Lunchables Question

[1974girl]

Ok...start of week 2 for my 11 year old. I have a question. I was looking at the Luchables "nachos". I can't really remember if it was the Kroger brand or actual Lunchables now. But...there were no gluten ingredients but it was made in a factory that manufactered flour products. So obviously they couldn't guarantee anything. These would be so great for when our friends ask us to go to Taco Bell (used to be weekly after church). Is this safe? I did an hour of nutritional counseling and didn't hear anything about this). I know cross contamination is an issue. How big of an issue for food processed in the same factory? I didn't buy it because I was scared. I find this in a lot of food. Do you guys buy it if it is made in a factory that processes wheat products sometimes. I still eat in restaurants that do so I was wondering if it is any different. Thanks

[mamaw]

We have used the nacho lunchables...But no others.. And I'm glad to see you wouldn't feed the child Taco Bell...Chipotle Grill has a gluten-free menu if one is near you...& MIghty Taco as well. I'm sure htere are others!

[rosetapper23]

Have you ever looked into GoPicnic products? Here's a link to their gluten-free page. They're a bit pricey, but the meals tend to be good (I can imagine they would be great to take on a flight):

Open Original Shared Link

[Darn210]

I know cross contamination is an issue. How big of an issue for food processed in the same factory? I didn't buy it because I was scared. I find this in a lot of food. Do you guys buy it if it is made in a factory that processes wheat products sometimes. I still eat in restaurants that do so I was wondering if it is any different. Thanks

It depends on an individuals sensitivity level. Some people need to avoid shared facilities, some people don't.

Our home is not gluten free. The wheat eaters have a cabinet that contains bread, snack crackers, cereal, etc. So technically, like my good friend Peter says, my house is a shared facility.

If you've been doing well on the gluten free diet and want to see if you can handle shared facility items, you can try adding ONE item. If there is no reaction the first time, great. However, eat it several times (as long as you continue to feel great) and make sure that there is not some kind of trace amount that builds up with repeated exposure.

My daughter is not overly sensitive. She eats shared facility items all the time. I do not buy the items that say "may contain trace amounts of wheat". This may in fact just be another way of saying "shared facilities", but it just seems more ominous. I will say that she started out eating shared facility items. I just assumed that as long as gluten wasn't an ingredient she would be OK. If she had failed to make progress, I would have taken it to the next level of gluten freeness (dedicated facilities).

Just so you know, manufactures don't have to list "shared facilities" on their labels. So unless you have verified that the items that you are eating do in fact come from dedicated facilities, you may already be eating shared facility items.

As for the nachos . . . I occasionally buy the Kraft lunchables snack size nachos. It's good for if my daughter is doing a sleep over and the rest of the girls are doing pizza. . . it looks like (because it is) normal kid junk food.

[Darn210]

Just an FYI

Many companies have policies for disclosing gluten on their ingredient lists. The three big ones are Kraft, Unilever, and ConAgra. If you read their ingredient list, the generic terms like "natural flavors" or "spices" will have something like a "(derived from barley)" if the barley was indeed part of the natural flavoring.

We have no problems using the Kraft, Unilever, and ConAgra products.

Here is a more complete list of the Companies that disclose gluten on their labels:

Open Original Shared Link

[1974girl]

Thanks guys- My daughter doesn't have any symptoms at all so it will be hard to know what affects her. She had a random blood test since she has Hashimotos thyroid and it came back positive. The biopsy showed "simplification" which I think it another term for blunting. Only one biopsy showed this, the rest were ok. So, we have caught it early. That's why I question everything. I will have no idea if it hurts her. She has been eating gluten for 11 years and we had no clue. : (

[JenS]

Thanks guys- My daughter doesn't have any symptoms at all so it will be hard to know what affects her. She had a random blood test since she has Hashimotos thyroid and it came back positive. The biopsy showed "simplification" which I think it another term for blunting. Only one biopsy showed this, the rest were ok. So, we have caught it early. That's why I question everything. I will have no idea if it hurts her. She has been eating gluten for 11 years and we had no clue. : (

My son doesnt react to small amounts of gluten like I do but its the damage that happens inside that I dont see that I worry about. I dont want to risk my son getting sick so we buy stuff from dedicated gluten free facilities & make everything ourselves that we can. I'm way more sensitive then him & dont like getting sick. In my opinon its not worth taking risks that I know could harm him. -Just my .02 here.

[faithforlife]

My pedi GI says i must train my kids to eat only raw foods -fruits n veggies-when they're out so they can get used to that. I try my best to not buy shared facility foods at the grocery store but yes when out and about there's times that's all there is to choose from. I don't react either to cc but my son has many times. I think maybe it's doing the same to both of us but he's so much smaller and shorter intestines. So I really try to make everything too. When others offer to help I suggest a raw veggie or fruit tray.

[xjrosie]

Why not just make your own?

I buy lunchmeat at the deli counter (Boar's Head is all gluten free) and have them slice it a little thicker. Then I buy the big cheese blocks and cut them up. You could buy the cheese at the deli counter and do the same thing.

Schar table crackers are pretty darn good. Better than Glutino, IMO.

Then I just throw in a Jello cup and Capri Sun. Good to go.

[jenn42]

I agree with xjrosie. Why spend all that money on a lunchable when you can buy high quality meats/cheeses (Boars Head) and do it yourself. I'm sure the nutritional value is much better.

I have a question about Zone Protein Bars. My DD used to eat the Peanut Butter/Chocolate one's before she was diagnosed with Celiac. I read the label and there's no gluten, however it's manufactured in a facility that contains wheat. I did skim through this thread and figured out that it depends on your sensitivity on whether to "try" it or not. As a Celiac isn't it important to just "stay away" from even facilities. Some symptoms are happening when you are not aware??? What's this about the whole Barley thing? The U.S. doesn't have to label barley containing ingredients?