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

Anyone From Central Pa

DavidB

By DavidB
in Introduce Yourself / Share Stuff

Recommended Posts

DavidB Apprentice
DavidB
Posted

Hi!

Newbie here wondering if anyone is from Central PA? looking for a support group, stores, anything else you can share! I am in Annville PA very close to Hershey and Harrisburg PA

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


happygirl Collaborator
happygirl
Posted

Hi David-Welcome to the board!

I don't live in PA anymore, but I went to high school and PSU. My parents still live in Mechanicsburg and I'm home often. I was diagnosed after I moved away, but my mom has gone to numerous events, etc., in the area. Apparently the Harrisburg support group is great---she met the president of the group and thought she was wonderful. Also, if I remember correctly, once a month, there is a meeting at Hershey Med Center for new Celiacs. There is a new Giant grocery store that opened recently (over in Camp Hill, I think) and they apparently carry a lot of gluten free products. They did a gluten-free cooking class there over a three week period that my mom went to. Someone who works there (nutritionist? not sure) has family members who are Celiac so she was very informed about it.

Also-Outback Steakhouse has a gluten free menu (lists which items are safe). You can find it on their website, or request it when you go in. :D

Some of the health food stores in the area (and Giant) carry Tinkyada brand pastas---they are the hands down BEST!

blueeyedmanda Community Regular
blueeyedmanda
Posted

Hi David

I am from Harrisburg and I am not sure how far you travel through the area but there is a store in Linglestown that carries great bakery items, they are frozen but they taste great. they are made in NEPA by a husband who is a chef of 17 years and a wife who has celiac. The store in Linglestown is called Water to Go, and it is on Linglestown Rd. The baked items are by The Grainless Baker.

www.grainlessbaker.com

Also if you PM me I can give you some more info.

It's a hard adjustment at first but once you started feeling better it is all worth it.

yep...the hospital does have a support group..I am such a bad employee I forget that they offer things like that here. I am just more excited to go home at the end of the day :). The Camp Hill giant has alot of stuff. Sometime in the next year or so there is a Wegmans coming to Silver Springs and they carry a huge section of gluten-free food. I shop in their Scranton store and every time I get there always new products.

DavidB Apprentice
DavidB
Posted
  • Author

Thanks !!!

ryebaby0 Enthusiast
ryebaby0
Posted

There's also a gluten-free bakery in McVeytown, which is kinda far from you (north of Harrisburg, between Hbg and State College) but does do mailorder. You can find it on the web, the name is Gluten Free 4 Me...And if you ever happen to be in Pittsburgh, there are two Whole Foods there, plus in the metro PHilly area are many many Wegman's...

Joanna

gabrielle Contributor
gabrielle
Posted

Hiya!

I live in Ephrata- Lancaster County. The support groups that I know of are in Reading, PA at the Reading Hospital- and that would be way out of your way :(

BUT... I wanted to tell you about The Grainless Baker. They are in PA and they can ship their goods to you. They are absolutely wonderful- their bread crumbs taste like "normal" bread crumbs! Here's their web-site:Open Original Shared Link

You can search the site and see if their products are in a store near you! Good luck~ Gabby

OOps, I should have read all of the posts before i posted... sorry to be redundant.

  • 1 month later...
Guhlia Rising Star
Guhlia
Posted

I'm from Lititz, PA (Lancaster area). I can't believe there are people so close to me with celiac! I mean, I can, I've just never met anyone that had celiac other than myself. Do either of you from the Lebanon/Lancaster area have a list of local restaurants that are safe? We do Outback and Carabbas in Lancaster, but I'm definitely itching to expand my horizons.

There's a support group at one of the Lancaster hospitals, but I can't remember which one. I guess that's probably a little out of your way too. I'm sure some of the Lebanon/Hershey hospitals have support group meetings as well. I'll let you know if I here anything since I'm only about 10 minutes from Anville.

Do you ever go to Linda's Speedway in Lebanon or LANCO Speedway in Schaefferstown???

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


jerseyangel Proficient
jerseyangel
Posted
I'm from Lititz, PA (Lancaster area). I can't believe there are people so close to me with celiac! I mean, I can, I've just never met anyone that had celiac other than myself. Do either of you from the Lebanon/Lancaster area have a list of local restaurants that are safe? We do Outback and Carabbas in Lancaster, but I'm definitely itching to expand my horizons.

There's a support group at one of the Lancaster hospitals, but I can't remember which one. I guess that's probably a little out of your way too. I'm sure some of the Lebanon/Hershey hospitals have support group meetings as well. I'll let you know if I here anything since I'm only about 10 minutes from Anville.

Do you ever go to Linda's Speedway in Lebanon or LANCO Speedway in Schaefferstown???

Guhila--My husband and I love to drive to the Lancaster area to shop and take in the beautiful countryside--Lititz is one of our favorites, though! What a lovely town you live in--all of the stone houses and little shops.

Guhlia Rising Star
Guhlia
Posted

David, I forgot to mention Stauffer's of Kissel Hill in Lititz when I posted before. They have an aisle of gluten free food. It's celiac heaven! Oregon Dairy in Lititz also has a gluten free section. I think there are probably other mainstream grocery stores too that carry stuff. I know Giant is starting to carry some stuff (and I believe they'll order things for you if you speak to the manager). Stauffers will definitely order things for you if you have specific needs/wants.

Jerseyangel, I grew up in Lititz and we absolutely love it here. We moved back a few years ago and I'm so glad we did. On one of your ventures, you should check out Stauffers for munch food for the car ride home. They have tons of Glutano treats as well as lots of other stuff. They even started carrying the Wellshire kids chicken nuggets! :) Yum!

jerseyangel Proficient
jerseyangel
Posted

Guhlia--Thanks for the tips--I'm going to make a note of the places you suggested :)

Guhlia Rising Star
Guhlia
Posted

Jerseyangel, next time you're out this way, check out the castle on E. Woods Drive. It's a sight to see if you've never been there. If you're heading North on 501, make a right onto E. Woods. You can only see it from the road when there are no leaves on the trees. It's really pretty cool and it's just a minute or two off of the main road.

jerseyangel Proficient
jerseyangel
Posted
Jerseyangel, next time you're out this way, check out the castle on E. Woods Drive. It's a sight to see if you've never been there. If you're heading North on 501, make a right onto E. Woods. You can only see it from the road when there are no leaves on the trees. It's really pretty cool and it's just a minute or two off of the main road.

Ooh--thanks! We love stuff like that--I'm adding that to the Stauffer's note!

Mahee34 Enthusiast
Mahee34
Posted

check out the post on Dillsburg, PA.......GREAT gluten free store! in close proximity to harrisburg, carlisle, york, !

Guhlia Rising Star
Guhlia
Posted

Thanks Mahee!!! I can't wait to check it out!

  • 2 weeks later...
karenwinslow1 Newbie
karenwinslow1
Posted

Another newbie! My 9 year old has celiac and we are travelling to State College PA this summer for a weekend to take her older sister to the University. Just wondering if anyone knows of any restaurants in the area that cater to or offer gluten free menus. She had one bad experience in a restaurant right after she was diagnosed and is a bit skittish when we are travelling and eating out now. I will also bring some items with us since the hotel has a fridge and microwave. Thanks for any ideas or help in advance!

Guhlia Rising Star
Guhlia
Posted

When we vacationed in Florida I lived on McDonalds apple dippers and fruit and yogurt parfait (w/o granola), Wendy's chili, and Carrabba's and Outback. I hope that helps. I'm not familiar with State College at all.

  • 2 weeks later...
NicoleAJ Enthusiast
NicoleAJ
Posted

Hi Karen,

I'm actually a grad student in State College. Golden Wok Chinese restaurant has two gluten free options--chicken and mixed vegetables with white sauce and white rice and chiken and baby spinach (lunch only) with white rice and white sauce. They know it as wheat rather than gluten, but I've never had a problem there, so if you just let them know, you'll be fine. Also, the Tavern has a single option that I always know is safe--chicken and wild rice; get it with the spinach salad which has a safe, gluten-free dressing. I have had gluten problems with other side dishes there, so I wouldn't risk getting anything else--by the way, the chocolate mousse is gluten free and absolutely delicious (no whipped cream though). Also, I posted on another board about this, but Gamble Mill Tavern in Bellefonte is quite pricey (they have a website), but if you call the day that you go to dinner there, the chef will make a list of all of the things you can and cannot have, and the food is unbelievable! Great for special occasions. Also, we do have an Outback here with a gluten free menu--I've only gotten sick there once out of probably 30 visits. In addition, if you call ahead to your hotel tell them you have medically necessary foods that must be refrigerated and microwaved--many hotels set aside micro/fridge combos for guests with special dietary issues. Either you can bring lots of gluten free food for her and store it in the fridge, or we have two great options for shopping. First, the Wegman's grocery store on Lowes Blvd has a gluten free section and labels all of their Wegman's brand products that are gluten free--quite a long list available on their website. In addition, we have a small store called Nature's Pantry on Rte 26 that has tons of gluten free stuff. I think your daughter should be totally fine here--I've been living here since a month after my diagnosis, and I've had very few problems--as long as I don't risk going to places that have no clue about my issues.

Let me know if you need anymore info--I'm happy to help!

Archived

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

Go to topic listing

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Celiac.com:
    Join eNewsletter
    Donate
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):



    Celiac.com Sponsors (A17-M):



  • Recent Activity

    1. knitty kitty
      - knitty kitty replied to Jane02's topic in Gluten-Free Foods, Products, Shopping & Medications
      9

      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      @Jane02, I hear you about the kale and collard greens. I don't do dairy and must eat green leafies, too, to get sufficient calcium. I must be very careful because some calcium supplements are made from ground up crustacean shells. When I was deficient in Vitamin D, I took high doses of Vitamin D to correct the deficiency quickly. This is safe...
    2. Jane02
      - Jane02 replied to Jane02's topic in Gluten-Free Foods, Products, Shopping & Medications
      9

      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      Thank you so much @knitty kitty for this insightful information! I would have never considered fractionated coconut oil to be a potential source of GI upset. I will consider all the info you shared. Very interesting about the Thiamine deficiency. I've tracked daily averages of my intake in a nutrition software. The only nutrient I can't consistently...
    3. knitty kitty
      - knitty kitty replied to Jane02's topic in Gluten-Free Foods, Products, Shopping & Medications
      9

      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      Hello, @Jane02, I take Naturewise D 3. It contains olive oil. Some Vitamin D supplements, like D Drops, are made with fractionated coconut oil which can cause digestive upsets. Fractionated coconut oil is not the same as coconut oil used for cooking. Fractionated coconut oil has been treated for longer shelf life, so it won't go bad in the...
    4. Scott Adams
      0

      Penobscot Bay, Maine: Nurturing Gluten-Free Wellness Retreat with expert celiac dietitian, Melinda Dennis

      until
      Hello! Join me and treat yourself to a four-day, three-night restorative gluten-free retreat in a peaceful, private coastal retreat setting near Penobscot Bay in Maine. Dates: April 10-13, 2026 Enjoy engaging classes...
    5. Scott Adams
      - Scott Adams replied to Jane02's topic in Gluten-Free Foods, Products, Shopping & Medications
      9

      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      I do not know this, but since they are labelled gluten-free, and are not really a product that could easily be contaminated when making them (there would be not flour in the air of such a facility, for example), I don't really see contamination as something to be concerned about for this type of product.
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):

  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      133,331
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    Kristy2026
    Newest Member
    Kristy2026
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.6k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):

  • Who's Online (See full list)

  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • knitty kitty
      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      @Jane02, I hear you about the kale and collard greens.  I don't do dairy and must eat green leafies, too, to get sufficient calcium.  I must be very careful because some calcium supplements are made from ground up crustacean shells.  When I was deficient in Vitamin D, I took high doses of Vitamin D to correct the deficiency quickly.  This is safe and nontoxic.  Vitamin D level should be above 70 nmol/L.  Lifeguards and indigenous Pacific Islanders typically have levels between 80-100 nmol/L.   Levels lower than this are based on amount needed to prevent disease like rickets and osteomalacia. We need more thiamine when we're physically ill, emotionally and mentally stressed, and if we exercise like an athlete or laborer.  We need more thiamine if we eat a diet high in simple carbohydrates.  For every 500 kcal of carbohydrates, we need 500-1000 mg more of thiamine to process the carbs into energy.  If there's insufficient thiamine the carbs get stored as fat.  Again, recommended levels set for thiamine are based on minimum amounts needed to prevent disease.  This is often not adequate for optimum health, nor sufficient for people with absorption problems such as Celiac disease.  Gluten free processed foods are not enriched with vitamins like their gluten containing counterparts.  Adding a B Complex and additional thiamine improves health for Celiacs.  Thiamine is safe and nontoxic even in high doses.  Thiamine helps the mitochondria in cells to function.  Thiamine interacts with each of the other B vitamins.  They are all water soluble and easily excreted if not needed. Interesting Reading: Clinical trial: B vitamins improve health in patients with coeliac disease living on a gluten-free diet https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19154566/ Safety and effectiveness of vitamin D mega-dose: A systematic review https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34857184/ High dose dietary vitamin D allocates surplus calories to muscle and growth instead of fat via modulation of myostatin and leptin signaling https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38766160/ Safety of High-Dose Vitamin D Supplementation: Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31746327/ Vitamins and Celiac Disease: Beyond Vitamin D https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11857425/ Investigating the therapeutic potential of tryptophan and vitamin A in modulating immune responses in celiac disease: an experimental study https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40178602/ Investigating the Impact of Vitamin A and Amino Acids on Immune Responses in Celiac Disease Patients https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10814138/
    • Jane02
      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      By Jane02 · Posted

      Thank you so much @knitty kitty for this insightful information! I would have never considered fractionated coconut oil to be a potential source of GI upset. I will consider all the info you shared. Very interesting about the Thiamine deficiency.  I've tracked daily averages of my intake in a nutrition software. The only nutrient I can't consistently meet from my diet is vitamin D. Calcium is a hit and miss as I rely on vegetables, dark leafy greens as a major source, for my calcium intake. I'm able to meet it when I either eat or juice a bundle of kale or collard greens daily haha. My thiamine intake is roughly 120% of my needs, although I do recognize that I may not be absorbing all of these nutrients consistently with intermittent unintentional exposures to gluten.  My vitamin A intake is roughly 900% (~6400 mcg/d) of my needs as I eat a lot of sweet potato, although since it's plant-derived vitamin A (beta-carotene) apparently it's not likely to cause toxicity.  Thanks again! 
    • knitty kitty
      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      Hello, @Jane02,  I take Naturewise D 3.  It contains olive oil.   Some Vitamin D supplements, like D Drops, are made with fractionated coconut oil which can cause digestive upsets.  Fractionated coconut oil is not the same as coconut oil used for cooking.  Fractionated coconut oil has been treated for longer shelf life, so it won't go bad in the jar, and thus may be irritating to the digestive system. I avoid supplements made with soy because many people with Celiac Disease also react to soy.  Mixed tocopherols, an ingredient in Thornes Vitamin D, may be sourced from soy oil.  Kirkland's has soy on its ingredient list. I avoid things that might contain or be exposed to crustaceans, like Metagenics says on its label.  I have a crustacean/shellfish/fish allergy.  I like Life Extension Bioactive Complete B Complex.  I take additional Thiamine B 1 in the form Benfotiamine which helps the intestines heal, Life Extension MegaBenfotiamine. Thiamine is needed to activate Vitamin D.   Low thiamine can make one feel like they are getting glutened after a meal containing lots of simple carbohydrates like white rice, or processed gluten free foods like cookies and pasta.   It's rare to have a single vitamin deficiency.  The water soluble B Complex vitamins should be supplemented together with additional Thiamine in the form Benfotiamine and Thiamine TTFD (tetrahydrofurfuryl disulfide) to correct subclinical deficiencies that don't show up on blood tests.  These are subclinical deficiencies within organs and tissues.  Blood is a transportation system.  The body will deplete tissues and organs in order to keep a supply of thiamine in the bloodstream going to the brain and heart.   If you're low in Vitamin D, you may well be low in other fat soluble vitamins like Vitamin A and Vitamin K. Have you seen a dietician?
    • Scott Adams
      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      I do not know this, but since they are labelled gluten-free, and are not really a product that could easily be contaminated when making them (there would be not flour in the air of such a facility, for example), I don't really see contamination as something to be concerned about for this type of product. 
    • trents
      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      By trents · Posted

      Contact them.
×
×
  • 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.