Hot Mess Mom » Food » Basic Information for starting on your Gluten-Free Journey
Basic Information for starting on your Gluten-Free Journey
My Number One son does not have Celiac Disease, but has a severe gluten intolerance, so the diet is the same.
People have asked me for tips for the past few years… Basically this post is a just an email of tips that work for our family…. It is not my intention to endorse or to discredit any Gluten-Free product.. I can only comment on the experiences of my family….
Basically, if you cook fresh without lots of processed foods, you are okay… meat, veggies, fruit, rice.
No pasta.
There are several types of gluten free pastas and breads.. none are great.
I purchase rice noodles from the Vietnamese supermarket and use that in chicken soup …. otherwise, we stay away from pasta. Udi’s bread is good.
I also order online from Kinnikinnik …they have cinnamon rolls, brownies, bread, bagels. It’s $10 for overnight shipping and you keep in your freezer until ready to use. I purchase about 12 loaves of bread plus treats at once to save on shipping .
Van’s Gluten Free frozen waffles are a breakfast staple at our house.
Betty Crocker has gluten free cake mix. ( it’s not great, but I add a can of pie filling – usually cherry– to it and makes it much more tasty)
Bob’s Red Mill makes a really good Gluten free flour. I use it for everything… fried chicken, roux, etc… it makes a really good roux surprisingly…
Lots of canned soups, broths, stocks, etc have gluten in them. Go crazy reading labels on anything canned!
As far as chips– anything BBQ flavored has gluten. Plain chips are fine… BBQ chips are not.. Pringles have gluten!
Corn tortillas and plain fritos are gluten free, but flavored frito’s are not…
Rice cereals are gluten free and most Chex cereals are gluten free.
Note that just because something is corn or rice based does not make it gluten free…. Corn pops, Bugles, etc all have wheat.
If you have an iphone — there are 2 amazing apps… “is that gluten free?” and “is that gluten free Eating Out”. You can check by brand or ingredient while at the supermarket or restaurant…
The gluten-free processed foods (breads, cakes, etc) are very expensive. We keep them in freezer for special treats, but really once you get pasta out of your diet and cook with fresh ingredients, it’s fine… the biggest problem is eating out and going to parties, etc.
I give my son’s teacher a bag of gluten free cookies (which i order online…lots of choices on Amazon.com) at the beginning of each quarter and she keeps them in her drawer so when someone brings in cupcakes, cookies, etc he can have a treat also)
Most french fries are NOT gluten free! If they are crispy, they have been dredged in flour… Chick-Fil-A is the only fast food restaurant that I am aware of who’s fries are gluten free.
One last very important item~~~~ soy sauce has gluten! So Chinese food which seems perfect– rice, meat, veggies– is a huge NO!
But Thai and Vietnamese are ok. Also- Sushi is fine (without soy sauce or with Wheat-free soy sauce) but NOTE– imitation Krab meat (generally found in most Krab rolls and California rolls) contains Wheat!
I could go on forever… it has been a very long education for us with lots of setbacks…
I will continue to add to this post as new allergens are discovered and/ or products tested!
GOOD LUCK ON YOUR GLUTEN-FREE JOURNEY!!
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Filed under: Food · Tags: Gluten Free
Hi – myself and two girls have Celiac. A friend sent me a link to your site. We have been gluten-free for quite a while. I just wanted to recommend a couple items to you that your son may enjoy…Pasta by the company bionaturae – - excellent!! Have not had anything that compares. I agree Udi’s is good but Rudy’s is also good if you have not tried. Not crazy about any others. Not sure if you can get in your area but the absolute BEST pizza and bread ever (even my non-celiac husband agrees!) is by Against the Grain Gourmet. They are out of Vermont so not sure how far they extend but I buy at Whole Foods so you could try there. Also, San-J Tamari gluten-free soy sauce is really good. If we go out for sushi, I usually just bring a little container in my purse
Also, again not sure if it is area-specific, but Bell & Evans has amazing gluten-free frozen chicken tenders, nuggets, breasts, etc. They are really good for a last minute meal or something quick. Last, it is not the healthiest but my girls love the gluten-free Bisquick mix. Great for making homemade waffles!! Good luck with your son and thanks for sharing!
Thank you for the tips! I’ll check it out! ( and yes.. GF Bisquick is a staple in our house for Daddy’s Saturday morning chocolate chip pancakes
[...] written about his gluten intolerance and how crazy it makes him. I’ve told you how frustrated I [...]
hey hmm i just read your gluten free story. my son is gluten and dairy free, diagnosed at 2 yrs with autism now adhd at 14, 6 days ago, and this diet changed his life. he is mainstreamed and in the gifted program.keep letting people about this diet. yoyr awesome. ps. giant has all gluten free foods marked throughout the store.