1. Don’t throw food away.

This concept even works well if your gluten free experiment goes bad. Your bread recipe gone awry can turn into breadcrumbs, croutons or an awesome French Toast Casserole (we have 3 recipes to choose from here.) Flat cookies can turn into pie crust or ice cream toppings. Crunch them up and put them in the freezer to use later. A bland casserole can be the beginning of a fantastic soup. I recently turned a leftover GF chicken potpie and some leftover cauliflower into one of the best soups we’ve ever had.

2. Buy naturally gluten free groceries

Potatoes, rice, fruit, vegetables, dairy products, eggs, meats, fish, & poultry in their natural states are naturally gluten free. Look for store specials and farmer’s markets to stock up on a budget. Some people swear by Asian stores for cheap rice and rice noodles.

3. Special order a case from your grocery store or health food store.

Many stores will special order a case of your favorite gluten free product and give you 10% off on it. Win/win. You don’t have to pay for shipping, and they don’t have to find shelf space for products that they are afraid they may not be able to sell, or have you clean off the shelf of their whole inventory.

4. Buy major national brands, when trusted.

Buying specifically gluten free brands is always more expensive than buying a naturally gluten free products from a large national brand. Food companies are becoming increasingly more allergy friendly. Many products are run on dedicated lines that never run gluten filled products, or have processes in place to help prevent cross-contamination. Confirming the process with an email or phone call can put your mind at ease in some cases and free you up to buy some much cheaper products that are often on sale at your grocery store.

Some large companies that have gluten free options and are frequently on sale and offer coupons are: Betty Crocker, Boar’s Head, General Mills, Zatarains, Kraft, Frito Lay, Chex Cereals, Progresso Soups and Sauces, Heinz, just to name a few. Get a Gluten Free Shopping Guide to help figure out the brands you used to buy that you didn’t even know were gluten free. Some good resources are: Cecelia’s Marketplace Shopping Guide and cell phone app “Is that Gluten Free.”

5. Shop at large chain stores.

I always try to buy things in a physical store before checking online. I have Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods in my area as well as just about any other chain store you can think of. In fact, I have four Whole Foods stores within 15 minutes of my house, but I do have compassion if you don’t. If you live in a small town, that may not be an option for you very often, but even Target, Wal-Mart and Costco (or something like it) are good stores for filling in some gluten free items and many small towns have at least one of those nearby.

6. Price Compare Online with Google Shopping

If you only want a few things, Use the “shopping” button on Google. Type in the product you want in the search box and push “shopping.” Sort that list “By price low to high,” and you have a quick price comparison. If any of those companies offer free shipping, it will say so as well. I tried it with Bob’s Red Mill Almond Meal/Flour and found a 1 lb bag for $8.99 – that’s up to $4 less than it was on some of the other sites I was familiar with. I never would have found it without that handy “shopping” button.

7. Shop Online from stores that have no shipping charge when possible – or buy a lot at once to save on shipping.

If you are buying just a couple of products, shipping can often cost more than your order. One 16 oz. bag of Bob’s Almond Flour costs an average of $11 online and shipping, where I checked, was an average of $9 for UPS ground and $5.25 USPS from Bob’s, but $78 if I need it tomorrow. If I need that ONE bag of flour sent to me UPS Next Day Air, it would cost $125 on www.glutenfreeplaza.com. Wow, I better plan ahead. CRAZY!

Free From Gluten online store always gives free shipping over $50.

8. Buy in bulk online.

Buying in bulk online is a good way to save if you use a LOT of flour. You can even use the Google Shopping button for that if you know what you are looking for. I compared Bob’s Red Mill Almond Flour in bulk on several major sites. You can buy a 1 lb. bag for an average of $11. You can buy 4 – 16 ounce bags for an average of $43 (cheapest is amazon.com at $39), which is about $10.75 per pound. You can also buy a 25 pound bag directly from Bob’s for $90. That’s $3.60 per pound – a HUGE savings, if you’d use it all.

9. Take Advantage of Frequent Buyer and Special Deals

I found a few great money saving frequent buyer deals.

www.Amazon.com has a product subscription plan called “Subscribe and Save.” Here’s how it works. For products you frequently buy, you can “subscribe” to have that product delivered at regular intervals. You choose the product you buy frequently and the delivery schedule. For example, 4 -16 ounce bags of Bob’s Red Mill Almond Meal are regularly about $39. On the Subscribe and Save plan, you get a savings of $8 plus free shipping. You can cancel any time.

www.glutenfreemall.com has several ways to save. Check the Specials and Coupons tab before you place your order, which has selected items on sale for 20%-50% off. If you buy 10 or more of the same item, you get 10% off. They have a reward points program. For each $100 you buy, for example, you get $10 of points that you can use on the next purchase, effectively giving you a 10% discount.

Gluten Free Palace also has several ways to save – coupons and promotions, deal of the week. 5%, 10% and 20% off bins. Click on the promotions tab.

Good luck on your hunt for less expensive gluten free products. Hope this helps! If you have any other great ideas, add them in the comment box below.

6 Tips for Gluten Free Lunches

1. Buy a fun lunch box for smaller kids
2. Invest in a good thermos and lunch size cooler to keep things hot and cold
3. Let them plan their own lunches to be sure they will enjoy what’s in it
4. Substitute Sunbutter for peanut butter if your child is in a nut free class. It’s made with sunflower seeds, but tastes just as good
5. Remind small kids not to trade any food with friends and not to try anything from anyone else
6. Pack a treat – Even if it’s bite sized. It’s hard work being gluten free at school!

75 Gluten Free School Lunch Ideas

1. Breads that work well for PBJ’s – Canyon Bakehouse, O’Doughs, Udi’s
2. Grilled cheese sandwiches – try cutting in half then in 3’s to make finger sandwiches
3. Gluten Free Deli Meats – Hormel, Boar’s Head
4. Sandwich Petals, corn or rice tortillas for quesadilla’s
5. Sandwich Petals for Wraps
6. Leftovers from dinner
7. Frito Pie – GF Chili, Fritos, cheese
8. Hard Boiled Eggs
9. Deviled Eggs
10. Hot dogs (Many brands GF. Check labels)
11. Ian’s Corn dogs
12. Ian’s Fish Sticks
13. Chicken Nuggets – Ian’s or homemade
14. Pasta Salads full of veggies/seeds with Italian Dressing or Pesto
15. Mac and Cheese- homemade or Amy’s or Glutino
16. GF soups in a thermos- Amy’s, Kettle Cuisine, Some Progresso (check labels)
17. GF Sushi – our Asian friends bring this to school all the time!
18. Salads
19. English Muffin Pizzas – love Joan’s and Food for Life English Muffins
20. Tuna Salad or chicken salad
21. Potato salad – great with Italian dressing instead of mayo
22. Delimex taquitos and tamales – click for specifics
23. Nachos
24. Fried Rice with veggies
25. Burritos – GlutenFreeda or Amy’s Kitchen
26. Fresh Fruit- Grapes, apples, bananas, cantaloupe, oranges, etc
27. Dried Fruit- Raisins, Cranberries, Pineapple, Apples, etc.
28. Freeze Dried Fruits – Sensible Foods (available at Costco sometimes)
29. General Mills Fruit Roll Ups & Fruit Gushers
30. Trader Joe’s Crispy Crunchy Apple Clusters
31. Trader Joe’s Sunflower Crepes
32. Popcorn
33. Mini popcorn balls (make your own, bite sized version)
34. GF Chex Muddy Buddies
35. Chex Mix – infinite variations. Here’s one.
36. Kinnikinnick S’moreables Graham crackers
37. Graham cracker squares – Jules GF Graham Cracker Mix (Roll out, cut in 1″ squares and top with cinnamon/sugar before baking. Great bite size snacks! Addictive!)
38. Banana Dog – GF Hot Dog Bun with banana, Sunbutter and honey
39. Home Made Trail Mix – Chex cereals, M&Ms, Nuts, pretzels, seeds, dried fruits
40. Granola – Bakery on Main, Udi’s, Glutino, EnerG
41. Cookies – Pamela’s, Kinni-Toos, WOW Baking Co, Glow Gluten Free, Nana’s, Glutino
42. Cookies – homemade (check the dessert section for lots of choices), Joan’s Frozen or Jules Mix, French Meadow Bakery Frozen Dough
43. Brownies – GF Betty Crocker, WOW Baking Co, The GF Cookie Jar
44. Krispie Treats made with GF Rice cereal, Fruity or Cocoa Pebbles or Chex cereal
45. Banana or Zucchini Bread
46. Udi’s Muffins (1/4  or ½ of an Udi’s muffin may be enough!)
47. Muffins – homemade
48. Mini cupcakes – use a GF mix or a good recipe
49. Chips – Many Frito Lay, Lundberg’s Rice Chips
50. Salsa, Hummus
51. Celery with Sunbutter and raisins, or cheese
52. Sliced cucumber or jicama
53. Cherry or grape tomatoes
54. Carrots with dressing
55. Nuts, Sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds
56. String Cheese
57. GoGurt
58. Yogurt (Confirm label for ingredients)
59. Lara Bars
60. Glutino Bars
61. Rice Cakes – plain, flavored, or spread with peanutbutter, Sunbutter or cream cheese (Many rice cake brands/flavors are GF. Check labels)
62. GF Pretzels (Plain, or Glutino Chocolate or Yogurt covered)
63. Fruit Cups
64. Applesauce
65. Jell-O cups
66. Jell-O Pudding cups- most are GF
67. GF Crackers – Blue Diamond Nut Thins, Crunchmaster, Mary’s Gone Crackers
68. Homemade Copy Cat Cheez-its – these are amazingly addictive!
69. Bagel with cream cheese or strawberry cream cheese – Udi’s or Joan’s bagels
70. Baked Sweet potato chips – slice thin and bake until Crispy. Top with sea salt or cinnamon/sugar
71. Kinnikinnick GF Animal Crackers – KinniKritters
72. Kinnikinnick Donuts
73. M&Ms, or other GF candy bars
74. Pies in a jar (Make any flavor of pie you like and use any GF pie crust mix)
75. Note of encouragement from Mom and Dad

Always check labels to confirm gluten free status of products.

Have any other creative lunch ideas? Add them in the comment section below.

Before you send your gluten free student off to college, here are some suggestions to make going to college gluten free slightly easier:

1. Meet with the food services director and ask what accommodations are available to gluten free students and ask how many others are on the same diet
2. Tour the cafeteria when it is in use and speak to the cooks about food preparation techniques and ask about their knowledge of cross-contamination
3. If your college requires that you purchase a meal plan, but you realize early on that there is not much suitable for you to eat, ask if they will adapt the requirement for you.
4. Invest in a good microwave and refrigerator for the dorm room. Just about all colleges allow these within their wattage guidelines.
5. Check restaurants in the area online to find out all you can about gluten free options, then visit some of the most likely options and gather a collection of gluten free menus or options that your student can order. I just found a gluten free café that even delivers in my son’s college town!
6. Visit the grocery stores nearby the school to scope out gluten free options.  If your student has a couple of favorite GF items that you can get at home, but you don’t see in the store near the school, ask the manager if they will order a couple of things to begin carrying for you. They are often happy to do it!
7. Mail lots of packages of gluten free goodies from home – especially around finals time!
8. Move out of the dorm as soon as possible and get a place with a kitchen and a few simple GF recipes!

1. Focus on what they CAN eat, not what they CAN’T eat

If your kids are small, you can give them (and those who will come in contact with them) the great gift of not making it all about them whenever food is around. Teach them to look for options, not limitations, quietly and in a whisper with you, not a discussion that the whole group has to be a part of – the goal being, to eventually not discuss the food at all. Just figure out what you can eat and eat it.

2. Try new foods often

Congratulate kids for trying something new, even if they hate it. Have you tasted some of this stuff?? Kids should not be punished for not liking foods that don’t taste good to them. If the whole experimental gluten free meal is awful, don’t take it personally –treat it with humor.

3. Allow kids to be part of the menu planning and cooking process

If they plan it and help cook it, they learn about planning their own meals and picking foods, plus they will complain less if it doesn’t turn out well.

4. Arrange your kitchen so kids know what they can eat.

If your whole kitchen isn’t gluten free, give them a shelf that is just their stuff – GF crackers, breads, cereals and snacks – and stock your refrigerator with fruits and veggies that are all gluten free.

5. Buy well known brands for when their friends come over (if they can eat them) so they don’t feel “different.”

I keep a basket of individual sized Frito-Lay chips in our home theater at all times and a basket of popular “fun size” candy bars that just happen to be gluten free for when my son’s  friends show up for movies or video games and we’re ready for a party day or night.

6. Handle the issue of treats in the classroom in advance.

Ask the teacher to notify you on days that treats will be brought in to class. You can also have your child assemble a few of his favorite gluten free treats in a baggie to be held by the teacher for times when there are foods your child can’t eat.

7. Focus on what they CAN eat, not what they CAN’T eat.

Number 1 on this list is so important that I decided to restate it again!

Teach kids to see options, not limitations. Help them see it’s not all about them when food is around and that sometimes they will have to wait to eat without complaining or ever announcing, “I can’t eat THAT!”

1. Identify your allergy/intolerance/sensitivity

Know the foods that trigger a reaction and study the names they may hide under. Many ingredients go by multiple names, so if you think you may forget all the things you are looking for, bring a list to the store until you feel confident that you’ve got it (See the list below)You can purchase a listing of known gluten free brands as a reference in an iphone app, or in book form (I have Cecilia’s Gluten Free Shopping Guide, by Matison and Matison)

2. Read, read, and read again.

Even if you’ve purchased a product dozens of times, check the label each time. Companies frequently change their formulas in order to save money, switch suppliers, or improve lagging sales.

3. If needed, contact the manufacturer.

If you’ve gone to the store armed with knowledge of what you’re avoiding, you’ve read the label, and you still can’t figure out if a product is safe, call the manufacturer. Almost all websites list a customer service email or phone number and companies are happy to talk to you about their ingredients and processes.

Just because a product doesn’t say its gluten free in big bold letters on the front, doesn’t mean its not. Many products are naturally gluten free and aren’t necessarily going to call your attention to it. By the same token, I’ve spoken to companies who use a lot of legal jargon to refuse verifying that something is absolutely gluten free even though it is because they are afraid of being sued if you happen to get sick. That happened today with an email response from a household product company. They actually said they will not say if any of their products are gluten free because it is the customer’s responsibility to check. That doesn’t mean none of their products are GF. Just try to wade through the conversation or email and separate out the real story from the legal jargon. If in doubt, proceed to step 4.

4. When in doubt, leave it out!

If your reaction to the foods you are trying to avoid is fairly mild, you may be up for a bite for experimentation’s sake when you are unsure, but for the majority of gluten free folks or those with other allergies and sensitivities, it’s just not worth it!

Are Oats Safe on a GF diet? It is likely that oats processed on the same equipment with wheat are contaminated, but oats in and of themselves have been found by the American Dietetic Association to be safe for Celiac patients and others who are on gluten free diets – assuming they are labeled gluten free and processed in a plant without wheat. Do your homework. (Bob’s Red Mill and a few others sell gluten free oats)

Hidden Gluten Sources

Obviously on a gluten free diet, the main grains to avoid are wheat, barley and rye, and anything derived from those 3 grains

Here are some ingredients that MAY have gluten. Some manufacturers will clarify the source of the ingredient if it is not specified on the label.

• Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Flour
• Barley extract
• Cyclodextrin
• Dextrin
• Dextrin Palmitate
• Emulsifier
• Fermented grain extract
• Flavoring
• Flour or Cereal products, unless made with pure rice flour, corn flour, potato flour, or soy flour
• Hydrolyzed Malt Extract
• Hydrolyzed Oat Flour
• Hydrolyzed Plant Protein
• Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein, unless its source is corn or soy
• Hydrolyzed Wheat Flour
• Hydrolyzed Wheat Gluten
• Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein
• Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein/PVP Crosspolymer
• Hydrolyzed Wheat Starch
• Malt or Malt flavoring, unless its source is corn
• Maltodextrin (can be derived from wheat or corn)
• Modified Starch or Modified Food Starch, unless arrowroot, corn, potato, tapioca, waxy maize, or maize is used
• Phytosphingosine extract
• Samino peptide complex
• Secale Cereale (Rye) Seed Flour
• Sodium C8-16 Isoalkylsuccinyl
• Soy Sauce or Soy Sauce Solids, unless you know they do not contain wheat
• Stablizer
• Starch
• Triticum Vulgare (Wheat) Germ Extract
• Triticum Vulgare (Wheat) Germ Oil
• Triticum Vulgare (Wheat) Gluten
• Triticum Vulgare (Wheat) Starch
• Vitamin E (source can be wheat germ – clarify with manufacturer)
• Wheat Amino Acids
• Wheat Germ Glycerides
• Wheat Germamidopropalkonium Chloride
• Wheat Protein Sulfonate
• Wheatgermamidopropyl Ethyldimonium Ethosulfate
• Yeast Extract

Gluten Free baking seems very complex at first glance. I have more flour in my house now than I ever had before I had a GF kitchen. One flour used to take the space that is now occupied by ten. It’s honestly not that difficult once you get the hang of it. It just takes a little reading, a lot of shopping, and some adventurous experimentation. Don’t give up if at first you don’t succeed!

Content:

Make sure nothing you are using has any form of gluten. Wheat flour, rye flour, barley flour are the obvious flours to avoid, but there are many forms other forms of wheat flour to be avoided: spelt, semolina, graham, durum are a few of these. Oats should also usually be avoided because cross contamination often occurs in processing. Certified Gluten Free Oats are available, but expensive.

Breading, malts (usually made from barley), modified food starch (could be made from wheat), and soy sauce (made from wheat) all must be avoided.

Contamination:

The world is full of toxins and poisons for the gluten free person. The home should be the one totally safe gluten free zone, as far as I’m concerned. If your kitchen is not a gluten free space, you may want to consider making it one.

It is a good idea to keep separate tools for food preparation if your entire kitchen is not gluten free. After doing this for a while and being extremely conscientious, I noticed others in the family would blow my anti-contamination plan by doing something like spreading butter on wheat bread and then putting the knife back in the butter, or leaving crumbs on the counter. Instead of being the gluten police, I decided to go all gluten free for cooking and leave a few prepackaged wheat filled snacks around for those who insisted on them, or let them get their gluten fix when were out at restaurants, but not at home. Over the years, with the improvement of packaged GF snacks (as well as a marked increase in my gf baking abilities), I find there is plenty for everyone to enjoy that is all gluten free. My goal is to make sure my GF son is never ever worried about getting contaminated in his own home.

Never use a toaster or unsterilized cutting board that has been used for a gluten filled product. My bread machine, mixer and muffin pans have never seen wheat, either. If you wash or dry pans that have touched gluten, do not use the sponge or towel for gluten free items. I switched to paper towels for washing and drying to avoid that contamination.

Flours:

When gluten is removed from a recipe, a mixture of flours, proteins and binders must be used to emulate the binding and rising that the gluten would have provided. If it all sounds too complicated at this point, you can simply use All Purpose Gluten Free flour and some xanthan or guar gum in just about any recipe and have a pretty decent result. About 1 teaspoon of gum for each cup of GF flour is usually good.

Feeling adventurous? Then read on.

You’ll need the ingredients you already have: eggs (I used Ener-G Egg Replacer successfully for a long time while I was also baking dairy free – tips and exchanges are on the box), salt, sugar (or suitable sugar substitutes), baking powder (check to see that there are no harmful ingredients in the brand you use), baking soda, yeast, and butter.

The staples of GF flours in most recipes are:

Rice Flour- brown and white

Rice flour is the basis for most GF flour blends. White Rice- It is bland tasting, not terribly nutrient-filled, pretty affordable and has a long shelf life. Brown Rice flour includes the bran, so it is more nutritious and higher in fiber and protein. It needs to be stored in the refrigerator.

Potato Starch and Potato Flour

Starch is very light and made from raw white potatoes. The flour is made from cooked white potatoes and is much heavier. Do not use one when the other is called for. They are different.

Tapioca Flour and Tapioca Starch

These are the same thing and ground from the starchy root of the cassava plant. This adds body and chewy texture to most baked goods and is found in most GF baking flour blends

Bean Flours

There are several types of bean flours including pinto, garbanzo, and garfava blend. They grind up the whole bean to make these flours and they must be stored in the refrigerator or freezer. BY the way, garbanzo bean flour right out of the bag is my absolute favorite for coating anything that is fried. It adds tons of flavor and makes a nice heavy coating.

Quinoa

This a high nutrient, grainy flour that cannot be used in large quantities. It will not be the basis of any baked good, but will usually be a nice additive. It’s very nutty – almost gives a bit of a peanut butter flavor and will really change the taste of a recipe. I often use it as a replacement in a recipe calling for wheat germ or even sometimes oats, but its lighter in consistency, so its not an even exchange.

Amaranth Flour

This is a nutritious flour made from ground up amaranth seeds. Often used in flour blends.

Sweet Rice Flour

Made from ground up sushi rice and makes a good thickener or addition to cookie recipes.

Cornstarch

Is made from the starchy portion of corn. It does not add flavor, but is a great thickener in recipes. You can usually use this in place of flour in any recipe that calls for a couple tablespoons of flour as an even exchange.

Cornmeal

This is a coarsely ground flour made from the entire kernel of corn and comes in several varieties. It is sometimes used in a flour blend to add texture, and it should be stored in the freezer.

Gums – guar and xanthan

These gums add the chewy feel and are an essential binder in a recipe without gluten. Some people have trouble digesting guar gum, which is made from the endosperm of the guar seed. Xanthan gum is produced from the fermentation process of glucose or sucrose. These gums are interchangeable in equal amounts. I used to use both as called for in recipes, but I now exclusively use xanthan gum. Not sure why, but I’m happy with it.

Bread Tips:

Gluten Free doughs have more of a batter consistency. Use pans with walls to bake most breads. I like to use individual loaf pans for many breads, so I can freeze the ones we don’t eat (my family is not that large though.). That size microwaves on high for 1 minute, wrapped in a paper towel and it’s perfect and ready to eat Most GF recipes make about 5 individual loaves. Muffin pans work well for biscuits.

Cookie tip: I find that many cookie recipes do not rise as well as I would like without gluten. Baking powder causes cookies to rise, while baking soda causes cookies to spread. If your recipe calls for both, increase the baking powder by about ¼ teaspoon while decreasing the baking soda by about ¼ teaspoon.

The BEST Substitution and flour mix chart:

The Living Without website has a perfect and necessary substitution chart of flour blends, milk and egg substitutions and more that is especially helpful for adapting recipes for multiple allergies, such as dairy and nut. I have this chart printed out and it is the cover of my personal recipe book. It has been a great teacher for gluten free baking. See the chart here.

Good luck and happy baking!

If you have any other gluten free baking tips, add them below!

1. If it’s a catered event, ask the host/hostess who the caterer is ask if they mind if you call and arrange for a gluten free preparation. It’s surprising how well this works. It’s usually just a matter of leaving off sauces on chicken, steak and fish and making sure the side dishes are free of croutons, breadcrumbs and sauces. Desserts are usually not doable, but think of all the calories you are saving!

2. Eat before you go, so you can look for veggies and other safe choices to munch on, but you won’t be starving if you can’t find them. Keep your expectations low if you are not bringing any food of your own.

3. Potlucks – Bring two things so you will have more choices – a main dish and a side dish or dessert that you can enjoy, but others will like as well.

• There are many ideas in the recipe section here that you never need to mention are gluten free.
• Grilled chicken in a gluten free marinade is always a great idea.
• Kabobs with chicken or steak, peppers, pineapple, cherry tomatoes
• Potatoes Au Gratin
• Baked Apples
• Squash Casserole
• Sweet Potato Casserole

4. Parties – check with the host/hostess and make sure its okay to bring a contribution of your own.

• Spinach Artichoke Dip with carrot sticks and tortilla chips.
• Fruit with a yogurt dip is another good party choice
• Cut the Betty Crocker Brownies and cut into bite sized squares, sprinkle with powdered sugar.
• Chicken or steak skewers
• Chips and dips

5. Kid parties- the new Betty Crocker chocolate chip cookies and brownies easily pass for the real thing and your child can eat what he brought. The Betty Crocker GF cake mixes make great cupcakes as well, and these mixes are readily available at most grocery stores and even Target and Walmart. There are many safe kinds of popular chips that your child can bring as well.

Think ahead, and you can have a great experience at any social gathering.

Add your party survival tips in the comment section below!

1. Consider all the foods that you love that are naturally gluten free – and stick with them. Cook them in really simple ways until you feel ready to experiment with gravies and sauces that will need substitute ingredients. Stock up on these:

• Proteins like roasted chicken and turkey, grilled steak, fish, and lamb

• All vegetables and fruits are naturally gluten free

• Starches and grains such as potatoes and rice (There are many grains you eat, but start with the basics that you are used to eating)

• Read the ingredients on individual packages –but many of your favorite packaged snack foods are not off limits, such as – popcorn, many of your favorite candies, corn chips, tortilla chips, potato chips, raisins, even Cheetos!

• Many canned and instant soups are okay as well- just know what to look for on the label

• Guacamole and salsa!

• Eggs, milk, most yogurts

• Soda, juice

• Some cereals – Rice Chex, Corn Chex, Chocolate Chex, Cinnamon Chex, Honey Chex, Corn Flakes, Fruity Pebbles, just to name a few

2. Clean out your kitchen of all gluten!

• Read labels and get rid of gluten containing foods. Looking around the kitchen and seeing mostly foods you CAN’T eat is the fastest way to feel deprived by your new lifestyle.

• If you are trying to go gluten free and others in the house are still gluten filled, or vice versa, have a shelf or cabinet that’s just full of safe foods and start cutting back on what you buy that’s not gluten free. No one will even notice if you begin a secret phase out.

3. Pick your favorite three restaurants and study the menus online. Figure out some choices you can safely order and enjoy.

• If you do an online search of most national restaurants and the words “allergy information,” you will probably find a gluten free menu that you did not know about or at least some information about the gluten free suggestions that are available.

• If your favorites are small, local places, go in and talk to a manager during off hours to see how they can accommodate you. They usually will!

• Sometimes a different preparation of your favorite dish will make it gluten free. For example, Chicken Parmesan – breaded and fried chicken with tomato sauce, is a definite no-no because of the breading. We often order it with a grilled chicken breast but still topped with the gooey mozzarella and yummy tomato sauce. Just a simple change and its suddenly gluten free and it’s much healthier anyway. Many of your favorite dishes can be altered slightly so that you can still eat them. You don’t have to deprive yourself!

Just start here – these few things will make your transition very tolerable and even pleasant because you will begin to feel so much better. After you implement these and start feeling adventurous, then you are ready to move on to more complex shopping and cooking.

When dining out, it is important to ask questions every time. Though it takes some effort to make sure your meal is gluten-free, you can enjoy eating at restaurants. Another bonus: you are helping to increase awareness of gluten intolerance! Hopefully this will result in more food choices for everyone in the future.

Here are some tips to make your restaurant experience a little easier:

1. Call and check menu ahead of time. If you know where you will be dining, look up the restaurant’s website. Often the restaurant will have their menu available to view online. If it does not, explain your situation to the manager when you arrive and make sure they are willing to work with you.
2. Narrow down the menu. At the restaurant, find 2 or 3 dishes that look good to you and that seem “safe” (no obvious gluten). Don’t expect the waitperson to spend time going over the entire menu with you. It’s easier and safer to have them check on just a few dishes than the whole menu.
3. Get the waitperson’s attention. Try to spend a few minutes with the waitperson before everyone else is asked for their order. A good time might be when the waitperson comes to take drink orders or to tell about the specials. Motion for the waitperson to come close to you — trying to explain things over a table of people can be difficult and embarrassing.
4. Communicate. Explain your dietary needs before you order and ALWAYS ask the waiter to check with the chef about if something contains gluten or how it is prepared. There have been many times when I ask a waiter something like if there is a dedicated fryer for French fries and they insist there is, only to discover there is not when they check with the kitchen. Speak to the manager before you order if it seems your waiter doesn’t quite get it. I’ve had many restaurant managers approach me during a meal and say “Feel free to ask for me when you get here next time and I will make sure you are taken care of.”
5. Substitute. Don’t be afraid to ask for modifications to your selections. If they know it is an allergy, the restaurants are usually fine with making substitutions. For example, ask for rice, polenta, potatoes or a vegetable instead of pasta or cous-cous.
6. Check your food. When the food comes, check everything out – mistakes will be made! If there is something you feel might not be safe, ask the waiter again. Politely say, “I’m so sorry, but are you sure there is no wheat or soy sauce in here? I just need to be so careful.” If your salad had croutons on it, or your hamburger came with a bun by mistake, before you send it back, BE SURE they know they must throw it away and start over since you can eat nothing that has touched wheat.
7. Enjoy! When you are confident that your food is okay, eat up and enjoy!

Even when the above steps are taken, there is risk of cross contamination and mistakes. Everyone has a different level of tolerance, but the goal is always zero tolerance – no gluten!

Over time, you will build up a list of places that you know can accommodate you safely.

Here are the top ten things you need in your kitchen to go gluten free!

1. An adventurous spirit! Experiment with cooking!

2. Xanthan Gum

Xanthan gum is added to gluten free flours to give your baked goods that nice gooey texture that gluten provides in regular cakes and breads.

3. A good gluten free cookbook or favorite recipe web site

You need to have some bready gluten free recipes on hand so you are ready to go when you have that unavoidable bread craving.

4. A variety of gluten free flours

It takes a mixture of flours, plus xanthan gum to make a good cake, cookie or bread flour. Refer to your cookbook and feel free to experiment to get the mix you like the best. Then make a batch and store it.

5. A few ready-made gluten free mixes and snacks. Check out the Product Review Section

6. A list of gluten free options from your local restaurants.

Can be found online for most chains and by asking the manager at specific restaurants

7. A place to store your gluten free ingredients that is away from your gluten-filled foods. A dedicated shelf or cabinet works well.

8. Airtight containers for different flours and cooking ingredients.

9. Tinkyada Pasta- several varieties

The BEST gluten free spaghetti and macaroni on the market! One of the quickest and best GF meals you can make, especially when you are out of ideas. (See product review)

10. www.glutenfreeville.com

Your resource for gluten free information and products!

What’s essential in YOUR kitchen? Post your ideas below.