New To Celiac's - Looking For Gluten Free Grocery List

[kayciekaren22]

Hi!

 

I was recently diagnosed with Celiac's Disease.  Gluten is in so many products that I wouldn't expect.  What I'm wondering is if there is a grocery guide somewhere listing items that are gluten free?  If not, what are the hidden ingredient names I should be looking for on the labels? I'm thinking of gluten used as a thickening agent in products such as salad dressings, etc. 

 

Any help would be greatly appreciated! 

 

Kayciekaren22

 

[bartfull]

Welcome to the forum. Are you in the US? If so, wheat will always be listed in the ingredients. Rye is pretty much only in rye bread. Barley is the one you have to watch for (it's often in things like malted vinegar, for example.)

 

Cross-contamination is a bigger problem. MOST things made in the "same facility" are usually safe for all but the supersensitives, but things made on the same line can be a problem. If they don't clean the machinery really well chances are there will be contamination. Personally, I won't eat anything made on the same line as gluten items.

 

Some companies will label all gluten (wheat because it is the law, plus they will label rye and barley too.) Kraft Foods is one of them. Con Agra Foods does it too. There are others. But if you check you will find that even just Kraft and Con Agra encompass SO many brands. Planter's nuts for example, are from Kraft foods. Marie Callendar's is Con Agra. There are LOADS of products in the grocery store from these companies.

 

Now, just because they are from these companies doesn't mean you don't have to read the label. Some of their stuff DOES contain gluten. But they will tell you clearly in the ingredients list. All you have to look for are "wheat", "rye", or "barley".

 

It's also a good idea to stay away from oats. They bother a lot of us. They are usually cross-contaminated unless they say, "certified gluten-free", but even then, a lot of us can't tolerate them.

 

The good news is, there are so many foods that are naturally gluten-free. Unprocessed meats, fresh fruits and fresh veggies. Most frozen fruits and veggies are too unless they come with a sauce.

 

One of the biggest dangers to a newly diagnosed celiac is her own kitchen! Toasters, mayo and butter that a gluteny knife has dipped into, scratched plastic, old strainers, crumbs in the silverware drawer...

 

So to avoid that, go to the coping section here and click on the Newbie 101 link. Then come back and fire away with any questions you may have.

[kareng]

In most countries, including the US, wheat must be listed.  Gluten really can't hide.  If it is Barley, it will be listed  because barley or barley malt or malt vinegar are expensive ingredients. Rye is really only in cracker or bread and will be listed, too.  

 

There are some exotic forms of wheat that go by names like Spelt and Einkorn but those are specialty foods,  They won't be used to thicken a salad dressing.  

[luvs2eat]

One of the ingredients I stayed away from for a long time was "modified food starch," which is in a lot of things... until I learned that if the product is manufactured in the United States, modified food starch is NOT wheat unless it specifically says it is.

[psawyer]

Some companies will label all gluten (wheat because it is the law, plus they will label rye and barley too.) Kraft Foods is one of them. Con Agra Foods does it too. There are others. But if you check you will find that even just Kraft and Con Agra encompass SO many brands. Planter's nuts for example, are from Kraft foods. Marie Callendar's is Con Agra. There are LOADS of products in the grocery store from these companies.

Two other big companies that will clearly disclose any gluten source are Unilever and General Mills.

[kayciekaren22]

Thanks all for you help!

 

[LauraTX]

One other thing that helped me a lot when I first had to do my gluten-free grocery shopping was a gluten-free grocery shopping guide.  I use this one: Open Original Shared Link   I haven't tried the other one or two that are out there, I am sure they work just as well.  It helps a lot while you get used to brands and their labeling practices, etc. and when you buy random new things.