Help! My sister has celiac disease and she's so finicky with food we don't know what to feed her!

[panur_links]

Like, short term we are fine, she's having gluten free pasta and gluten free cookies, but she's always been super picky about food and we know this won't last forever

Comments

[jackieblue92]

At the risk of sounding insensitive...why do you have to feed her? If she's an adult and is that picky, she should basically never expect anyone to provide food for her.

(I say this as someone who has cooked regularly for people with lots of dietary preferences or restrictions. You should be asking her what she wants/can eat if it's this big of a problem.)

Does she eat meat? Because other than gluten free pastas, what about something like chicken/beef with potatoes or rice?

[roselover58]

That was my first thought. As my mom used to tell as (when we were kids) - you don't have to eat what I make you, but I'm not making anything special. You miss a meal, you'll eat the next time."

Now, I run my whole house as gluten free (too hard to mix, so my husband follows the above rule). We do paleo for the most part - chicken, shrimp, beef, usually over mixed greens, lots of veggies.

Maybe she can experiment with different seasonings on vegetables. If she doesn't like it, she can pass - but at her age, it is ultimately up to her. Where you live, you have a variety of fresh produce.

Best of luck. Help her help herself, and then back off.

[panur_links]

it's not insensitive! It is pretty frustrating...but she had a lot of health problems before, especially related to her weight, and I don't want her to use this as an excuse to go back into that mindset. I'd like to find some recipes so I can learn how to make them and know the process

and she does eat meat and chiken, but not fish

[survivinglove]

I'm having a difficult time with "I don't want her to us this as an excuse"..as if you have the ability to change another human being.

Why are you treating a grown woman like a child?

[falnfenix]

that's tough. she may have to learn to adapt simply so she can eat and not suffer malnutrition. maybe she needs to start preparing her own food?

[panur_links]

I want to learn to do it so she can see it's not so tiring/overwhelming as she thinks it is, just trying my best to help

[falnfenix]

i totally understand and respect that. i wish you a lot of luck, there.

[anita_margarita]

There are numerous celiac websites out there that will give lists of products with/without gluten, as well as links to recipes for gluten-free pastas and such.

But I am with the others: she needs to learn to cook her own food and stop being picky, or suffer the consequences.

[panur_links]

as said...we are i Argentina. There's lots of things like sorghum or molasses that don't exist here.

basically, she had a lot of health problems before, especially related to her weight, and I don't want her to use this as an excuse to go back into that mindset. I'd like to find some recipes so I can learn how to make them and know the process

[roselover58]

Okay -

I know people have given you websites for gluten free, but look into PRIMAL or PALEO - no grains. All grains will eventually hurt her. She can't have wheat, basically, but too much rice can hurt her after a while. Read up on primal and paleo (it's the same thing, but with primal you can have cheese and yogurt - but no milk).

[anais_pf]

Why is this YOUR problem? This is HER problem and although you can help her solve it, SHE has to decide what she can and cannot eat and learn to cook it for herself.

P.S. I do suggest a daily multi-vitamin pill for her, because she's not getting vitamins from her food.

[panur_links]

yeah, but I'm not a doc so she'll have to figure that one our with the nutritionist. I'm not trying to make this my problem, but I am trying to help

[little_e_]

If she finds cooking intimidating, then simpler is probably your friend. Make a list of what she will eat:
Corn, tomatoes, meats. (What about rice?)
So it looks like your main dishes are meat-based, corn-based, and topped with tomatoes. Could be worse!
You can probably make a matrix of the foods she does like and pick a different combination each day. Like "baked Chicken with corn bread," on monday, "Beef with hummus," on Tuesday; "Spaghetti + sauce + meatballs" on Wed; "gnocci with a side of corn" on Thurs; "Chicken with tomato-based sauce" on Fri; etc.

Good luck.

[panur_links]

thanks you! that's a good idea : )