Tips for Gluten Free Success
Snacks that I could not live without to come, but first a few rules:
1) ALWAYS READ INGREDIENT LISTS, avoiding all wheat, barley, oats (unless certified gluten free), kamut, spelt, triticale and rye. I will be expanding this list soon, but we will start here.
Remember just because an ingredient list looks safe does not mean that it is. If the product does not state somewhere on the packaging that it is gluten free do not trust it. Many manufactures do have this info on their website, sometimes under the FAQs tab. It can take some persistence in navigation to find this info, but it is a must to be confident that the food you are eating is gluten free. Some co-ops will tag products with “GF” beside the price. Ask an employee if you have any questions about that. If the label states “wheat free”, this does not mean that it is gluten free. Again research is needed to verify the status of EVERY food or product that goes in or near your mouth.
2) Look at the small print below the nutritional label.
This is where the manufacturer may state something like, “Processed in a facility with wheat, soy, nuts…” or some variation on that theme. Manufacturers and groceries do advertise products as GF even when they are processed in the same building and possibly on the same equipment as gluten-containing products. These foods cannot be certified GF because of potential for cross-contamination. I, therefore, do not consider them to be safe and do not buy.
3) Never leave home without a snack, especially if you get hypoglycemic like myself.
It is truly frightening to be out and about and feel the pangs of a hunger attack when living gluten free. Gas stations can not be trusted as a source of GF foods (PERIOD), restaurants need to be researched and called in advance and few grocery stores can be relied on. Always be prepared to take care of your own hunger. This just takes a little forethought. Before you leave the house, think about how long you plan on being out and plan accordingly. You will not be sorry and will save a lot of money by not having to purchase expensive gluten free products on a whim.
