Holidays can be especially stressful for those of us with conditions causing gluten intolerance or gluten sensitivity because of the difficulties associated with the needs of maintaining a gluten-free diet and environment amid the avalanche of gluten-filled barbecues, parties and cookouts.

And, I’m going to talk about one thing that you and I can do about that but first, I’d like to share what I believe is the true meaning of Memorial Day and what it means to me.

In the United States of America, Memorial Day is a time of celebrating our honored dead who made the ultimate sacrifice to protect our and often other countries’ freedom and to provide safety to you and to me. They are our fallen Heroes and we remember them fondly with memorial services, firing-squad salutes, prayers and love for what they have done to keep us and those in other parts of the world free.

Many of them didn’t want to fight, let alone die… probably most of them… but they did anyway because it was the right thing to do.

They fought and died on American soil in our earliest wars and later in places many of us had never heard of before – places like Verdun, Luzon, Monte Cassino, Khe Sanh, Khafji, Nasiriyah, Bishkek and the Helmand River Valley. They responded to their country’s call to protect Her interests and Her People. They remembered how and why “We the People” came about and what is necessary for that concept to never be forgotten and to endure forever on the earth.

We thank them and their families for what they have done for us. But we all know that words are insufficient to express our deep gratitude and our humble thanks. We know that we can never repay them for their loss but we honor their memory and their sacrifices.

Because of them we can still have cookouts, barbecues and parties. We can have our comfort and freedom and fun on this day because of their sacrifice. But, the prosperity that they have bought us is unfortunately for you and me filled with gluten…

When I was thinking about what to write on today, I chose salads. They are inexpensive, easy to prepare, taste good and, if you can get a good food fight going, they can be really fun to eat…. (It’s an acquired taste that I learned from my husband…)

And, besides, what’s a cookout without a salad to spill? Here are some suggestions for serving a gluten-free salad that everyone will like.

Garbanzo, Zucchini, Feta and Pasta Salad

These are frugal gluten-free recipes designed for those with gluten intolerance, gluten sensitivity, or celiac disease. But. I’ve found that people who have no food allergies like them, too. They are wheat-free, barley-free and rye-free, and they are ideal for a gluten-free diet. Some are also casein-free, dairy-free, egg-free, lactose-free, nut-free and refined sugar-free.