Happy Valentine’s Day / Is Kissing Gluten Free?

I love Valentine’s Day – in the middle of the grayest, coldest (2 degrees here in NYC!), dreariest, and most depressing month suddenly there are pink and red hearts everywhere! And chocolate! Plus, it is never a bad thing to tell a loved one that you care about them.

(Gluten Free cupcakes I made for my sweetie!)

But for those of us with Celiac Disease, we have to be extra cautious. Not just about food – but about a simple kiss from a loved one. When I was first diagnosed this topic was only just beginning to surface on gluten free message boards. My boyfriend at the time thought I was making it up – “There is no way you can get glutened from a kiss if I eat pretzels.” Yes, it’s possible. And yes, I did. (We have since broken up, thank goodness)

Other ways you can get glutened:

• Giving Aunt Franny a kiss on the cheek. Is her foundation and blush gluten-filled?
• Your gluten free girlfriend has gluten-filled lipstick.
• Your gluten free guy/gal brushed their teeth with toothpaste or used mouthwash that contains gluten (yes, some do!)

Admittedly, it is an annoying and embarrassing task to ask a new sweetie, “Umm….what have you eaten in the last five hours?” and to skip a kiss goodbye because the bar you went to had your sweetie’s favorite ale.

Luckily, Kris (my now boyfriend) got it right all on his own. He leaned in to kiss me after drinking a beer, and it dawned on him – “You could get sick if I kiss you! Wait, what if I brush my teeth? Or how about I just eat gluten free when I’m with you? Is that okay?”

Yes, boyfriend. That is totally okay with me. 🙂

He humorously tells this story at dinner parties – “I can’t get any action if I eat gluten! So I keep a toothbrush at the office. Or I just eat gluten free. Do you know how great gluten free food is? Let me tell you about our favorite restaurant…”

Best. Boyfriend. Ever.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

A side note: if you’re looking for some fabulous gluten free/allergen friendly lipstick, check out my favorite – Red Apple Lipstick. Bonus for my readers – get 22% off orders of $50+ with code “TastyMeditation”