Here are a few simple ideas to prevent cross contamination in your home.

First, buy squeeze condiments. It allows everyone to use the condiments so there isn’t any confusion or guesses about whether someone has stuck a knife in the jelly or not.

Second, teach your family how to properly use butter or other things that you might stick a knife into. The squeeze condiments solve much of the problem, but occasionally squeeze condiments are not an option. In our house, to use the butter, you get a clean knife. Slice the butter you want to use and put the pat of butter on your plate. Use the butter on your plate to spread onto toast or whatever. When done with the knife, it goes straight into the dishwasher. To get more butter, you get a new clean knife. My family is trained to use butter this way. It keeps us safe.

Third, a plate or other barrier between the counter top and your cooking utensil or as I call it a “counter top condom”. I don’t live in a gluten free house. I’m never sure who has put what on a counter top of if they wiped the counter top down after putting whatever on the counter top. So, I always put something down – plate or aluminum foil between the counter top and the cooking utensil. Lots of cross contamination can be eliminated this way.

Finally, if there is gluten being served and sometimes there is in my house, I get my plate fixed first and any leftovers are thrown away. That way I know that I’m getting clean food and there is no chance that a stray spoon made it into the wrong bowl.

Studies have shown that 90% of food poisoning is found in the home not in restaurants but people think they got food poisoning at the restaurant. It was the last place they ate before getting sick and they think the restaurant was the source. I always think of this when people say that they got cross contaminated by their significant other when kissing them after they ate a gluten free meal. While it is possible, it is highly unlikely and it is more likely the contamination was from something else. Sometimes the simplest solution is the right one.

So, try these tips, see how they work. You might have other simple tips that make a big impact. I’m all ears and would love to hear other tips!