Is There Life After Gluten-Free?

Have you or someone you know been diagnosed with Celiac Disease?  Perhaps your child.  Finding out that you are intolerant to gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley, rye and some oats, can be a very scary situation to find yourself in.

Suddenly, you’re told that everything that has been a comfort food for you, is in reality killing you.  Now you must find foods that are okay for you to eat.  Not necessarily an easy assignment.

You look in your kitchen, hmmm, bread is out, pasta…out, pizza..no.  Is there any food in your kitchen safe for you to eat?  Yes, but it’s going to take some looking around to find it.

The following is a list of Gluten Free Products that you might find already on your pantry shelves or in your refrigerator.  Since manufacturers can change their ingredient list in any product at any time, always check the labels everytime.  Just to be safe.

• Meat:  Poultry, Fish, Canned Salmon, Canned Chicken, Canned Tuna, 100% ground beef, pork, turkey, chicken.
• Prego Spaghetti Sauce
• Joan of Arc Kidney Beans
• Canned Tomatoes / Dei Fratelli Seasoned Diced Tomatoes
• Hormel Pepperoni and Hormel Turkey Pepperoni
• Any and all fresh fruits and vegetables
• Canned Fruits and vegetables
• Frozen Vegetables (Not packaged with sauces)
• Potatoes both white and sweet
• Pure Rice – Brown, white, basmati, (Not Rice a Roni or such, it has wheat pasta mixed in)
• Corn Tortilla Shells / Corn Taco Shells
• Ortega Brand Taco Seasoning mix
• Rice Cakes Plain (not the flavored ones)
• Salsa
• Cereals – Chex Brand, Corn, Rice,  (or any with the Gluten Free Label) Cream of Rice, Grits
• Eggs
• Milk – Cow, Soy, Rice, Goat
• Real Cheese (such as mozzerella, cheddar), Velveeta Cheese, Philadelphia Cream Cheese (plain), Cheese Whiz
• Sour Cream (not light or reduced calorie, they sometimes have fillers)
• Butter
• I Can’t Believe it’s not Butter brand Margarine (there may be others but this is the only one I know for sure)
• Yoplait Yogurt (check ingredient label not all flavors are gluten free)
• Cracker Barrel Cheese
• Kaukauna Cheese
• Beans and Bean Flour
• Nut Flour
• Potato Chips (plain not flavored)
• Salted or Plain Nuts and Seeds (as long as they are not seasoned)
• Heinz Ketchup
• Miracle Whip Salad Dressing
• All Vinegars except Malt Vinegar
• Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce (in the United States)
• French’s Mustard & Guldens Spicy Brown Mustard
• Pickles
• Pickle Relish
• Be Wary of Soy Sauce there are some gluten free brands but you need to check labels.

These are just a few of the foods that can be found right off the grocers shelves.

Is there life after gluten free?  I’m here to tell you definitely yes.  And the food can be just as good if not better, because it won’t make you sick.

(Mary Blackburn has been gluten free since 1988 and is the owner of http://www.easyglutenfreeliving.com.  She invites you to visit her site for more gluten free living tips and recipes.  While you’re there, take a moment to sign up for The Gluten Free Gazette, her bi-weekly newsletter filled with articles and answers to your questions about gluten, gluten free living and celiac disease.)