Shopping Questions

[Worriedwife]

I'v been reading various items on this website for the last few days, and everyone seems to be very open and helpful. I'm hoping someone can help us.

My husband was recently diagnosed as having Celiac disease, but he doesn't seem to think it's a big deal. He keeps trying to tell me that I don't have to worry about what I eat, because I'm not allergic. But, after reading what everyone has written about cross-contamination, I'm certainly not going to be eating anything with gluten in it.

We're going on our first real gluten-free shopping trip, and I have a few questions. I printed out the list of good stuff from one on NoGluGirl's postings, and it's really wonderful. Thank you for sharing this great information with those of us who are just starting out. We have been using Smart Balance peanut butter, and I'm wondering if anyone knows if that's okay for us. The same question goes for Smuckers jams and jellies.

We don't eat meat or poultry, just fish so our diet is already pretty limited. We were eating a lot of soy protien based products, but they all seem to have wheat gluten as one of their main ingrediants, so no more of them. I've notice references to GV tuna from Walmart. Are there any types of canned fish that we should stay away from?

We're pretty good about eating gresh friuts and veggies, which is plus for us. We don't go out to eat very often, but do occasionally go out for breakfast. Should we avoid potatoe products like home fries and hash browns?

I am very grateful that this website is here, and that everyone seems to be willing to help newbies like us!

Worried Wife!

[gfp]

Overall I think if you share a kitchen he will get contaminated.... but his attitude is not unusual at all, indeed it used to be mine.

Hash browns and fries ... its one of those things where cross contamination is really easy....

One thing I can say from my own experience as someone who started off like your hubby is I wish I had taken it seriously from day 1.

If I could bottle my experience and give it away I'd love to.... but celiac disease is one of those experiential things IMHO.....

Lots of people go gluten-free, see some improvement and think that's it.... then we keep getting sick but we are generally better than before and mostly we feel like we're doing something....

What I eventually discovered is that there is gluten free and gluten free..... and my first "attempts" at gluten-free were really quite poor even though I thought I was doing it correctly.... Once I actually did take it really seriously I then found I had symptoms clear up I hadn't realised I had....basically they hads come on so slowly over years and half of it I just thought was getting older....

The most amazing thing for me is that I get really down and depressed when I get glutened and I spent years feeling depressed ...

[Ursa Major]

Hi, and welcome to this board. I am glad you will go gluten-free along with your husband, it would be great if all spouses were as concerned as you. He won't have to worry about cross contamination and that will be one of the best gifts you can give him.

In addition to food items, you also need to think of vitamins, medications and personal care products, which may all contain gluten. Shampoo, conditioner, soap, lotion, chap stick, toothpaste etc. all need to be checked. Vitamin E is often derived from wheat germ, and you need to find out what the source is.

It will be essential to buy a new toaster, as it isn't possible to clean a toaster well enough to be safe. The same goes for plastic colanders which have been used for wheat pasta. Gluten is very sticky (hence the name 'glue', it is made from gluten much of the time) and impossible to get out of cracks and corners.

Meaning, you need to look at all of your cook and bakeware and decide if it is possible to clean each of them sufficiently to be safe. With cast iron that is not possible, but with stainless steel and glass it is. Scratched non-stick cookware should be replaced, as the cracks may contain gluten.

Wooden cutting boards and wooden cooking spoons should be replaced. Most dishes and flatware should be fine once you have cleaned them thoroughly.

For great product lists, check out Nini's 'newbie survival kit'. Here is the link to her website:

Open Original Shared Link

Scroll down to the bottom of the page to find the links to the files. They will be invaluable to you, guaranteed.

[Kyalesyin]

Even if cross contamination isn't an issue, "It was just once slice of toast" mentality can be. If you both go gluten-free, it removes all temptation from the house, which can help when the denial phase kicks in.

[NoGluGirl]

I'v been reading various items on this website for the last few days, and everyone seems to be very open and helpful. I'm hoping someone can help us.

My husband was recently diagnosed as having Celiac disease, but he doesn't seem to think it's a big deal. He keeps trying to tell me that I don't have to worry about what I eat, because I'm not allergic. But, after reading what everyone has written about cross-contamination, I'm certainly not going to be eating anything with gluten in it.

We're going on our first real gluten-free shopping trip, and I have a few questions. I printed out the list of good stuff from one on NoGluGirl's postings, and it's really wonderful. Thank you for sharing this great information with those of us who are just starting out. We have been using Smart Balance peanut butter, and I'm wondering if anyone knows if that's okay for us. The same question goes for Smuckers jams and jellies.

We don't eat meat or poultry, just fish so our diet is already pretty limited. We were eating a lot of soy protien based products, but they all seem to have wheat gluten as one of their main ingrediants, so no more of them. I've notice references to GV tuna from Walmart. Are there any types of canned fish that we should stay away from?

We're pretty good about eating gresh friuts and veggies, which is plus for us. We don't go out to eat very often, but do occasionally go out for breakfast. Should we avoid potatoe products like home fries and hash browns?

I am very grateful that this website is here, and that everyone seems to be willing to help newbies like us!

Worried Wife!

Dear Worried Wife,

You are so welcome for the list! This is daunting, and it is important to me to make this as easy as possible for others. Let's face it, we need taste! Boredom is bad, especially with the tastebuds.

I do not know if Smart Balance peanut butter is gluten free, but I know their margerine is. I did not even know Smart Balance made PB!

The Great Value tuna at Wal-mart is safe! It is labeled gluten-free! Starkist is safe as well, but more expensive. Their flavored pouches of tuna are not safe, though. Starkist has made a point to stress that. I may have forgotten a few things on the list. I have learned some things are safe lately I did not know were okay. So here is another mini-list of goodies for us!

Condiments:

Heinz Ketchup

Welch's Grape Jelly

Kraft Miracle Whip(I get the Fat-Free)

Kraft Mayonnaise

LaChoy Sweet and Sour Sauce

LaChoy Soy Sauce

Great Value Soy Sauce

Cool Whip

Kraft French Dressing (I get the Fat-Free) (Kraft clearly labels gluten if present, so if it is not listed, it is not there!)

Kraft Thousand Island Dressing (I get the Fat-Free)

Sweet Baby Ray's Barbecue Sauce

Smucker's Jams, Jellies, and Preserves (Not UnCrustables products)

Beverages:

Ocean Spray Cranberry Juice

Fruit 2-0 Flavored Waters

Coca-Cola (Diet, Classic, Caffiene-free Diet or reg., Vanilla, Diet Vanilla)

Diet Rite

Gatorade Thirst Quenchers

Miss Swiss Hot Cocoa Mixes (all)

Great Value Soy Milk

Luzianne Tea (We get decaf)

Snapple (all beverages)

Canned Goods:

Great Value Pie Filling

Great Value Vegetables

Great Value Fruit

Progresso Creamy Mushroom Soup (great for pot pie!)

Hormel Turkey Spam (oven roasted or smoked)

Hormel Spam

Hormel Chili (There is a vegetarian version)

Ortega refried beans (in fact, all Ortega Products are gluten free at this time!)

Refrigerated Section:

All Mori-Nu Silken Tofu (8 varieties)

Mori-Nu Mates Chocolate Pudding Mix (Chocolate, Lemon Creme, and Vanilla) (Found at Wal-Mart)

Dairy:

Kraft Shredded Cheeses

Kraft Philadelphia Cream Cheese

Dairy Sour Cream (low-fat, regular, and fat-free)

Yoplait Yogurts (I recommend the Latte in Whips!)

Spices and Seasonings:

All Durkee Liquid Extracts, Flavorings, and Food Coloring

Durkee Cinnamon (ground)

Durkee Cloves (ground)

Durkee Ginger (ground)

Durkee Cayenne Pepper (ground)

Emeril's Essence - Asian, Italian, and Southwestern

Frozen Foods:

ORE-IDA PRODUCTS:

UPC CODE: PRODUCT NAME:

13120XXXXX- ALL VARIETIES of Ore-Ida

[Worriedwife]

Dear Worried Wife,

You are so welcome for the list! This is daunting, and it is important to me to make this as easy as possible for others. Let's face it, we need taste! Boredom is bad, especially with the tastebuds.

I do not know if Smart Balance peanut butter is gluten free, but I know their margerine is. I did not even know Smart Balance made PB!

The Great Value tuna at Wal-mart is safe! It is labeled gluten-free! Starkist is safe as well, but more expensive. Their flavored pouches of tuna are not safe, though. Starkist has made a point to stress that. I may have forgotten a few things on the list. I have learned some things are safe lately I did not know were okay. So here is another mini-list of goodies for us!

Condiments:

Heinz Ketchup

Welch's Grape Jelly

Kraft Miracle Whip(I get the Fat-Free)

Kraft Mayonnaise

LaChoy Sweet and Sour Sauce

LaChoy Soy Sauce

Great Value Soy Sauce

Cool Whip

Kraft French Dressing (I get the Fat-Free) (Kraft clearly labels gluten if present, so if it is not listed, it is not there!)

Kraft Thousand Island Dressing (I get the Fat-Free)

Sweet Baby Ray's Barbecue Sauce

Smucker's Jams, Jellies, and Preserves (Not UnCrustables products)

Beverages:

Ocean Spray Cranberry Juice

Fruit 2-0 Flavored Waters

Coca-Cola (Diet, Classic, Caffiene-free Diet or reg., Vanilla, Diet Vanilla)

Diet Rite

Gatorade Thirst Quenchers

Miss Swiss Hot Cocoa Mixes (all)

Great Value Soy Milk

Luzianne Tea (We get decaf)

Snapple (all beverages)

Canned Goods:

Great Value Pie Filling

Great Value Vegetables

Great Value Fruit

Progresso Creamy Mushroom Soup (great for pot pie!)

Hormel Turkey Spam (oven roasted or smoked)

Hormel Spam

Hormel Chili (There is a vegetarian version)

Ortega refried beans (in fact, all Ortega Products are gluten free at this time!)

Refrigerated Section:

All Mori-Nu Silken Tofu (8 varieties)

Mori-Nu Mates Chocolate Pudding Mix (Chocolate, Lemon Creme, and Vanilla) (Found at Wal-Mart)

Dairy:

Kraft Shredded Cheeses

Kraft Philadelphia Cream Cheese

Dairy Sour Cream (low-fat, regular, and fat-free)

Yoplait Yogurts (I recommend the Latte in Whips!)

Spices and Seasonings:

All Durkee Liquid Extracts, Flavorings, and Food Coloring

Durkee Cinnamon (ground)

Durkee Cloves (ground)

Durkee Ginger (ground)

Durkee Cayenne Pepper (ground)

Emeril's Essence - Asian, Italian, and Southwestern

Frozen Foods:

ORE-IDA PRODUCTS:

UPC CODE: PRODUCT NAME:

13120XXXXX- ALL VARIETIES of Ore-Ida

[Worriedwife]

Thank you for all of this additional information. Sorry I've been so long in getting back, but my work hours are pretty long. We did pretty well on our shopping trip, but I have not been able to find any Tinkyada pasta yet. I live in the far southwestern part of Arizona, and they don't really go in for organic or health foods here.

I've checked most of our medicines, and we seem to be okay on those. The next step is bath and beauty items, which will probably take some time. But, I wanted to say thank you everyone for your help and advice.

[wacky~jackie]

We don't go out to eat very often, but do occasionally go out for breakfast. Should we avoid potatoe products like home fries and hash browns?

Regarding your question about eating breakfast out - you need to be aware that some restaurants use egg substitutes that can contain gluten.

[NoGluGirl]

Thank you for all of this additional information. Sorry I've been so long in getting back, but my work hours are pretty long. We did pretty well on our shopping trip, but I have not been able to find any Tinkyada pasta yet. I live in the far southwestern part of Arizona, and they don't really go in for organic or health foods here.

I've checked most of our medicines, and we seem to be okay on those. The next step is bath and beauty items, which will probably take some time. But, I wanted to say thank you everyone for your help and advice.

Dear Worriedwife,

It is alright! You are welcome for the info! I love my taters, too! Don't worry, I can help you with the bath and body stuff. Cosmetics are pretty easy to find out about as well. I have at least some basic stuff you could use.

Beauty and Hygiene Items:

Dove Soaps, Lotions, Styling Aids, Shampoos, and Conditioners (Gluten is clearly listed when present)

Suave Soaps, Lotions, Styling Aids, Shampoos and Conditioners (Gluten is clearly labeled if present)

Maybelline Cosmetics (Clearly labels gluten if present)

CoverGirl (Clearly labels gluten if present)

Wet'n Wild (All products except for one of the mascaras is safe)

SoftSoap Hand Soaps

Colgate Toothpastes

Crest Whitening Expressions Toothpastes

Crest WhiteStrips

Colgate Simply White

Vaseline Petroleum Jelly

Johnson's Baby Oil

Household Items:

Dawn Dish Soap (Includes the Power Disolver)

Cascade Dishwasher Detergent

Electrosol Tabs with the Powerball (Not the powder, though!)

TrueGreen Cleaners

All Laundry Detergent

Wisk Laundry Detergent

Dove Soap (We use unscented)

I hope this helps!

Sincerely,

NoGluGirl

[pnltbox27]

noglugirl..... thank you so much for posting these lists they are so helpful to new celiacs . i know reading some of your posts have helped me big time. thanks again keep up the good work.. ps sorry to bust in on this thread

[kbtoyssni]

Hash browns are usually ok at restaurants. Fries are usually not. There are exceptions , and you still have to ask, but that's been my experience.

[NoGluGirl]

noglugirl..... thank you so much for posting these lists they are so helpful to new celiacs . i know reading some of your posts have helped me big time. thanks again keep up the good work.. ps sorry to bust in on this thread

Dear pnltbox27,

You are so welcome! Feel free to join in anytime on the threads! The forum welcomes us all! I am glad I have been of help to you. If you have any questions, I will do my best to answer them.

Sincerely,

NoGluGirl

[chocolatelover]

NoGluGirl,

I have to thank you as well. I am relatively new to this and am still feeling my way around. Your posts are always a huge help--especially those lists! Thank you, thank you, thank you.

CL

[mandasmom]

I'v been reading various items on this website for the last few days, and everyone seems to be very open and helpful. I'm hoping someone can help us.

My husband was recently diagnosed as having Celiac disease, but he doesn't seem to think it's a big deal. He keeps trying to tell me that I don't have to worry about what I eat, because I'm not allergic. But, after reading what everyone has written about cross-contamination, I'm certainly not going to be eating anything with gluten in it.

We're going on our first real gluten-free shopping trip, and I have a few questions. I printed out the list of good stuff from one on NoGluGirl's postings, and it's really wonderful. Thank you for sharing this great information with those of us who are just starting out. We have been using Smart Balance peanut butter, and I'm wondering if anyone knows if that's okay for us. The same question goes for Smuckers jams and jellies.

We don't eat meat or poultry, just fish so our diet is already pretty limited. We were eating a lot of soy protien based products, but they all seem to have wheat gluten as one of their main ingrediants, so no more of them. I've notice references to GV tuna from Walmart. Are there any types of canned fish that we should stay away from?

We're pretty good about eating gresh friuts and veggies, which is plus for us. We don't go out to eat very often, but do occasionally go out for breakfast. Should we avoid potatoe products like home fries and hash browns?

I am very grateful that this website is here, and that everyone seems to be willing to help newbies like us!

Worried Wife!

Dont worry--give your self a chance to adjust....my daughter is a vegiac (celiac vegetarian) ..sol cuisne makes a veggie burger that is gluten free--and a coouple of the gardenburger brands are gluten-free as well but you hae to check very carefuoly--not all gradnburgers are and packaging is very similar from one to the other...hope it helps..good luck