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Crash Course for a Gluten Free Thanksgiving
So, it’s nearly Turkey Time again, and shoppers everywhere are scouring the stores for ingredients and supplies. If you or a guest needs a gluten free Thanksgiving, your to-do list is a bit more extensive. But nothing that can’t be handled!
Even if you don’t already have a menu planned and haven’t had time to practice recipes yet, don’t worry! This Crash Course for a Gluten Free Thanksgiving will get you ready for T-day!
So it’s probably fair to assume you’ve been busy … perhaps your plans have changed … maybe you are newly diagnosed and this is your first gluten free Thanksgiving … whatever you do, don’t panic! There is still time to prepare!
The first thing to remember is that Thanksgiving is a time to enjoy family and friends and to reflect on all that we have to be thankful for … not for stressing out about whether your pie crust will be perfect!
With that in mind, review my cheat sheets for last minute to-dos and check out some of these recipes to get ready for a very happy gluten free Thanksgiving!
Homemade gluten free baguette with cranberry chutney.
Consult my Thanksgiving Checklists reprinted at the end of this article (excerpted from my 71-page updated gfJules Thanksgiving e-book). You’ll find that there are plenty of things to do in order to be prepared — many of them unique to living gluten free.
Don’t let the lists overwhelm you; it’s designed to break things into manageable chunks so that by the time Thanksgiving rolls around, you’ll be stress-free!
Here are some of the things you’ll want to be sure to do in planning for your gluten free Thanksgiving feast.
If you are dining at another’s house for Thanksgiving:
- call the host and check the menu now
- if there are any dishes that might already be gluten-free, confirm that they will not be adding or contaminating the dish with any gluten ingredients
- ask if they are stuffing the turkey or if the stuffing is on the side (encourage the latter!)
- check whether their turkey brand is gluten-free so you know in advance
- if they haven’t bought their turkey yet, suggest some gluten-free brands (see list below)
- coordinate with the host about what dishes you should bring (suggest that you bring the menu items you most want to be able to enjoy so you are sure to have a gluten-free option)
If you are the hosting Thanksgiving:
- check with your guests to see if there are any other dietary restrictions to take into account
- arrange for guests to bring dishes that will complement your menu and are already gluten-free, if possible (e.g. cranberry sauce; salad; fruit; green beans; ice cream or whipped topping for pies; wine or sparkling apple cider ….)
- order or buy your turkey early so you are sure to get a gluten-free bird (see list below for gluten-free brands)
- make your shopping list and shop ASAP (try not to shop the day before Thanksgiving for anything but fresh fruit or vegetables)
- bake casseroles and pumpkin pies 1-2 days before Thanksgiving
- bake gluten-free bread now if you don’t have bread already made for stuffing – dry the bread in cubes in the oven the day before Thanksgiving
Some brands which offer Gluten Free Turkeys:
(but always check the labels!)
- Aaron’s Gourmet
- Butterball
- Empire Kosher
- Honeysuckle White
- Jennie-O
- Norbest
- Organic Prairie
- Perdue
- Pilgrim’s Pride
- Shady Brook Farms
- Shelton’s
Essential Gluten Free Thanksgiving Recipes:
Gluten Free Thanksgiving Sweets
Upside-Down Apple Pie (vegan)
Pumpkin Cheesecake (vegan)
Maple-Pumpkin Cobbler (vegan)
Pecan Pie (vegan)
Gluten-Free Breads
Parker House Pull Apart Dinner Rolls
Bread Mix (for bread or rolls)
Gluten Free Casseroles and Sides
Green Bean Casserole with “Fried” Onions
Apple Butter, Butternut Squash Casserole
Many more recipes for casseroles, side dishes, gravy and desserts, as well as recommendations for planning the meal can be found in my updated 37-recipe Thanksgiving e-book and in my newest cookbook, Free for All Cooking: 150 Easy Gluten-Free, Allergy-Friendly Recipes the Whole Family Can Enjoy!
Wishing you and yours a wonderful, thankful holiday!
I love your gluten free flour and have been making the biscuits. Do you have a recipe for gluten free white gravy for biscuits and sausage gravy mornings? It would make my grandchildren very happy.
Thank you
Hi Valorie – so glad to hear you’re loving my gfJules Flour and my gluten free biscuits recipe!! As for gravy, I don’t have a special recipe because I (and other readers have also told me they do it) just follow a regular recipe and sub in my gfJules Flour. Watch to make sure you don’t overcook it though, as gluten free flour doesn’t brown like wheat flour does, so go on thickness, not color. Enjoy!
~jules
Hi Jules,
Ordered a 25# bag of your flour and a couple mixes and now I see there is a free cookbook available for orders of $20
or more…
Any way I could get the cookbook since my order was over $100!
Was using another GF flour but found yours to be the game changer!
Thanks, Sharon
Hi Sharon – I’d love for you to have my Gluten Free Thanksgiving ebook! It’ll definitely come in handy for the holiday – you have the flour so now you can make anything! I’ll send you an email about it now!
~jules
Amazing. So well thought out and organized. I’m sure this will help a lot of people. GFers are lucky to have you. It is obvious why you were voted the gluten free person of the decade!
Aw, thank you! I’m so happy this information will be useful to you! Happy Thanksgiving!!!
~jules
Hi Jules,
I was going to ask about the Thanksgiving cookbook as well…I’m a newly diagnosed celiac and recently placed an order with you for over $90…I’m loving exploring your website and am excited to have so many options! Thank you so much and have a blessed evening…
So happy you found my site so new on your journey, Sammy! I hope you’ve investigated my New to Gluten Free e-book, as well. Start with this article on going gluten free and go from there (there’s a link in that article to get my ebook free). Peruse my website for information, products, reviews and of course recipes, anytime you need them! Wishing you a happy and healthy new gluten free life!
~jules
This is so helpful Jules. Holidays can be so difficult with a special diet and Thanksgiving is a gluten bomb! Love these tips and you always have such great recipes.
Aw, thanks Alisa! I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
~jules
Wow! So many great tips! The timeline is super helpful for me since this is the first year we’re hosting Thanksgiving. I’ll definitely take your advice and make the pies and cranberry sauce in advance. Thanks!
Great, Jereann! So glad it’s helpful. Best of luck with hosting and happy Thanksgiving!
~jules
I am in desperate need of gluten free recipes.
Well you’ve come to the right place, Frances! Be sure to sign up at the top of the page for my free gluten free recipe e-newsletter, too! But enjoy the recipe links throughout this post for a wonderful gluten free Thanksgiving!
~jules
what an incredible resource this is! THANK YOU. my mom is celiac, and my husband and I are gluten free as well. mom and I definitely plan our menu ahead – part of the fun is planning! sending this link to her now…
Thanks for sharing, Kristina, and I’m so happy to know that the information is going to be helpful for your family! Wishing you a wonderful Thanksgiving!
~jules
Absolutely love this guide. You’ve thought of everything! Now I really need to try those rolls!
So glad it’s useful to you, Margaret! Happy Thanksgiving!!!!
~jules
So many great GF Thanksgiving ideas here! Thanks!
These are such amazing tips! How thoughtful of you to share in such an organized way. Definitely sharing
Thank you, Jenna! Glad it’s useful and you’re excited to share. I hope you have an amazing Thanksgiving!
~jules
I can’t wait to tryout these GF recipes on Thanksgiving. It’s great to have so many options. Thanks so much for publishing these.
You bet, Ida! Happy to help in any way. Hope you have a great Thanksgiving!
~jules
Thank you so much for putting together this resource! LOVE the lost of gf turkeys…and your pies look amazing!
Thanks so much, Celeste! Glad it’s helpful – hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
~jules
My niece found this site for me. I plan on using it frequently. Thank you.
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My son Carson is 2 1/2 years old and we discovered his Celiac Disease at about 14 mos. of age. We were able to prepare a gluten free Thanksgiving meal for him.
Jules, your flour is great! The cookies we make with the flour turn out much better than what you can buy in the store.
Neil- thank you so much for sharing that with me! That makes me so happy to hear and to know that he has a happy and healthy start to his life!
I had such fail this year trying to make stuffing, as it is my first gluten free year and I’ve never had anything but Pepperidge Farm Herb Stuffing bags. I tried to make stuffing cubes by seasoning and toasting a loaf of Ener-G white rice loaf, but it just didn’t come out well at all. Do you have any recipes to help come close to Pepperidge Farm type stuffing?
J. Rose – sorry to hear that the Ener-G loaf didn’t work out well for you, but many frozen GF breads are actually too dense to absorb the broth that is added for flavoring and moisture in stuffing. The best bet is to start with a great loaf of GF bread, toast it lightly, then add the broth. I use my Sandwich Bread Mix for this purpose, eat some of the fresh bread then freeze the rest of the loaf as cubes ready for stuffing when I need it. Check out my Stuffing Recipe and video – they should help you get to where you want to be! You could also use cornbread to make stuffing – I know Pepperidge Farm has a cornbread mix as well, and cornbread is so super easy to make, that might be a good starting place for you!
argh!! Your cornbread link says not found?
Hi Gayle – I think it’s fixed now — so sorry! You can always use the search function at the top of the page and type the recipe you’re looking for, so you can find it right away! Happy Thanksgiving!
I just received your 5lb. flour to try for Thanksgiving recipes. Can you tell me the best way to store it. I know it says it doesn’t have to be refrigerated but there are only two of us at home and so it may take me awhile to use it all.
Thanks, Laura
Great question Laura! It does have a 15 month shelf life and need not be refrigerated. I keep mine in a clear lucite container (OXO brand) with a rubber seal to keep it fresh and moisture-free. You can certainly put it in the refrigerator or freezer, but as with any flour, bring it to room temperature before measuring for accuracy.
Laura, This will be my first Thanksgiving cooking gluten free due to my husband was diagnosed in March of this year. Do you recommend any good stuffing recipes I could use since my original recipe called for milk toast crackers which are not gluten free.
Thanks
Judy, have you downloaded my Thanksgiving Ebook??? If not, DO IT! It’s free right now, so there are no excuses!! Stuffing, pie, appetizers, sides, plus all the info you need to handle Thanksgiving at your house or someone elses! It will be delicious, you just need the information and tools to pull it all together! Download it here: http://www.julesglutenfree.com/product-p/book-hdy.htm
Hi I was just diagnosed with gluten intolerance. Is the gluten free thanksgiving still available for free? I downloaded the ebooks when I bought flour and non of them saved in my version of word. Is there any way you can send them again and i will just have to print the whole thing:(( I am already feeling so much better.
I’m baking the turkey and making the giblet gravy to take to Mama’s for the family Thanksgiving dinner. I’m also making my own gluten free cornbread dressing. I’ve already made my gluten free breadcrumbs with herbs from a loaf of bread that didn’t rise. Really looking forward to it! Thanks for all the help.