I’ve officially turned the corner on this little virus.

Running at about 75%. Functional. Not heroic.

And all I wanted was comfort food.

Specifically: tomato soup.

Not the fancy kind. Not the “let’s optimize this for protein” kind.

The sit-on-the-couch, blanket-up-to-your-chin, mildly pathetic kind.

Here’s the thing most people don’t understand about being gluten free:

When you’re sick, your executive function drops.

You don’t want to research.

You don’t want to read labels.

You don’t want to risk a new product.

You definitely don’t want to explain cross contact to someone.

You want something safe. Familiar. Predictable.

Yesterday I made one of my go-to soups:

Roasted tomatoes, onion, garlic, red bell pepper. Olive oil, salt, pepper. Roast until charred and collapsing. Blend with chicken stock.

Top with gluten free croutons (bread heels cubed and pan-fried in butter) and a swirl of cream.

Is it faster than opening a can? No.

Is it complicated? Also no.

Could someone else make it for me if I handed them the instructions? Yes.

And that’s the point.

Comfort food for most people when they’re sick involves gluten.

Saltines. Grilled cheese. Canned soup. Toast.

If you don’t intentionally build a gluten free version of your comfort foods ahead of time, you’re left vulnerable when you’re at your weakest.

And that’s when mistakes happen.

Adding a gluten exposure on top of a virus? That’s not just miserable. It can set you back weeks.

This isn’t about fear.

It’s about preparation.

You don’t need a Pinterest board of 40 gluten free recipes.

You need 3–5 comfort foods you can make half-asleep.

And ideally, someone else in your house knows how to make them too.

That’s resilience.

Future sick-you deserves systems.

So here’s your gentle homework:

What are your gluten free sick-day foods?

Do you know how to make them without thinking?

Could someone else make them for you?

If not — that’s a place to tighten up.

This is how we live well with celiac. Not perfectly. Not dramatically. Just prepared.