With the help of Giora Shimoni, About.com's Guide to Kosher Food, I've posted an easy recipe for incredibly delicious gluten-free hamantashen.
Easter
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About.com's guides know lots of ways to make Easter fun for gluten-free kids of all ages! It's never too soon to get started on dyeing the eggs, baking gluten-free sweets, and collecting treats for the children.
Passover (Pesach)
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Passover is a holiday when people with celiac disease can really shine in the kitchen, because chametz -- the forbidden ingredient -- is... what else? Gluten! Of course, we're accustomed to avoiding gluten all year long.
Cinco de Mayo
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In the United States, many people, regardless of their ethnic background, take Cinco de Mayo as an opportunity to enjoy the rich culinary heritage of our southern neighbors and to honor the Mexican Americans among us. To help you celebrate Cinco de Mayo, here's a round-up of gluten-free Mexican recipes.
Mother's Day
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Follow the links in this article and you'll be able to pick and choose from a wide assortment of gluten-free menus --for breakfast in bed, brunch, and backyard barbecues -- and gift ideas for the mom(s) who mean a lot to you.
Ramadan
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It's customary for Muslims to break the Ramadan fast each evening with friends and relatives. If you’re invited to join Muslim friends or co-workers for dinner during Ramadan (or if you observing Ramadan yourself), you might like to prepare a sweet dessert using one of these gluten-free recipes.
