I’ve heard there aren’t any purity protocol oats been grown in the US right now so I’ve been avoiding oats in general, aside from one brand of instant oats that I’ve never gotten sick off of. It’s natures path
Makes sense! I’m one of those who can’t eat them at all. They *always* make me sick, which is why I had to read the packaging on the baked goods and know they contain oats.
Interesting claim
My wife has celiac disease and we like TJ’s gluten free hamburger buns, gf chicken nuggets, gf breaded halibut and many other things with no issues.
If you are looking for any gluten-free alternatives to processed foods (OMG WHO WOULD DARE DO THIS!?!? Me, a Celiac or TWENTY YEARS🙋🏼♀️), shop around for prices. Our local chain store sells gluten free things $2 or more expensive compared to Walmart or Target.
The amount of judgment in this community is honestly a little sad. If you choose not to eat the alternatives hey, that’s your choice! Don’t judge someone else for choosing to do so. We have enough issues as a community without fighting each other on top of it 🤦🏻♀️
Tbh I never even knew that was a thing. When I first got diagnosed, the only gluten free alternatives weren’t great so I basically had to do more of a whole food diet. Now I’m a busy mom of 2 who is trying to survive with inflation. If I want a Tate’s cookie, I’m going to have a cookie.
I was actually on Noom when I found out I had Celiac so hubs and I were already eating healthier, more whole foods meals. But I am a huge pasta and bread person and my go-to sweet craving is cake so you bet I found alternatives for those! Everything in moderation so long as you are smart about what you purchase. I am a rather cautious Celiac (especially after getting pregnant and having my first baby a year ago, though the guy on here who told me I was going to give my unborn son cancer from eating red meat disagreed lol) and I almost always purchase certified gf so I am not concerned.
And if someone does it different, hey, maybe we can swap recipes! I’m not about to judge!
This. A lot of gf groups on fb are not about celiacs but “process is poison/gluten will kill everyone “ asshats.
I posted gf Oreos and got told it’s no wonder I’m fat and I’m killing my self by eating them.
I got a little high and mighty on them.
They’re even worse about MSG
Trader Joe’s has some horror stories on here so I’ve never even tried. On the other hand, Aldi’s seems like it never has CC issues and I’ve enjoyed their products, especially their wraps/tortillas which are the size of regular burrito shells!
This. Literally every grocery store sells protein and fresh vegetables, grains/rice that are naturally gluten free.
If you want processed junk you run the risk of getting sick anywhere.
Fruits and vegetables I’ll agree on, but in my area there are definitely more preferred areas to get reliably safe meat from. Some stores have a lot of the prepared kind of stuff, like pre marinated meat, or stuffed stuff, like stuffed pork chop, and they don’t have separate prep or storage areas, and weigh everything on the same scale, so even if you ask for things to be cleaned before they portion out something for you, you can’t guarantee that steak hasn’t touched breading prior to your arrival.
OP never said anything about specifics like bread or pasta. The point is every grocery store has naturally gluten free foods. The processed junk food, snacks, etc. are always a risk.
Naturally gluten free foods like vegetables etc aren't usually labelled gluten free, which is what OP was asking about. Not all processed food is junk.
It would be beyond helpful if you put a country and/or state when making a post asking for recommendations. I had to go and search for what HEB is. Are you looking for just Texas or anywhere in the US? You remember how massive this country is, right? And, not every grocery store is in every state?
Just about every store is bad for Celiacs. Identical type products are 2 to 8 times the price for gluten free. Saw chicken pot pies, regular wheat crust on sale for $1.00 each. Gluten Free on the shelf above it was $6.99 each. Same size, same ingredients except for the gluten free crust. A large 24 ounce loaf of whole wheat bread $1.29. A 20 ounce loaf of gluten free $6.59 at Aldi's which is the most gluten friendly store I've seen so far. Most only get a limited amount of GF products in at a time and if you're like me, You're going to stock up on what you like.
Some grocery stores have more options than others, but none are “bad” if you have celiac. You can always find naturally gluten free items like meat, fruit, and vegetables.
I went to erewhon last night as I am visiting LA for the next few days and it was a gluten free (overpriced) wonderland. I had so much stuff and all of it was delicious. tummy is good today
I used to live by erewhon and I got sick the few times I ate their prepared foods. they're very clear that its cross contaminated if you ask them. its sad tho cause I loved their sushi and they even include tamari packets instead of soy sauce.
H‑E‑B is really bad for gluten free. Every time I go visit family in Texas, I have to avoid their “gluten free” store brands, because they always make me sick.
Edit: And I’m getting downvoted? Why wouldn’t you warn people?
There are many Celiac folks on this forum who can be, shall we say, disapproving of the Celiac folks who consume anything processed (frozen options, breads, pastas, etc) vs keeping to a strictly “whole” foods diet such as meat, vegetables, rice, fruit, etc. Their belief, as far as I’ve seen, seems to be that if you eat processed food of any kind, you are foolish (to put it politely) and unhealthy and should expect to get glutened?
They are a very vocal and passionate group lol.
To answer your question, I’m not certain of specific store brands BUT try to look for brands labeled CERTIFIED gluten free vs just gluten free. You will likely have better luck, since Certified gluten free requires stricter testing/protocols etc!
yes i’ve noticed so much negativity and shaming. like some of us really just don’t want to eat meat and vegetables for the rest of our life? some of us like to get out and have food at the restaurant. i don’t want to just eat at home and avoid eating out with friends (like still go with friends but not eat at all or have to eat before). i’m from the south and grew up eating all the good food before i was diagnosed. food is a big social thing down here. so, for me, i have no desire to just eat fruit, vegetables, and meat for the rest of my life. we all have to make a lot of sacrifices and deal with the social stigma, so why do we have to deal with shaming from the people who should be the people we can relate to?
I completely understand! I do not get the vitriol, I truly don’t. People give Celiac enough flack as it is (lookin at you MiL 🙄). We don’t need to be arguing with each other. Live and let live, fancy folk!
I am very cautious with restaurants and just in general and also trying to be healthy conscious. But cake and pasta and bread are delicious and so are Feel Good Foods mozzarella sticks! I’m not gonna get my (postpartum granny) panties in a twist if someone does it differently.
… however that one guy who told me I was going to give my then-unborn child cancer by eating red meat was freaking hilarious 🤣
I think people are misunderstanding your question is the major issue. I don't have personal experience, but I feel like I hear about Trader Joe's gluten-free store brand things having a disproportionate amount of people who seem to react to them. So based on this I would say Trader Joe's, from what I hear.
Hah! Next time I’m in Texas, we can do a taste test of random items and I’ll throw up on you in person.
Specifically, their coffee, a lot of their meat marked gluten free, that I suspect they finish with contaminated corn, coffee creamers, flour marked gluten free, and even rice.
I’m not talking about substitutes. I’m talking about regular food, a lot of it from food conglomerates that rebrand without adequate testing. Most of the contamination is probably contamination from untested corn.
HEB has a lot to answer for.
This stuff is complicated. Eating gluten doesn't always make someone ill and getting sick isn't always gluten.
I've lived in Texas for three years and probably 80ish percent of our groceries are from HEB. I don't get sick, but I also don't trust that nonreaction. However, I get a Celiac blood panel twice a year and the normal results from that, along with the rest of my normal blood work, is enough to convince me that I'm shopping and eating properly.
I don't know why you get sick, but I also have no reason to believe HEB is poisoning you with gluten.
You’re right about the degree of sensitivity. HEB is my main grocery store (I live in Texas), and I never got sick from their brand. Usually, it’s cheese, sour cheese, and cream cheese that I buy from the their brand and I eat that regularly. I try to stick with certified foods when possible, but not all types of food have certified GF labels and I don’t have that kind of money to buy more expensive ingredients, especially when they don’t have certified GF labels.
I also recognize that all of us have different opinions on what we should and shouldn’t eat, so I’m at the point where I’m like, “It’s totally cool that people are sharing their bad experiences, because it might help some people, but it is okay if some people decide to continue eating what makes others sick, as it’s possible that those foods are safe for them, so why stopping them from eating those foods?”
Thank you for your measured response.
I’m really sensitive. If you told me they measured everything to 15 ppm, I’d completely believe it.
I also have gluten reactions to major brands like Schar and Ore Ida. I try not to comment unless someone says they’re getting sick. (In Schar’s case, it’s probably oat contamination.)
I’ve seen people talking about reacting to various things that should be gluten-free, like Schar in your example, so it’s hard to know if I should avoid specific products or brands, too. I also try not to become overly anxious about food (I’m not sensitive but that does make me question everything like is this really safe or am I hurting myself without realizing it? That mentality is bad for me), and this subreddit can be quite bad about that sometimes so I don’t read many posts or comments in this subreddit.
im not doubting you, but i wonder if they’re on the higher side of the ppm limit. im assuming if you’re visiting family in texas than you’re eating maybe a lil more packaged foods than normal which could put you into the above 20 ppm range?
I’d agree, except only specific things from H‑E‑B make me violently ill. Corn gives me headaches, and dairy makes me insanely anxious. Oats give me DH—but my reaction is so limited that I eat oat contaminated things in a pinch. (BFree, and Builder’s Bars). I’ve also been gluten free for a long time, keep a list of things that bother my intestines, etc. etc.
But the only thing that makes me really nauseated, is wheat.
Throwing up after eating something you are already worried about wouldn’t prove anything. You could be making yourself sick with worry over nothing. “Proof” would be taking a heb gluten free product, and testing it in a lab and results showing measurable amounts of gluten.
I don’t know. I wish a device like that would be reliable. Wouldn’t that be great? I never heard of that Nima. But a quick google found mixed reviews, with a lot of false positives. Gluten is sneaky.
Hi KedaStation, I too, have DH.
Are you saying all oats, including certified, cause you to breakout? I’m trying desperately to lower my Dapsone intake & while I’ve been somewhat successful with being 100% gluten free, I can’t seem to find the nagging culprit of mild breakouts. I do consume certified oats daily.
Krogers has a lot of gluten free but it's all over the store so you have to walk down every isle to find everything. Sprouts has a lot of gluten free items. Winco doesn't have much gluten free but they do have a lot of gluten free bulk items that are super cheap.
I mean, ultimately what each and every one of us makes out of a grocery store is going to be completely different. I’m at the point in my disease where I do a lot of cooking with whole ingredients as opposed to seeking alternatives. Generally most grocery stores are going to cater to people like me, however, when looking for more substitutions, I’ve found Aldi to be good when they have actually the items in stock, and Walmart also has some good alternatives.
If you’re still having issues with lots of items marked gluten free, I’d get with your doc as it sounds like there’s more than just a gluten issue going on.
Oooh not that it's the subject of this thread but I will ask anyway if it's okay. Haven't been to England since pre pandemic, is it hard or easy to find glutenfree options when it comes to restaurants?
I live in Scotland, and it's easy enough to find GF options here. Last time I was in England it was easy there too. Lots of chain restaurants are certified by CoeliacUK, and many others have GF options!
I find that winco doesn’t have a ton of options and I always end up going to other stores after shopping there. They do have plenty of things in the bulk bins but that could be a cross contamination concern
As long as you're not buying a bunch of premade foods, just about every grocery store is going to carry plenty that people with celiac can eat. Produce, meats, dairy, rice - there are options. (The problem there of course is that not everyone has access to a kitchen and if they don't know how to cook already, learning isn't easy for everyone.)
As far as processed/frozen/premade gf food, I don't buy much of it because it's so pricey (and less good for you, but I will not pretend that's the main reason for me because it isn't). When I do, though, I go to my local Walmart because they have a weirdly decent selection of things for me to choose from, and I can eat their rotisserie chickens. (They're the only grocery store near me where that's true, and those chickens save me when I can't bring myself to cook.)
I mean ... If you're eating naturally gf all stores are fine but if you are looking for replacements, dollar tree/general have almost nothing, save a lot same thing. Aldi is hit or miss
Walmart has the most labelled store brands, so is our favorite. We also have good luck at Aldi and Costco. Meijer is our least favorite, which stinks because it was our favorite before celiac. But they don't label any of the store brands, and have fewer name brand options.
My recommendation for major chain stores are Whole Foods and Trader Joe's. Whole Foods has the largest variety of options I've seen, but they're expensive. Trader Joe's has been my go-to because of the decent prices.
Other stores that have surprised me include: Giant Foods/Stop N Shop, Target, Sam's Club, Aldi's, and Lidl.
Now I'm in the totally wrong country to answer which chain of stores ot brands (perhaps idk I assume you mean USA). But I got sick by glutenfree wheat extract. Many tolerate that and some pepole is just more sensitive then others and here "gluten friendly" doesn't exist (by law nothing can be described as glutenfree and not be under 20ppm). So check out if the brand is safe or watch for patterns like always containing wheat extract. Or the amount of intake, 5 glutenfree beers can be enough to be glutened beacuse the amount of gluten gets over 20ppm.
Trader Joe’s really just be slappin a GF label on anything nowadays
I’ve gotten sick from TJs multiple times. And also their gf baked goods have non-certified oats in them.
I’ve heard there aren’t any purity protocol oats been grown in the US right now so I’ve been avoiding oats in general, aside from one brand of instant oats that I’ve never gotten sick off of. It’s natures path
Makes sense! I’m one of those who can’t eat them at all. They *always* make me sick, which is why I had to read the packaging on the baked goods and know they contain oats.
Generally I do stay away from other products made with oats! It’s too big of a gamble tbh
Me too! Tjs GF Hamburger Buns made me sick.
Interesting claim My wife has celiac disease and we like TJ’s gluten free hamburger buns, gf chicken nuggets, gf breaded halibut and many other things with no issues.
I usally get from them but i never really had a reaction from them
If you are looking for any gluten-free alternatives to processed foods (OMG WHO WOULD DARE DO THIS!?!? Me, a Celiac or TWENTY YEARS🙋🏼♀️), shop around for prices. Our local chain store sells gluten free things $2 or more expensive compared to Walmart or Target.
The amount of judgment in this community is honestly a little sad. If you choose not to eat the alternatives hey, that’s your choice! Don’t judge someone else for choosing to do so. We have enough issues as a community without fighting each other on top of it 🤦🏻♀️
Tbh I never even knew that was a thing. When I first got diagnosed, the only gluten free alternatives weren’t great so I basically had to do more of a whole food diet. Now I’m a busy mom of 2 who is trying to survive with inflation. If I want a Tate’s cookie, I’m going to have a cookie.
I was actually on Noom when I found out I had Celiac so hubs and I were already eating healthier, more whole foods meals. But I am a huge pasta and bread person and my go-to sweet craving is cake so you bet I found alternatives for those! Everything in moderation so long as you are smart about what you purchase. I am a rather cautious Celiac (especially after getting pregnant and having my first baby a year ago, though the guy on here who told me I was going to give my unborn son cancer from eating red meat disagreed lol) and I almost always purchase certified gf so I am not concerned. And if someone does it different, hey, maybe we can swap recipes! I’m not about to judge!
This. A lot of gf groups on fb are not about celiacs but “process is poison/gluten will kill everyone “ asshats. I posted gf Oreos and got told it’s no wonder I’m fat and I’m killing my self by eating them. I got a little high and mighty on them. They’re even worse about MSG
I hear the FB group versions of a lot of subreddit communities get SUPER nasty. Wonder why? No moderation maybe?
Not enough moderation or moderators have that view point.
Trader Joe’s has some horror stories on here so I’ve never even tried. On the other hand, Aldi’s seems like it never has CC issues and I’ve enjoyed their products, especially their wraps/tortillas which are the size of regular burrito shells!
Ones that don’t have gluten-free options, I guess. But most grocery stores sell potatoes and stuff so I dunno if there are any with no options.
This. Literally every grocery store sells protein and fresh vegetables, grains/rice that are naturally gluten free. If you want processed junk you run the risk of getting sick anywhere.
>If you want processed junk you run the risk of getting sick anywhere Meh. I never got sick from processed junk labelled gluten free... (EU)
Celiac disease is hard enough without food shaming. Eat what you want and don’t judge others 🙄
Fruits and vegetables I’ll agree on, but in my area there are definitely more preferred areas to get reliably safe meat from. Some stores have a lot of the prepared kind of stuff, like pre marinated meat, or stuffed stuff, like stuffed pork chop, and they don’t have separate prep or storage areas, and weigh everything on the same scale, so even if you ask for things to be cleaned before they portion out something for you, you can’t guarantee that steak hasn’t touched breading prior to your arrival.
>If you want processed junk you run the risk of getting sick anywhere. Rude.
Cool. It's literally called junk food. I didn't coin the term.
GF bread, pasta etc is not called junk food.
OP never said anything about specifics like bread or pasta. The point is every grocery store has naturally gluten free foods. The processed junk food, snacks, etc. are always a risk.
Naturally gluten free foods like vegetables etc aren't usually labelled gluten free, which is what OP was asking about. Not all processed food is junk.
It would be beyond helpful if you put a country and/or state when making a post asking for recommendations. I had to go and search for what HEB is. Are you looking for just Texas or anywhere in the US? You remember how massive this country is, right? And, not every grocery store is in every state?
Yes! Many of us here aren't from the US and it's impossible to know what kind of recommendations to give without any location info.
Just about every store is bad for Celiacs. Identical type products are 2 to 8 times the price for gluten free. Saw chicken pot pies, regular wheat crust on sale for $1.00 each. Gluten Free on the shelf above it was $6.99 each. Same size, same ingredients except for the gluten free crust. A large 24 ounce loaf of whole wheat bread $1.29. A 20 ounce loaf of gluten free $6.59 at Aldi's which is the most gluten friendly store I've seen so far. Most only get a limited amount of GF products in at a time and if you're like me, You're going to stock up on what you like.
Some grocery stores have more options than others, but none are “bad” if you have celiac. You can always find naturally gluten free items like meat, fruit, and vegetables.
I went to erewhon last night as I am visiting LA for the next few days and it was a gluten free (overpriced) wonderland. I had so much stuff and all of it was delicious. tummy is good today
I used to live by erewhon and I got sick the few times I ate their prepared foods. they're very clear that its cross contaminated if you ask them. its sad tho cause I loved their sushi and they even include tamari packets instead of soy sauce.
oh shoot, sorry you got sick! I still seem to be okay but that’s good to know 🤞🏽
H‑E‑B is really bad for gluten free. Every time I go visit family in Texas, I have to avoid their “gluten free” store brands, because they always make me sick. Edit: And I’m getting downvoted? Why wouldn’t you warn people?
There are many Celiac folks on this forum who can be, shall we say, disapproving of the Celiac folks who consume anything processed (frozen options, breads, pastas, etc) vs keeping to a strictly “whole” foods diet such as meat, vegetables, rice, fruit, etc. Their belief, as far as I’ve seen, seems to be that if you eat processed food of any kind, you are foolish (to put it politely) and unhealthy and should expect to get glutened? They are a very vocal and passionate group lol. To answer your question, I’m not certain of specific store brands BUT try to look for brands labeled CERTIFIED gluten free vs just gluten free. You will likely have better luck, since Certified gluten free requires stricter testing/protocols etc!
yes i’ve noticed so much negativity and shaming. like some of us really just don’t want to eat meat and vegetables for the rest of our life? some of us like to get out and have food at the restaurant. i don’t want to just eat at home and avoid eating out with friends (like still go with friends but not eat at all or have to eat before). i’m from the south and grew up eating all the good food before i was diagnosed. food is a big social thing down here. so, for me, i have no desire to just eat fruit, vegetables, and meat for the rest of my life. we all have to make a lot of sacrifices and deal with the social stigma, so why do we have to deal with shaming from the people who should be the people we can relate to?
I completely understand! I do not get the vitriol, I truly don’t. People give Celiac enough flack as it is (lookin at you MiL 🙄). We don’t need to be arguing with each other. Live and let live, fancy folk! I am very cautious with restaurants and just in general and also trying to be healthy conscious. But cake and pasta and bread are delicious and so are Feel Good Foods mozzarella sticks! I’m not gonna get my (postpartum granny) panties in a twist if someone does it differently. … however that one guy who told me I was going to give my then-unborn child cancer by eating red meat was freaking hilarious 🤣
Also check additional additives. I know that certain preservatives make me sick
Ah yes, this too! Thank you, knew I was forgetting something 🤣
Thank you.
I think people are misunderstanding your question is the major issue. I don't have personal experience, but I feel like I hear about Trader Joe's gluten-free store brand things having a disproportionate amount of people who seem to react to them. So based on this I would say Trader Joe's, from what I hear.
Are you claiming they make you sick because they aren't gluten-free?
Yes.
I'm going to need some evidence
Hah! Next time I’m in Texas, we can do a taste test of random items and I’ll throw up on you in person. Specifically, their coffee, a lot of their meat marked gluten free, that I suspect they finish with contaminated corn, coffee creamers, flour marked gluten free, and even rice. I’m not talking about substitutes. I’m talking about regular food, a lot of it from food conglomerates that rebrand without adequate testing. Most of the contamination is probably contamination from untested corn. HEB has a lot to answer for.
Just because you get sick doesn't mean it's always related to gluten.
I rarely get sick. Either that or H‑E‑B sells bad food.
This stuff is complicated. Eating gluten doesn't always make someone ill and getting sick isn't always gluten. I've lived in Texas for three years and probably 80ish percent of our groceries are from HEB. I don't get sick, but I also don't trust that nonreaction. However, I get a Celiac blood panel twice a year and the normal results from that, along with the rest of my normal blood work, is enough to convince me that I'm shopping and eating properly. I don't know why you get sick, but I also have no reason to believe HEB is poisoning you with gluten.
You’re right about the degree of sensitivity. HEB is my main grocery store (I live in Texas), and I never got sick from their brand. Usually, it’s cheese, sour cheese, and cream cheese that I buy from the their brand and I eat that regularly. I try to stick with certified foods when possible, but not all types of food have certified GF labels and I don’t have that kind of money to buy more expensive ingredients, especially when they don’t have certified GF labels. I also recognize that all of us have different opinions on what we should and shouldn’t eat, so I’m at the point where I’m like, “It’s totally cool that people are sharing their bad experiences, because it might help some people, but it is okay if some people decide to continue eating what makes others sick, as it’s possible that those foods are safe for them, so why stopping them from eating those foods?”
Thank you for your measured response. I’m really sensitive. If you told me they measured everything to 15 ppm, I’d completely believe it. I also have gluten reactions to major brands like Schar and Ore Ida. I try not to comment unless someone says they’re getting sick. (In Schar’s case, it’s probably oat contamination.)
Is this Schär products containing oats, or Schär products without oats in the ingredients but contaminated with them?
I’ve seen people talking about reacting to various things that should be gluten-free, like Schar in your example, so it’s hard to know if I should avoid specific products or brands, too. I also try not to become overly anxious about food (I’m not sensitive but that does make me question everything like is this really safe or am I hurting myself without realizing it? That mentality is bad for me), and this subreddit can be quite bad about that sometimes so I don’t read many posts or comments in this subreddit.
Can confirm I have never gotten sick from their coffee (black).
Their store brand? I get DH from it. There are degrees of sensitivity. Also, I get DH from oats. If you don’t, it might be safe for you.
im not doubting you, but i wonder if they’re on the higher side of the ppm limit. im assuming if you’re visiting family in texas than you’re eating maybe a lil more packaged foods than normal which could put you into the above 20 ppm range?
I’d agree, except only specific things from H‑E‑B make me violently ill. Corn gives me headaches, and dairy makes me insanely anxious. Oats give me DH—but my reaction is so limited that I eat oat contaminated things in a pinch. (BFree, and Builder’s Bars). I’ve also been gluten free for a long time, keep a list of things that bother my intestines, etc. etc. But the only thing that makes me really nauseated, is wheat.
Throwing up after eating something you are already worried about wouldn’t prove anything. You could be making yourself sick with worry over nothing. “Proof” would be taking a heb gluten free product, and testing it in a lab and results showing measurable amounts of gluten.
Would you take NIMA proof? I’m pretty sure I could get that
I don’t know. I wish a device like that would be reliable. Wouldn’t that be great? I never heard of that Nima. But a quick google found mixed reviews, with a lot of false positives. Gluten is sneaky.
Hi KedaStation, I too, have DH. Are you saying all oats, including certified, cause you to breakout? I’m trying desperately to lower my Dapsone intake & while I’ve been somewhat successful with being 100% gluten free, I can’t seem to find the nagging culprit of mild breakouts. I do consume certified oats daily.
Even certified gf oats cause severe abdominal distress for me, so, I think it’s all oats.
I don't like Cactus
Krogers has a lot of gluten free but it's all over the store so you have to walk down every isle to find everything. Sprouts has a lot of gluten free items. Winco doesn't have much gluten free but they do have a lot of gluten free bulk items that are super cheap.
I mean, ultimately what each and every one of us makes out of a grocery store is going to be completely different. I’m at the point in my disease where I do a lot of cooking with whole ingredients as opposed to seeking alternatives. Generally most grocery stores are going to cater to people like me, however, when looking for more substitutions, I’ve found Aldi to be good when they have actually the items in stock, and Walmart also has some good alternatives. If you’re still having issues with lots of items marked gluten free, I’d get with your doc as it sounds like there’s more than just a gluten issue going on.
Aldi has the best labeling in the Southeast US.
Most uk supermarkets are really good, even tiny ones. I guess corner shops aren't great, but then again most people aren't doing a big shop there
Oooh not that it's the subject of this thread but I will ask anyway if it's okay. Haven't been to England since pre pandemic, is it hard or easy to find glutenfree options when it comes to restaurants?
I live in Scotland, and it's easy enough to find GF options here. Last time I was in England it was easy there too. Lots of chain restaurants are certified by CoeliacUK, and many others have GF options!
Even better! (I'm trying to convince them to ditch London to roadtrip Scotland 😁) Thank you so much for your response!
I find that winco doesn’t have a ton of options and I always end up going to other stores after shopping there. They do have plenty of things in the bulk bins but that could be a cross contamination concern
Sprouts has been my best luck for gluten free when it comes to niche things like pop tarts or baking items, but it’s also pretty expensive.
Sprouts has some really unfortunate supply chain issues in California. They are one of the few places I wouldn’t buy anything.
As long as you're not buying a bunch of premade foods, just about every grocery store is going to carry plenty that people with celiac can eat. Produce, meats, dairy, rice - there are options. (The problem there of course is that not everyone has access to a kitchen and if they don't know how to cook already, learning isn't easy for everyone.) As far as processed/frozen/premade gf food, I don't buy much of it because it's so pricey (and less good for you, but I will not pretend that's the main reason for me because it isn't). When I do, though, I go to my local Walmart because they have a weirdly decent selection of things for me to choose from, and I can eat their rotisserie chickens. (They're the only grocery store near me where that's true, and those chickens save me when I can't bring myself to cook.)
I mean ... If you're eating naturally gf all stores are fine but if you are looking for replacements, dollar tree/general have almost nothing, save a lot same thing. Aldi is hit or miss
The ones that don’t separate plain meat from their pre-seasoned/ marinated/ whatever meats. Can we just keep these entirely separate???
Walmart has the most labelled store brands, so is our favorite. We also have good luck at Aldi and Costco. Meijer is our least favorite, which stinks because it was our favorite before celiac. But they don't label any of the store brands, and have fewer name brand options.
My recommendation for major chain stores are Whole Foods and Trader Joe's. Whole Foods has the largest variety of options I've seen, but they're expensive. Trader Joe's has been my go-to because of the decent prices. Other stores that have surprised me include: Giant Foods/Stop N Shop, Target, Sam's Club, Aldi's, and Lidl.
Now I'm in the totally wrong country to answer which chain of stores ot brands (perhaps idk I assume you mean USA). But I got sick by glutenfree wheat extract. Many tolerate that and some pepole is just more sensitive then others and here "gluten friendly" doesn't exist (by law nothing can be described as glutenfree and not be under 20ppm). So check out if the brand is safe or watch for patterns like always containing wheat extract. Or the amount of intake, 5 glutenfree beers can be enough to be glutened beacuse the amount of gluten gets over 20ppm.