Valentine’s Day is coming up quickly (it’s this weekend, if you haven’t looked at a calendar lately), and now is the perfect time to show a little extra love to those who support your gluten free journey – your #GFSquad.
Valentine’s Day is not a big day at our house. Gifts are not usually exchanged. Flowers are not always bought. And I’m okay with that. I’d much prefer flowers on any other random day of the year – ones that show that he was thinking about me when he saw them – than flowers that were purchased because he felt obligated to. I think that any day can be used to express your love for those around you.
Today though, I would like to show some love to those that have made my gluten free journey so much easier.
My husband – Thank you for always researching restaurants when we want to go out to eat, being the one to ask for a gluten free menu, and even ordering off of the gluten free menu so that there is more than one GF meal being prepped in the kitchen at once.
Thank you for consuming numerous ‘kitchen fails’ when I am creating recipes, and never flinching at the price of the occasional gluten free store-bought treat I buy.
Thank you for researching celiac disease, taking the diagnosis seriously, and never making me feel bad about the extra work or expense involved with eating gluten free.
Above all, thank you for doing ALL.THOSE.DISHES. It seems the counter is constantly full of dishes, and even after being at work all day, you take care of them.
To my kids – You guys rock! You guys totally get it. You’ve turned down offers to go to restaurants because you know that there wouldn’t be anything there for Mom to eat, even though there was an indoor playground there.
You’ve never double-dip the knife into the peanut butter jar when making a sandwich on gluten-filled bread.
You happily eat my gluten free baking, even all the experiments that didn’t work out so well. You guys have made living with celiac disease much easier. If either of you is diagnosed with it in the future, I hope you see that you can still thrive, travel, have fun, and do anything you want to do despite it. I love you guys!
Now is the time for you to thank your #GFSquad! Udi’s Gluten Free has launched a new contest on Instagram that gives you the chance to thank your loved ones for helping make living gluten free easier for you, and in turn, you can win great prizes! Here’s what you have to do:
- Share a picture of your gluten free supporters along with a short description of how that person/people has helped you on your gluten free journey.
- Be sure to tag Udi’s (@udisglutenfree) in your pic, and include #GFSquad.
- Contest runs until Feb 19, 2016, so don’t put it off – do it now!
- What’s up for grabs? $1,900 worth in prizes!
- You can find all the #GFSquad contest details HERE.
I’ll be following the hashtag on Instagram, I can’t wait to see your #GFSquad!
Disclosure: I was compensated from Udi’s Gluten Free for sharing my #gfsquad with you. However, like always, all opinions are my own. I truly do love those that support me on this gluten free journey, and am happy to share that with the world.
MJ says
Jeanine: So happy here to discover my gluten intolerance was caused by antibiotics and a course of probiotics reset my gut flora and fauna…
Wish you could be so fortunate. But since you are not, i’m glad your family is so supportive. They look like a lovely group and you are a lucky woman. Keep on keeping on.
I’ll keep on eating gluten free, just because i feel better and keep my weight down that way. Sorry not to be on instagram, but I’m computer and app incompetent. (But i can still bake GF choc cupcakes!!!!!)
Cheers, MJ
Jeanine says
Oh, I’m so glad you were able to heal your gut, MJ! I’m sure that makes you feel much better already. Thank you so much for the kind comments, I really do have a great group around me, it makes it so much easier!
Mom says
You are a great mom..N told me he likes your mistakes. Thanks for helping me learn to eat GF And all your great easy recipes.you have accomplished a great deal and I wish you well in the future. ❤️ Keep up the good work…and thanks for all the gf goodies you share with me ?
Jeanine says
Aw, thanks, Mom! <3 Yeah, he likes my mistakes, especially when they are sweets, because then he knows I'll be making them again. 😉 Stinker!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
So sweet! While I wish I had more of a squad, it’s mostly just me! My mom at least understands!
Jeanine says
Aw, I’m sorry to hear you don’t have more support, Rebecca! Great to hear that your Mom ‘gets it’ though! Nice to have someone on your team. 🙂
Gluten Free With Emily says
This is so sweet! I love that you shared this! And your husband being a dish-washer!- no wonder you married him!!
Jeanine says
Haha, our first house didn’t even have a dishwasher, Emily! 🙂 I’m truly blessed!
Raia says
I love it, Jeanine. I could pretty much have written your exact words to my fam. 🙂 What a blessing to have a families who support us!
Jeanine says
So glad to hear that you’ve got that same support, Raia! Feel bad for those that don’t have the support, and actually have people trying to sabotage them. Horrible!
Brianna @Flippin' Delicious says
I LOVE this Jeanine! Being gluten-free is hard, but having a supportive family makes a world of difference!
Jeanine says
I can’t imagine doing it without their support, Brianna!
Michelle @My Gluten-free Kitchen says
Wow – I could have written these exact words about my hubby and kids. We are truly blessed to have husbands that are so supportive AND do the dishes! #win
Jeanine says
Yeah! You have a dishes expert in your house too? #WIN is right! <3
Elle @ Only Taste Matters says
This was just so beautiful. I’m actually about to cry!
Jeanine says
Thanks, Elle! I’m truly blessed. Can’t imagine doing it on my own!
Vivi says
I am weepy reading your post – as for the very first time in many year im spending the V day alone.
Im a single mom, so My biggest GF hero is my son – who patiently bear the brunt of my emotion when I am frustrated not being able to get food that satisfied my appetite and the stinky toilet if I were glutened. He was only 6 when I was diagnosed – at that time we lived in Japan – 15 yrs ago there was no special GF products – i have no look at the detais of the ingredients – he was so much better than I was even then in the Japanese characters (he lives in Japan now) that he always make sure that the ingredients of my food is gluten feee. Over the years he is more strict that I am in making sure that I ate strictly Gluten – all those no double dipping – dropping food from a far.
15 years – and yes there always be understanding family (who lives half a world away), friends and ex-es that always willing to find GF restaurants for me. But no one was more constant than my son. Love ypu Riku – you are. My GF hero.
And you Jen who creates the most amazing GF recipes
Jeanine says
Aw, Vivi, your comment brought tears to my eyes. Family is so great. Your son sounds like an amazing young man! <3
GwenH says
Happy Valentines Day Jeanine, sorry I’m a couple of days late. I was away visiting with family in Alberta and went to the Johnny Reid concert with my sisters and niece and some friends. My gluten free squad is my hubby, we’ve been married almost 35 years, I was diagnosed with celiac disease almost 3 years ago, he takes such great care of me, I don’t know what I would do without him and I hope I never have to find out.
Thank-you for all your great recipes and thank-you to your hubby and family for allowing you to create all the gluten free treasures that you create for us all..
Jeanine says
Gwen, I am so glad that you’ve got such a great guy by your side! Makes this whole gluten-free thing that much easier! <3