Are Bulk Bins Okay?

[Crayons574]

Is it okay to use bulk bins at places like Whole Foods for nuts and dried fruit? Do you guys do it or is this a no-no? And if not, where can I safely get raw, organic nuts? Do they have packaged ones online? I am pretty sensitive anyways, as I am sure many of you are, so I am thinking I need to be more careful...

I know they separate the granolas from the nuts there (and probably at Trader Joes too). I have been nibbling on some raisins I got there the other day, which were located next to the malt balls, and just realized why I have been having a reaction. So, just wondering what you guys do?

Thanks!!

[Raven's Mum]

When we talked to the celiac dietician, she said a big NO for bulk bins as you never know if someone was double dipping and contaminated them. lol

Not sure where you are but we have found some health food stores here that carry organic nuts and the label says they use proper handling methods during processing so they don't contaminate them with wheat. I'm in Canada. Might be worth checking the health food stores out where you are. Westpoint Naturals is the brand. Westpoint Distrubuters is the supplier for any other Canadians reading this.

[ThatlldoGyp]

Is it okay to use bulk bins at places like Whole Foods for nuts and dried fruit? Do you guys do it or is this a no-no? And if not, where can I safely get raw, organic nuts? Do they have packaged ones online? I am pretty sensitive anyways, as I am sure many of you are, so I am thinking I need to be more careful...

I know they separate the granolas from the nuts there (and probably at Trader Joes too). I have been nibbling on some raisins I got there the other day, which were located next to the malt balls, and just realized why I have been having a reaction. So, just wondering what you guys do?

Thanks!!

No, NOT ok. If cross contamination via the scoops doesn't gluten you, then the "poof" from the flours will. I have seen people open several bins at once and then scoop away not realizing that they are poofing flour everywhere and cc'ing every bin they have hanging open. Or even if they are just opening one, the person next to them getting the wheat flour is poofing everywhere.

My advice? Pass those raisins on to someone else and stay away from the bins!

[JillianLindsay]

The Safeway we shop at has a dispenser where you place the bag under the chute and press a lever. No one can cross-contaminate the food ...at least not at the customer level

[teacherkd]

The health food store I shop at has the flours away from most other things, but it really depends. The yogurt covered raisins and the like are on one wall and most of the flours are kiddiewhumpus on the next wall, or around the wall in the next room. The dried fruit is okay, as is the sea salt and the quinoa. I won't touch the teff or the buckwheat because these are interspersed with rye, barley, and wheat.

[YoloGx]

The packaged raw sunflower seeds at TJ's have never caused me a problem. I avoid bulk bins. If I need something and there is no small package to get it in, I have occasionally ordered and bought a big bag--did that for my roomie so he can make his own tahini from sesame seeds. The bag will last forever, however it also is saving him a bundle.

Bea