Trouble With Kroger Seasoned Turkey Burgers?

[T.H.]

Has anyone tried the Kroger brand seasoned turkey burgers lately? They are now labeled as gluten free. Any bad reactions, or have they been safe for you?

A good friend has a little 2 year old that is having a horrid gluten reaction today and the only new food they have introduced is these turkey burgers.

The burgers, it turns out, aren't made on a gluten free line, and they aren't tested for gluten at all, so we know some cc is possible, but I was hoping to find out if anyone else here has had trouble with it so we could figure out a risk level. With a 2 year old, you just never know if they've found something to get into when you weren't looking, you know? Always makes it so hard to find out what got them glutened!

[Marilyn R]

Has anyone tried the Kroger brand seasoned turkey burgers lately? They are now labeled as gluten free. Any bad reactions, or have they been safe for you?

A good friend has a little 2 year old that is having a horrid gluten reaction today and the only new food they have introduced is these turkey burgers.

The burgers, it turns out, aren't made on a gluten free line, and they aren't tested for gluten at all, so we know some cc is possible, but I was hoping to find out if anyone else here has had trouble with it so we could figure out a risk level. With a 2 year old, you just never know if they've found something to get into when you weren't looking, you know? Always makes it so hard to find out what got them glutened!

I scored a level 4 allergy to turkey after being gluten-free for about six months. (You need to carry an epi-pin if you score a 5 on a scale of 1-5.) I never really cared for turkey anyway, so it hasn't bothered me.

It could be CC or it could be new food allergy...has she had the little guy see an allergist yet? If not, it might be worthwhile. (And P.S. if she's really nice to the nurse or tech administering the testing, she might get results on the same day as the testing vs. having to see the allergist again.

[T.H.]

She hasn't had her midget tested for allergies, but she knows he has them. His worst is squash, where even touch will set off hives and cheek rashes.

Her son has also had turkey before without issue, not of course that this means anything necessarily when allergies pop up. They're going to be checking him with previous turkey again just to see, however.

Unfortunately, she can't do allergy testing. No health insurance at all, so she has to do it all on her own. Really a scary thing, with all his issues. She only found out about the gluten when he was getting sicker and sicker and had that classic sandy poop, and we had found out about our celiac disease just months before. Since we had discussed a lot of the issues, she was lucky enough to know what a common cause of sandy poo was, and tried the diet with him.

Off gluten, he's healthy as can be. When he gets glutened, his diapers are horrendous, he's exhausted and unwell looking, and his mood goes into this utter manic phase for 2 days straight where he won't nap and won't stop screaming and running around non-stop. Loads and loads of fun.

The allergies seem to hit him differently, so far, which is why she's looking to gluten first...after she breathes really deeply and counts to ten a lot over the next couple of days, poor dear.

[Marilyn R]

She hasn't had her midget tested for allergies, but she knows he has them. His worst is squash, where even touch will set off hives and cheek rashes.

Her son has also had turkey before without issue, not of course that this means anything necessarily when allergies pop up. They're going to be checking him with previous turkey again just to see, however.

Unfortunately, she can't do allergy testing. No health insurance at all, so she has to do it all on her own. Really a scary thing, with all his issues. She only found out about the gluten when he was getting sicker and sicker and had that classic sandy poop, and we had found out about our celiac disease just months before. Since we had discussed a lot of the issues, she was lucky enough to know what a common cause of sandy poo was, and tried the diet with him.

Off gluten, he's healthy as can be. When he gets glutened, his diapers are horrendous, he's exhausted and unwell looking, and his mood goes into this utter manic phase for 2 days straight where he won't nap and won't stop screaming and running around non-stop. Loads and loads of fun.

The allergies seem to hit him differently, so far, which is why she's looking to gluten first...after she breathes really deeply and counts to ten a lot over the next couple of days, poor dear.

OMG! I can't imagine how hard it is for mom and little munchkin. Are they keeping a food diary?

I wouldn't use pre-made burger patties of anything, but that could just be me. I hope they figure it out!

[T.H.]

OMG! I can't imagine how hard it is for mom and little munchkin. Are they keeping a food diary?

Yeah - I honestly have no idea how she does it! I think I would go nuts, honestly. Especially as she was laid off when she was 8 months pregnant, hasn't been able to find a job yet, and so she and hubby are living with the in-laws right now. It's a house with gluten everywhere, so she has to constantly watch the itty bitty to make sure he hasn't found a crumb somewhere that relatives have left lying around.

I believe she keeps a food diary for a week or if he reacts twice in a row, and then she tends to stop. Then she stops once they've figured it out. It's one of the reasons they don't use spice mixtures any more, because even if the mixtures said gluten-free, he has reacted every time they've used one. I have a feeling she is going to be doing exactly what you mentioned: not using pre-seasoned meat. It's just too hard to tell what's going on, and he seems to be quite sensitive, too.

[GFinDC]

I don't buy seasoned burgers. I do get pre-made burger patties sometimes if they are on sale and 100% beef. I have had turkey patties before but it has been so long I don't remember the brand. But they wouldn't have been seasoned that's for sure. I really don't get people buying these pre-seasoned meats anyway. It is so simple to add seasonings to a meal that is seems really silly to pay extra for some one else to do it for you. Plus you end up with mysteries like this, and scratching your head afterwards. Ain't worth it.