How to Support Gluten-free Cancer Patients

Pink and navy blue Moleskine notebook with Sakura Flowers printed on it with matching box of Blackwing pencils.

Over the course of October, which is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I saw tons of articles about how to support friends and family who are battling breast cancer. At the time, I thought to myself I really should write a blog post about how to support folks who can't eat all those tasty comfort food treats I kept seeing in those posts. And then, on Halloween, I became a diagnosed cancer patient.

To say I didn't see that coming doesn't even begin to cover it.

Now, with a week of having friends ask how they can help (and prodding me to start a GoFundMe to help with all those unexpected medical costs, including increased copays and deductibles in 2026., I'm writing that post.

Can You Order and Send Gluten-free Food Gifts Online?

Yes, you can! But always check with the recipient first to ask about any food allergies or intolerances they may have. For example, I can't eat wheat (in addition to gluten), peanuts, shellfish, and anything derived from fir or pine trees (i.e. gin, pine nuts, etc.)

Here are some of my favorite gift ideas for gluten-free food gift packages:

Goldbelly lets you order delicious treats from all sorts of iconic American producers. I know I'd love to get a box in the mail with any of these treats (to share a few of the awesome offerings):
- Chef Geoffrey Zakarian's GF Famous Brownies
- Cake Chicago's No Grain, No Pain! Gluten Free Gift Box
- Honest Biscuits' The Giant Pike Place Biscuits - Gluten Free
- Pop's Bagels, 1 dozen gluten-free bagels
- Kane's Donuts gluten-free donut 6-pack (I had these delivered in Boston and loved the strawberry and chocolate donuts!)
- Tony's PIzza Napoletana gluten-free pizza 3-pack
- Ladurée Paris macarons
Mariposa Baking Company was one of my favorite places to shop when I lived in San Francisco. The good news is you can order their dedicated gluten-free kitchen's amazing pizza crusts, breads, and treats and have them delivered!
Fortnum & Mason makes all sorts of delicious teas-like the Royal Blend I am sipping now-and has a special gluten-free holiday gift box that would make any gluten-free tea lover happy. Or, if you want to go all out, they also have a specialty gluten-free Christmas hamper.
Zingerman's has a gluten-free bakery gift box.
Wolferman's has a number of gluten-free goodies you can order and send together, including English muffins, cakes, brownies, cookies, and muffins.
Baked By Melissa has a whole slew of cupcakes, macarons, and even meatbals you can include in a care package.
Love Me Gluten-free has a monthly subscription box that includes a wide range of gluten-free foods, making it the perfect gift for the person in your life who loves the anticipation of opening a monthly surprise.
Many gift basket companies like GiftsDirect, Gourmet Gift Baskets, It's Only Natural, Harry & David, also have gluten-free basket options.

How Can I Give the Gift of Gluten-free Meals?

I had many folks as if I wanted them to organize a meal train, which I haven't done yet, because I had to think through how that would actually work, given my allergies, and so many folks who wanted to participate not living nearby.

If this sounds like your loved one's situation, here's a possible solution-you can use an online meal train planner, but ask participants to help by giving the gift of a meal or gift certificate for one of these services:

Thrive Market is an excellent resource for assembling a gluten-free care package or sending some dinners. I have all my gluten-free grocery staples saved here with a monthly subscription, so I don't run out of the things we use every day, and I regularly put in an order for gluten-free frozen items that I can't get other places.
Hungryroot is a riff on the meal kit, offering a wide range of recipes and healthy groceries that can be customized to fit a range of dietary needs (and individual recipes can be edited to remove things you can't eat.)
GreenChef offers a solid selection of gluten-free meal kits that I've tried and liked, and CookXUnity also appears interesting for those who prefer pre-made food and have a microwave.
Williams-Sonoma offers a gluten-free care package with three days of meals from Manini, including macaroni and cheese, lasagna rolls, and stuffed pasta shells.
Spoonful of Comfort gifts are really popular, and include a few gluten-free soups in the mix. Note, they only have one gluten-free bread and dessert option, and some of the soups have a lot of milk or onions, so keep that in mind when ordering.
DoorDash, Uber Eats, and other food delivery services offer gift certificates as a thoughtful way to send an allergy-free meal of their choice.

When in Doubt, Go Without Gifting Food

Even on the best days, it feels bad to receive a well-intentioned gift that looks delicious that you can't eat. When you have cancer, you don't even have the energy to deal with having to reach out to both thank the giver for the gesture while also reiterating you can't eat what they sent.

So if you have someone who you want to support but aren't sure how, here are a few recent gifts I've given or received that could fit the bill:

Moleskine notebooks for keeping a journal
Blackwing pencils
Coloring books for adults, like the latest ones from Lisa Frank, Color & Frame, or Lisa Congdon.
Soucolor Fineliner Color Pens for making the most of those coloring books
Hydrating and relaxing hand and body lotions. My favorites are Nécessaire fragrance-free body lotion, MALIN+GOETZ Vitamin B5 Body Moisturizer & Lotion, Molton Brown Orange Hand Lotion, and Fresh Hesperides Grapefruit Body Lotion.
Button-front pajama sets, like those from Lesley Evers, Print Fresh, Boden, and Quince.
If you know they love receiving flowers, Farmgirl Flowers and Urban Stems offer great one-off bouquets, and Bouqs has a seasonal subscription option. If they're a gardener, Plant Gem has a nicely curated selection of live plants and tubers.
Not seeing something that grabs your eye? Consider making your own care package. I have a curated Amazon list of gifts for gluten-free bakers, and one for stocking a gluten-free pantry that I regularly add items to that you can start form.
Ask them to share their wish lists with you. Whether it's on Etsy, Food52, Amazon, or wherever they go to window shop, buying a little something they've had their eye on can brighten their day.