Jump to content

  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):

    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Curious About Bulk Items

AmyNColorado

Recommended Posts

AmyNColorado Apprentice
AmyNColorado
Posted

Has anyone had the courage to try any of the foods available to purchase in bulk at Whole Foods, sprouts or trader joes? Where you bag your own from the bins.  I'm really curious to know if I would react to that stuff but I'm hesitant to try as I am super sensitive but damn it would save me money when making my own trail mixes. 

 

Has anyone had a good experience or just plan stay away?

 

Thanks!!!!

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


bartfull Rising Star
bartfull
Posted

Stay away. All it takes is for one person to use the wrong scoop, and the whole bin could be contaminated. The only thing I would buy in bulk would be nuts still in the shell, like the grocery stores have at this time of year.

Adalaide Mentor
Adalaide
Posted

Not recommended. From top down things fall into lower bins, people double dip with scoops and when it comes to flours and such there is usually a dust in the air if it's a small room that they're kept in.

 

That said, I do shop bulk I simply do so in the only safe way. I order full boxes/bags from customer service as long as I know what company the stuff is and that it's safe. Then when I get it I also get 10% off the bulk price for buying a whole box of it. I love it! Of course, you need to have a lot of room to do this sort of thing. We have a cold storage room and I have a fair number of 5 gallon food storage buckets full of things like corn starch, salt, pasta and other more or less non-perishable items. I don't buy flours that need to be frozen this way.

 

I'll also buy nuts in the shell from wherever. If you're worried about their origins or whatever, you can give them a rinse under running water and let them dry before digging in. Which reminds me, I haven't bought any nuts yet this year. Brazil nuts are my favorite, so divine.

WinterSong Community Regular
WinterSong
Posted

Stay away. No question. 

AmyNColorado Apprentice
AmyNColorado
Posted
  • Author

What about the items that are already in separate containers? Like the veggie chips etc that they will package and sell right next to the bulk area?

ItchyAbby Enthusiast
ItchyAbby
Posted

No bulk bins for me. They are not to be trusted. Go to Nuts.com for all that stuff (their quality and selection is great). Just make sure you click on the "gluten free" heading.

IrishHeart Veteran
IrishHeart
Posted

What about the items that are already in separate containers? Like the veggie chips etc that they will package and sell right next to the bulk area?

Depends. What do the labels say?

 

and NO, NO, NO on bulk bins with scoops! absolutely not.

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


Ashcat Rookie
Ashcat
Posted

I had this same question as I'm new to gluten free (blood tested negative for Celiacs, but have family history and a lot of other health problems so :) I'm treating going gluten free seriously).

 

My local Whole Foods that I get nuts and dried fruit from have them all set up as a seperate table where even if you use the same scoops the only thing you could scoop would be other dried fruit and nuts not any grains.  I also like to buy quinoa that way, and they are in bins where you press a lever and it falls out, no scoops and they are up top above all the grains. 

 

Do you still think that's contaminated too?

IrishHeart Veteran
IrishHeart
Posted

I had this same question as I'm new to gluten free (blood tested negative for Celiacs, but have family history and a lot of other health problems so :) I'm treating going gluten free seriously).

 

My local Whole Foods that I get nuts and dried fruit from have them all set up as a seperate table where even if you use the same scoops the only thing you could scoop would be other dried fruit and nuts not any grains.  I also like to buy quinoa that way, and they are in bins where you press a lever and it falls out, no scoops and they are up top above all the grains. 

 

Do you still think that's contaminated too?

 

I do.

I would never buy anything like that without a label on it.

There problem with cross contamination is...it's not enough that the food is an inherently gluten free food, it's how it is handled.

I would have no idea where those fruits and nuts came from or how they were put in the bins etc.

For people with celiac disease and serious gluten intolerance, this is risky business.

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):


  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      131,666
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    bailey1023
    Newest Member
    bailey1023
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.4k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):


  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • Inkie
      Tea Bags and Gluten

      By Inkie · Posted

      Thank you for the information ill will definitely bring it into practice .
    • Scott Adams
      Tea Bags and Gluten

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      While plain, pure tea leaves (black, green, or white) are naturally gluten-free, the issue often lies not with the tea itself but with other ingredients or processing. Many flavored teas use barley malt or other gluten-containing grains as a flavoring agent, which would be clearly listed on the ingredient label. Cross-contamination is another possibility, either in the facility where the tea is processed or, surprisingly, from the tea bag material itself—some tea bags are sealed with a wheat-based glue. Furthermore, it's important to consider that your reaction could be to other substances in tea, such as high levels of tannins, which can be hard on the stomach, or to natural histamines or other compounds that can cause a non-celiac immune response. The best way to investigate is to carefully read labels for hidden ingredients, try switching to a certified gluten-free tea brand that uses whole leaf or pyramid-style bags, and see if the reaction persists.
    • Scott Adams
      Inconclusive results

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      This is a challenging and confusing situation. The combination of a positive EMA—which is a highly specific marker rarely yielding false positives—alongside strongly elevated TTG on two separate occasions, years apart, is profoundly suggestive of celiac disease, even in the absence of biopsy damage. This pattern strongly aligns with what is known as "potential celiac disease," where the immune system is clearly activated, but intestinal damage has not yet become visible under the microscope. Your concern about the long-term risk of continued gluten consumption is valid, especially given your family's experience with the consequences of delayed diagnosis. Since your daughter is now at an age where her buy-in is essential for a gluten-free lifestyle, obtaining a definitive answer is crucial for her long-term adherence and health. Given that she is asymptomatic yet serologically positive, a third biopsy now, after a proper 12-week challenge, offers the best chance to capture any microscopic damage that may have developed, providing the concrete evidence needed to justify the dietary change. This isn't about wanting her to have celiac; it's about wanting to prevent the insidious damage that can occur while waiting for symptoms to appear, and ultimately giving her the unambiguous "why" she needs to accept and commit to the necessary treatment. This article might be helpful. It breaks down each type of test, and what a positive results means in terms of the probability that you might have celiac disease. One test that always needs to be done is the IgA Levels/Deficiency Test (often called "Total IGA") because some people are naturally IGA deficient, and if this is the case, then certain blood tests for celiac disease might be false-negative, and other types of tests need to be done to make an accurate diagnosis. The article includes the "Mayo Clinic Protocol," which is the best overall protocol for results to be ~98% accurate.    
    • Scott Adams
      Medication

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      Welcome to the community! Generally, for a gluten challenge before celiac disease blood tests, Tylenol (acetaminophen) is considered safe and should not interfere with your antibody results. The medications you typically need to avoid are those like ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) or naproxen (Aleve) that can cause intestinal irritation, which could potentially complicate the interpretation of an endoscopy if you were to have one. However, it is absolutely crucial that you confirm this with either your gastroenterologist or your surgeon before your procedure. They know the specifics of your case and can give you the definitive green light, ensuring your surgery is comfortable and your celiac testing remains accurate. Best of luck with your surgery tomorrow
    • Xravith
      Taking Probiotics but Still Getting Sick After Gluten – Advice?

      By Xravith · Posted

      Thank you for the advice. I’ve actually never checked for nutritional deficiencies, but for as long as I can remember, I’ve always taken vitamin and mineral supplements — otherwise my symptoms get worse. This week I stopped eating gluten to confirm whether my symptoms are really caused by it. Starting next week, I’ll reintroduce gluten — it’s sad to go back to how I was before — but at least I’ll be able to take the necessary tests properly. I think the diagnostic process will be long, but at least I’m happy that I finally decided to address this doubt I’ve had for years.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.