Summer is filled with opportunities for fun, food, family, and friends. From Memorial Day to Fourth of July barbecues, and from pool parties to picnics, get togethers abound. When eating or serving gluten free food, there are some steps you can take to reduce cross contact and keep food safe for everyone. Check out these gluten free food safety tips for summer gatherings below.

Gluten free food safety tips:

1. Keep things clean.

Wash your hands often and/or wear gloves as you prepare food. Keep your workspace, counters, utensils, and cutting boards washed and wiped down. Yes, this is really basic and there is more to preparing gluten free food safely. For the purposes of this post, we won’t deep dive into the area of preparing gluten free food safely.

2. Use parchment paper, waxed paper, or linens.

Put these on top of serving platters and in bowls to reduce cross contact from previous use.

3. Disposable items can reduce cross contact.

There are now more eco friendly options for disposable dinnerware and utensils. Some are even biodegradable. Check around and see what best fits the type of gathering you are planning.

4. Be mindful to implement safety practices when transporting food.

This includes using coolers with ice or cold packs and thermal bags to keep food at the proper temperature.

5. Keep hot foods hot.

Keep food in the oven/warming drawer until ready to eat. Use warming trays, hot plates, slow cookers when possible in the serving area. Generally, hot food should be kept at 140 degrees Fahrenheit.

6. Keep cold foods cold.

The first step is to clearing out refrigerator space for cold dishes. This can serve a dual purpose. You can make some dishes ahead of time which helps your timeline be more relaxed and lets flavors meld together when needed. Plus, you can pop in dishes that need to be made shortly before the event and then pull them out once it’s time to eat. A cooler filled with ice can also keep dishes cold if you are picnicking or run out of fridge space. When placing platters and bowls on table, put them over bowls or ice. It’s also helpful to serve smaller portions and keep extras refrigerated. Lastly, change out cold food every 2 hours.

7. Have a separate table for gluten free options.

This cuts through the fluff of decision making and sets folks more at ease. Posting signs with all the ingredients is an extra step that makes a big difference for people who need to eat gluten free or have other allergies. Put gluten free items first along the buffet. This lessens the possibility of people who want to try something at the gf table touching a dedicated gf utensil against food with gluten. No smooshing the gf mashed potato ladle against the wheat mac’n cheese on the plate. If you’re in search of a delicious gluten free baked good that can double as a brunch item or dessert, you’ll want to scoop up the recipe for our gluten free blueberry crumb cake.

8. Let those who eat gluten free go through serving line first.

If you have gluten free foods stationed at their own table, it’s unlikely that people would use a utensil that is intended for a dish with wheat, but stranger things have happened. Making sure people with intolerances and allergies go first further reduces the possibility of cross contact. It’s a mindfulness and consideration that can make the differences between them accidentally becoming sick or being able to party it up.

9. Use squeeze condiments.

This takes out any temptation to double dip. Using a knife in the mayo that has touched a wheat bun allows for cross contact and is a big no no. Squeeze bottles have the added benefit of also creating a smoother and faster process through the buffet.

10. Individually wrap sandwiches and other items that have gluten in them.

This is a key step in preventing cross contact, especially if the food is set out buffet style.

11. Encourage dedicated dish utensils.

Post a small sign at the start of the buffet line reminding people to use only the intended serving utensils with the dishes. People don’t know what they don’t know. If there are people at the event who aren’t used to being mindful about gluten or other allergies, it likely won’t even cross their minds that using utensils on other dishes might be an issue. (An aside: don’t use wooden or scratched utensils or servingware with gluten free food if they have been used with gluten. Gluten likes to hide and it’s hard to get it out of cracks and crevices.)

Happy summer gatherings!

Implementing these gluten free safety tips can make a huge difference in peace of mind in serving gluten free food at your summer gatherings. For ideas on zhuzhing up your table scape, check out our blog post on elevating your table. You’ve got this! Enjoy your celebrations and happy eating, ya’ll!

Note: these tips focus on serving gluten free food, not preparing. For the sake of this blog post, we’re coming from the position that all the food has been prepared using gluten free best practices.