7. Make room in your fridge for gluten free food OR get a second fridge/freezer to keep gluten free in.
Again, straightforward, but bears mentioning. Unlike acquiring a separate cupboard for your cookware/utensils and non-perishables, acquiring your own fridge/freezer may not be as easy (or as affordable).
Talk things over with the other people in your household. Explain your situation, and ask that you can keep a shelf or two (depending on how many perishables you think you'll need space for) to be dedicated gluten free. It's very important that you LABEL all your food containers if you're putting them in a shared unit. Permanent marker works really well, but it can rub off in some circumstances. There are Sharpies out there that can withstand extreme temperatures. I bought one for a couple dollars at a Staples office supply store.
Even a product already says "Gluten Free" on the label, mark a great big GF or GLUTEN FREE on it anyhow. This will be MUCH more noticeable, especially if someone is just reaching into the fridge quickly. They won't take time to read a little manufacturer-printed label that reads Gluten Free, but a big notice added on in permanent market should catch their attention.
You may find that some containers are hard to write on, or that you can't find an ink colour that shows up on the container. In these cases, I got bright coloured round stickers (again from Staples), like the type you'll see on items at a garage sale. I wrote GF on them, and stuck them to the lid of the container.
Would love to hear ideas from my readers. What have you done to deter the non-gluten-free people in your household from inadvertently eating (or worse, contaminating) your food?
GF Diet Guide: Part 3 - Basic Tips # 7
