I’m reading more websites these days. Some for work, some for home life. For various reasons, looking at food blogs for people who have various intolerances: to dairy, to wheat, in some cases to lots more.
I’m on the hunt for recipes. (I usually am, one way or another, but I don’t usually look online.) What I find is recipes, yes, but a whole lot more that sustains me in ways beyond the food intake – including good writing.
These are often people who start off with a difficult situation. They are trying to work out what to eat, in a society that is full of the things that mess up their stomachs. Where ‘flour’ on packets is unspokenly wheat flour, where milk products are hidden in the strangest of foods.
So they don’t just write about the recipes. They blog about the products that have restored aspects of life, favoured food memories, to them. And the ones that taste like cardboard. Again. They write about how hard it is to cope with schools where it has become commonplace to hand out food – and not check if everyone can manage to eat it.
They write about going on holiday, and which airlines help, and which ones don’t. About what to put in your bag if your child can’t eat what’s available on the plane, and what to pack in addition if there’s a delay. (I mean, when.)
They proselytise about the latest restaurant they can go into where they don’t need to scrutinise the menu – they can just pick what they like, and know it’ll be OK.
We know about blogging as self-help. It’s good to talk, natch. But this is partly self-talk, on the days when it all gets too much, but hugely also talk to others who are fighting similar battles – and especially for the newbies who are just getting use to the world working differently.
And in among all these posts are others which speak of tiny successes. There are people sticking to these food restrictions in order to help health conditions. To create stability, for some children where food choices can really make a difference to behaviour and wellbeing. Either way.
These are people who are inching their way forward, and they are not going to lose an opportunity to cheer about something, because it’s huge to them.
I know, from the subject matter, that some of these posts are written through gritted teeth, as I spoke of yesterday. Through barely controlled anger. Through huge sadness and loss. But the folks out there are still writing. And new people find the blogs, and keep reading.
So here’s my new set of shoutouts to people who are doing an amazing job – online, and even more importantly, at home. Many of them love to write too – and it shows. So whatever you can eat – or not – take a look.
http://kathi-gfcf.blogspot.co.uk/ – a mum’s blog, with lots of practical recipes
http://glutenfreebay.blogspot.co.uk/ – gluten-free and Jewish. Time for noshing.
http://glutenfreegirl.com/ – lovely photography, and someone who loves writing
http://www.gfcfmommy.com/ – you’re going to want rockets behind your blog posts too.