Help!

[elainefrance]

size=1]My husband was just diagnosed with Celiac Disease. HELP!!!! I'm feeling A little overwhelmed (ok- I'm lying- make that quite a bit ). He is also on a low-sodium,low-fat, low cholesterol, and low-sugar diet. What is left to eat? Also, we went to the only health food store with-in a 100 mile radius of where we live. They had quite a few gluten-free items, at usually 10 times the price of the same type of item in a regular store. While I would pay anything to keep my husband healthy, there are still bills and other family members. Someone told me that Wegman's Grocery has a Gluten-free section. Does anyone know if they do, and are the prices a liitle more reasonable? This would still mean a 75 mile drive, but if it's cheaper, it might be worth it. Are there any other grocers that have a selection of gluten-free items? Wechecked our local supermarkets, but not much was available. So, pretty much I would appreciate any help.

[Jenn2005]

Hi. My husband was diagnosed last August and I was very overwhelmed too. Take it one day at a time and it will all slowly sink in. This board was a life saver for us. There is soooo much information on here that will help you to figure this all out. The best advice I got in the very begining was to stick to plain and simple foods instead of trying to buy a lot of gluten free specialty foods. There are some list on the main page that list safe and forbidden foods and things gluten may be hidden under. There is also a list of main stream companies that won't hide gluten or any of the top 8 allergens. An example is Kraft. On their labels if they have gluten in the product is will specifically say wheat. There are several companies that ship the gluten free items to you at home. There is a shipping charge but it probably won't be anymore than having to drive 75 miles to the health food stores. My husband likes the breads from Kinnikinnick. They have a web site its www.kinnikinnick.com - He likes the pizza crust, white italian bead, english muffins, chocolate covered donuts, and the new cookies that look like oreos (they have them in chocolate and vanilla w/creme in the middle) he said are really good. Keep in mind that gluten free breads have a very different texture than regular bread and they take some getting used to. You should also check his personal products like toothpaste, deoderant, shampoo ....... He will also need his own cooking utensils, pots and pans, silverware, glasses, toaster, ice bucket, cutting board and so on. If others in the house are still eating gluten than try and make a dedicated area for your husband that is only for him and no gluten foods are used there. Make sure the counters are kept clean and crumbs are wiped up and don't use the same sponge to wipe up the glutened counters to clean his. It ended up being easier and safer for our entire household to go gluten free. If you want to email me (flmx88@comcast.net - in the subject put celiac.com) I can send you some information that will help you with your shopping and getting started.

Jennifer

[ravenwoodglass]

size=1]My husband was just diagnosed with Celiac Disease. HELP!!!! I'm feeling A little overwhelmed (ok- I'm lying- make that quite a bit ). He is also on a low-sodium,low-fat, low cholesterol, and low-sugar diet. What is left to eat? Also, we went to the only health food store with-in a 100 mile radius of where we live. They had quite a few gluten-free items, at usually 10 times the price of the same type of item in a regular store. While I would pay anything to keep my husband healthy, there are still bills and other family members. Someone told me that Wegman's Grocery has a Gluten-free section. Does anyone know if they do, and are the prices a liitle more reasonable? This would still mean a 75 mile drive, but if it's cheaper, it might be worth it. Are there any other grocers that have a selection of gluten-free items? Wechecked our local supermarkets, but not much was available. So, pretty much I would appreciate any help.

Wegmans stocks gluten free foods in their natural food section, but even better they label all their gluten-free stuff. If it has a G in an orange circle it is safe to eat. Thank you Wegmans. Eating gluten-free doesn't have to be expensive. The baked goods and so called convience food are what are pricey, if you try to stick with mostly fruits, veggies, potatoes, rice and meats it can be easier on the budget.

[GlutenFreeAl]

Wegmans stocks gluten free foods in their natural food section, but even better they label all their gluten-free stuff. If it has a G in an orange circle it is safe to eat. Thank you Wegmans. Eating gluten-free doesn't have to be expensive. The baked goods and so called convience food are what are pricey, if you try to stick with mostly fruits, veggies, potatoes, rice and meats it can be easier on the budget.

I second that. I've done my comparison shopping and Wegmans prices are consistently lower than the health food stores around me for all but a few things. Stock up, load up your freezer when things are on sale.

All of Wegmans store brand products are labeled with a "G" if they are gluten free which is really helpful for things like yogurt and sauces which can be iffy. It's a big time saver, as well as a money saver.

When I first started the diet I was freaked out about the cost of the substitute foods. $6 for bread?!? But I've found that I rarely eat bread anymore and $5 or $6 a loaf isn't so bad when it lasts for a month in my freezer.

As far as sweets go, it's probably more economical to bake yourself than to pay through the teeth for gluten-free, sugar free goodies. There's a whole section of this forum dedicated to baking, if you want to get into that.

GOOD LUCK!!!

[bluelotus]

Try some websites - like Enjoy Life (make all sorts of bread type goodies, including cookies), Glutino, Ener-G, Bob's Red Mill (make some gluten-free flours), Pamela's (I have never tried to find her website, but she makes very yummy mixes), the Gluten Free Pantry, etc. This might be an easier way for you all to get these products.

[tarnalberry]

size=1]My husband was just diagnosed with Celiac Disease. HELP!!!! I'm feeling A little overwhelmed (ok- I'm lying- make that quite a bit ). He is also on a low-sodium,low-fat, low cholesterol, and low-sugar diet. What is left to eat?

low-fat cuts of meat (chicken, pork, fish, some beef, turkey, etc.), beans, rice, corn, millet, lentils, quinoa, amaranth, spinach, lettuce, bell peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, snap peas, green beans, potatoes, onions, carrots, oranges, apples, mangos, bananas, grapes, tomatoes, dairy (if he can have it), egg whites...

ok, ok... that's what I regularly buy, anyway. point being, all the natural, unprocessed, whole foods out there that go into making almost any dish in the world are left to eat. when making some of those "any dish in the world" things, you may need to make substitutions, but there's a LOT of tasty food out there to choose from, without getting lots of fat/salt/cholesterol/sugar or any gluten.