A pediatric dietitian offers tips to help celiac patients avoid cross contamination with gluten in food. http://www.chop.edu/celiac Janel Steinhoff, RDN, LDN, a dietitian with the Center for Celiac Disease at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, offers practical tips to avoid cross contamination of gluten-containing and gluten-free products to best protect people with celiac disease. Children living with celiac disease must avoid eating anything containing gluten. This can be challenging in a household where not everyone has celiac disease or reacts negatively to gluten. Tips include: Wash your hands with soap and water before preparing, serving or eating food. Consider purchasing two of certain shared food items – like peanut butter –and dedicating one (labeled "GF") for family members who must eat gluten-free. Prepare gluten-free foods first to avoid cross-contamination. Use utensils and tools made of glass, stainless steel or hard plastic instead of wood. Difficult-to-clean products like toaster ovens should be avoided by people with celiac disease unless two separate appliances can be maintained and one is clearly labeled as "gluten-free only". Clean surfaces and prep items before using them.