Need Advice

[corryne]

hello! my name is corryne. i am 29 ys old and found out last april that i am gluten intolerant. this was after years of testing for just about everything, and suffering from basically every symptom possible in one form or another, but as I am finding out, like most people my doctors kept searching for other answers. Since I found out that I was gluten intolerant and have tried extremely hard to follow the gluten free diet. but it's not easy. i have a busy schedule and have had to change all my eating out habits and grovery shopping habits. but sometimes i can tell by how i feel after eating that some gluten must have snuck into my diet. i am realizing that i have to stay away from processed meats and almost everything in a restaurant it seems like becuase i don't know what they are using to male stuff. However, this i don't mind, my main problem is that I have a HORRIBLE sweet tooth. i love sweet food, and i don't really mean chocolate. I mean desserts: apple pie, brownies, cupcakes, cakes and of course chocolate chip cookies. I went 3 whole months without anytthing baked, but then last week I broke down and ate a brownie bottom pir from bennigans. I only ate half of the brownie, but I still ate it. I know I need some kind of advice of either how to stop myself from eating it or I need some other sweet things I can eat as an alternative. Also I would like ides of some things ot eat at like bsaic restaurants like Bennigans, Fridays, Applebees. I appreciate any help anyone can offer me. I feel so much better when I have no gluten I just have to get better and completely eliminating it from my diet. PLease help!

[Guest jhmom]

I understand your sweet tooth, my daughter and I have them too. We bought the Gluten Free Pantry Brownie Truffle Mix and made them last night. They turned out better than regular ones!!! I was very pleased.

The only SAFE way to eat at your fav places is checking with them to see if they offer a gluten-free menu. However you could order a salad and take your own salad dressing. I get so nervous that I will not order unless I know it's gluten-free, you never know what kind of spices they use on the food or how it is prepared (with or without a maranade). If you have an Outback Steakhouse near you they have a gluten-free menu as well as the Fast Food places such as Wendy's and Chick-Fil-A.

I hope this helps...

[Guest dlf1021]

Wendy's actually has a gluten-free menu? I hadn't heard that, but it might make life a lot easier...I was unaware of Outback as well. It would be awesome to have at least a couple of "safe" places to eat out. I'm finding it hard to control my sweet tooth as well. My mother has been keeping me in supply of homemade vanilla pudding and the gluten-free Pantry's Chocolate Truffle Brownies, as jhmom said...are to die for.

[angel-jd1]

Wendy's doesn't exactly have a gluten free menu. It is just sort of known in the Celiac community that their chili and baked potato are gluten free. Of course they have salads (bring your own dressing). Some people say their fries are gluten free, however I don't eat them. I used to, until I found a chicken nugget at the bottom of my fry carton. So you might want to ask about a dedicated fryer for their fries.

McDonalds does have a gluten free list online. You might want to check it out sometime.

Burger King now has a low carb menu. They have a burger in a bowl. It is gluten free and pretty good!

-Jessica

[Guest jhmom]

Yes Wendy's does have a gluten free menu, you can find it on their website. Click on food, then on Nutrition Topics and the 3rd link down you will see "are you on a gluten-free diet?". Or just click Open Original Shared Link and it will take you right there.

I hope this helps

[angel-jd1]

Wow that is new!!! Thanks so much for being so helpful and pointing that out so kindly!

-Jessica

[corryne]

thanks so much fot the replies. WHere can I find the brownies? I didn't see them at the whole foods store.

[Guest jhmom]

If you can't find them at your local grocery store or health food store you can order them online at their website, Open Original Shared Link

I hope this helps

[Guest dlf1021]

I've checked out many of the major restaurant chain websites (McDonalds, Wendy's, Outback Steakhouse, and a few others) and many of them actually do list the items they have that do not contain gluten.

Along the lines of snacking though, I love veggies in dip...are there any namebrand salad dressings that are gluten-free? My mother and I scoured the grocery aisle the other day to no avail, but I know we didn't read through every single brand/flavor. I've come to realize that many of the gluten-free salad dressings and such that are sold at the health food stores are far more expensive than my coupon-clipping mother is used to.

Thanks!

[Guest aramgard]

Have you read the labels on Wishbone Italian or Wishbone House Italian. I have used both for a long time without reaction. Also makes a really great marinade for meats and veggies. Also, if you add some mayo or sour cream (if you can tolerate dairy) it is wonderful as a dip. Or try Good Season's dry dressing, also makes a great dip or salad dressing with rice vinegar. Shirley

[rsavage]

:DStacie, Thanks so very much. I printed off the Wendy's product list and will soon be enjoying a Frosty. I have missed them the past two years and was unsure so I just didn' t touch. Thanks again. Royann

[judy04]

Hi, I also use Wishbone Ranch[Just 2 Good] and Hellman's Light

Mayonaise. I have tried Pace's Picante Sauce, which is gluten-free, but the

tomatoes are still causing problems.

Judy

[s-berry]

Hello All,

I was diagnosed with celiac disease in May. I'm the younger sister and grand-daughter of 2 celiac's so one would think the transition to a gluten-free diet would be easy. It hasn't! It's been horrible. All of your suggestions have been extremely helpful as I am constantly on the road (I travel 2+ hours once a week for grad school) and fast food is always tempting. One of the most dissapointing things for me was not being able to eat Hidden Valley Ranch dressing...I used to like it on everything. i have since discovered that Newman's Own dressings are gluten free. Well the Ranch is anyway. There is also an all natural line called "Annie's" which isn't bad. Now if only Dunkin' Doughnuts had a gluten-free menu!

[Guest jhmom]

Now if only Dunkin' Doughnuts had a gluten-free menu!

Now you're talking!!!! That would be GREAT, fattening but great!!!

[Photog55]

Stir fried veggies with rice, chicken, and steak is very good.

I hope this helps.

Ellen

[Guest aramgard]

Hey, Add a good pinch of hot pepper flakes, a dash of broth (chicken or beef) and it spices up that stir fry. Shirley

[clare]

I read elsewhere on this site that Outback Steakhouse's Chocolate Thunder From Down Under brownie is actually gluten free. If only I liked chocolate....

[Guest aramgard]

My husband and I split a Chocolate Thunder the last time with ate at Outback's and it was wonderful--but a very large dessert. That was the first time I've had a dessert in a restaurant since I've been gluten free in June of 2001. Shirley

[Laura]

I definitely recommend the Annie's Naturals salad dressings.

For baked stuff, all the Gluten-Free Pantry mixes are good, though my best is the chocolate chip cake and cookie mix, I make the cake and it's excellent. Sometimes I find gluten-free baked goods a little dry, but not that cake. Also, if you go on epicurious.com, there's a recipe called something like "lighter than air chocolate roll" and it's flourless but you'd swear there's flour in it. It's shaped like a jelly roll, with a whipped cream filling, but sometimes I just make it in a brownie pan and it's super good.

I totally know what you mean, about craving baked desserts. I do too, and my life has gotten so much better since I've figured some out that I can eat. I can't wait to go to an Outback Steakhouse and try theirs!

[gf4life]

Clare, Outback Streakhouse also has another gluten-free dessert. Their Sydney's Sinful Sundae is gluten-free. It is vanilla ice cream rolled in toasted coconut, covered in chocolate sauce and topped with whipped cream. If you don't want the chocolate sauce they could leave it off for you...

Mariann

[Kim]

Gluten Free Pantry Choc. Truffle Brownie Mix is wonderful.

also, Outback Steakhouse has a gluten-free menu. Their Chocolate Thunder Down Under dessert is a gluten free brownie with icecream and chocolate sauce -- it's the regular dessert on their menu and it is gluten free. So, when you really need to feed your sweet tooth and don't have time to cook or are travelling, you should try it. It's very good.

Kim.