Foods That May Contain Gluten
These foods must be verified by reading the label or checking with the manufacturer/kitchen staff.
- Energy bars/granola bars some bars may contain wheat as an ingredient, and most use oats that are not gluten-free
- French fries be careful of batter containing wheat flour or cross-contact from fryers
- Potato chips some potato chip seasonings may contain malt vinegar or wheat starch
- Processed lunch meats
- Candy and candy bars
- Soup pay special attention to cream-based soups, which have flour as a thickener. Many soups also contain barley
- Multi-grain or artisan tortilla chips or tortillas that are not entirely corn-based may contain a wheat-based ingredient
- Salad dressings and marinades may contain malt vinegar, soy sauce, flour
- Starch or dextrin if found on a meat or poultry product could be from any grain, including wheat
- Brown rice syrup may be made with barley enzymes
- Meat substitutes made with seitan such as vegetarian burgers, vegetarian sausage, imitation bacon, imitation seafood
- Soy sauce
- Self-basting poultry
- Pre-seasoned meats
- Cheesecake filling some recipes include wheat flour
- Eggs served at restaurants some restaurants put pancake batter in their scrambled eggs and omelets, but on their own, eggs are naturally gluten-free
Peanut Butter Banana Rice Cakes
The humble rice cake doesnt have a ton of flavor on its own, but thats a good thing. You can use a rice cake to make nearly anything you can dream up.
You would think that all rice cakes were gluten free, but theyre not. To buy a gluten free rice cake, make sure you read the label to see if it contains grains like barley.
When you buy gluten-free organic rice cakes, you can turn these somewhat bland little cakes into masterpieces for snack time.
All you need to do to make the magic happen is assemble your ingredients, which are rice cakes, unsweetened seed butter or nut butter, a banana, and cinnamon. Thats it!
Optional ingredients can include coconut flakes, chopped walnuts or pecans, or other additional fruit.
Who doesnt love ants on a log? Its one of the time-honored ways of getting kids excited about a healthy snack.
Equally important, ants on a log are one of the best gluten free snack ideas.
Celery, peanut butter, and raisins are all you need to make this beloved classic gluten-free snack.
This recipe offers excellent ideas for variations. For example, you can use different nut butter such as cashew butter, sun butter, and almond butter.
To skip nut butter entirely, you can use vegan cream cheese or hummus.
If you want to use something besides raisins, consider goji berries. Then, your logs have the delightful name of ladybugs on a log.
You can also try a chocolate chip version, fresh berries for a burst of flavor, or other dried fruit.
Your Gluten Free Shopping Guide
Fruits and Vegetables
As we mentioned above, fresh fruit and vegetablesare generally safe for gluten sensitive and Celiac sufferers. If youre getting them from the produce section, feel free to pile everything from apples to zucchini into your cart.
When it comes to canned, frozen and otherwise packaged fruits and vegetables, most of that is safe for the gluten sensitive and Celiac patients as well. Your best bet is to buy single-food frozen fruits and vegetables . Remember to read the label for any information about whether it was processed on equipment or in a facility shared with potentially gluten containing foods, and any ingredients that might have gluten in them. If youre unsure, you can also check out the companys website or call them up to confirm their practices.
There are also some good options for fruit cups, just be sure you go with fruit that is in 100% juice, or water.
- Fresh, whole fruit
- Frozen fruits & vegetables
- Fruit in water or 100% juice
- Raisins and dates
- Dried fruit
Breads & Pasta
Because wheat and its derivatives are the basis of so many staple foods like bread and pasta, it can seem a daunting challenge to find those simple basics while on a gluten free diet.
However, there are actually some great options that can be found in many local, regional, and national grocery stores. Pasta and breads are just part of the widening variety of gluten free foods at Walmart, ShopRite, Sprouts, and HEB. Take our products for example.
Snacks and Sweets
Dairy
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Tips For Eating A Healthy Gluten
Choosing more whole foodsover packaged is the easiest way to follow a gluten-free diet as there is a wide variety of fresh and healthy options to choose from.
But having to start a meal prep program, re-learning how to optimize your grocery shopping, or trying to eat out can be a challenge when you first get started.
Try out these tips to help you follow your gluten-free diet.
Gluten Free Soup Recipes
Soups are of the easiest freezer meals to make. And, these gluten free soups are no exception.
They are delicious, and all can be considered dump meals. Which again, means you dump all of the ingredients into a freezer bag. Thaw in the fridge the night before you want to cook, and then dump the ingredients into a slow cooker or Instant pot when you are ready.
Chicken Enchilada Soup by Jasper and Willow
This soup freezes incredibly well. For either a make ahead meal or for leftovers.
And, whoa mama it is SO good too. Like next level cheesy chicken enchilada goodness in your mouth!
This makes for a great dump meal by simply adding all of the ingredients into a freezer bag. I freeze any leftovers in this food storage container.
Hearty Vegetable Soup by I Heart Naptime
Having a delicious and flavor packed vegetable soup on stand by is a must for busy moms. And, it goes great with some crusty bread, grilled cheese, or just as is.
This hearty vegetable soup is packed with a ton of flavor, and it is super flexible too. Feel free to add or omit any ingredients to make everyones taste buds happy.
There are a couple of ways that you can prepare this gluten free freezer meal.
You could omit the meat, and toss all the ingredients into a bag. Then, brown the meat when ready to cook.
Or, you could go ahead and brown the meat ahead of time, and then toss all the ingredients into a bag and freeze. Whatever works best for you!
Cabbage Soup by I Heart Naptime
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Almond Milk Ice Cream
This Almond Milk Ice Cream is delicious! You’re going to want to have some in your freezer ready for you to indulge. This ice cream is kid-approved, dairy-free, and gluten-free. Straightforward to prepare, this recipe is fantastic and even includes a few variations to customize the taste.
Sweet Potato Brownies are sweet and fudgy. They’re packed with rich chocolate flavor and ready to enjoy in just 30 minutes!
Naturally gluten-free, these Vegan Peanut Butter Cups are sweet and have a great texture. There are several variations to test out, and they’re made with simple ingredients you probably already have on hand!
Vegan Apple Crisp is a beautiful dessert. It’s made with cinnamon, apples, maple syrup, and coconut sugar to create a heavenly treat. It has a fantastic gluten-free crumble topping, and it’s even low-calorie!
Our Beginners Guide To Gluten
Going gluten-free? Well show you what to eat, what to avoid and more to help you navigate this diet.
Youre about to try a gluten-free diet, but youre not sure where to start. What is gluten, anyway? And what can you eat? Worry not were here to help with resources that will set you up for success.
Recommended Reading: Whats Gluten Free Mean
What To Do If You Have Symptoms
If you have diarrhoea or you are vomiting, its important to keep yourself well hydrated by drinking lots of water.
Some people find that taking medication to treat constipation, diarrhoea or headaches can ease symptoms, but check with your pharmacist or GP.
The most important thing is to get back onto your gluten free diet to try to prevent further symptoms.
If your symptoms are very severe or do not improve, speak to your GP.
Coeliac UK support gluten free food safety for people with coeliac disease and gluten related conditions. To find out more, click here.
Printable Pdf For These Gluten
Lighten up a classic, home cooked, gluten free comfort food dish by using spiralized sweet potatoes! This simple and wholesome, grain free casserole recipe is ready to eat in 45 minutes. Protein rich and veggie packed. To make dairy free, try Kite cheese cream cheese and cheeses. I find these at Whole Foods.
Another one pan wonder are skillet meals. They go from the stove top straight to the table. Prepare to dive into delicious, and dont fight over the last piece, please.
This easy one pan meal is packed with veggies, nourishing, Paleo, low carb, gluten free, and ready to eat in 45 minutes. You and your family will love the tangy balsamic marinade!
Whole Foods finds One of my favorite pre-made marinades/dressings is Primal kitchen Balsamic Dressing, which of course you can substitute in for the homemade version here.
The ingredients for go-to gluten free meals must be easily accessible. Hello LEFTOVERS. I love you.
Everything But the Kitchen Sink Soup
This healthy, gluten free soup recipe uses holiday leftovers. OK, you can go buy them fresh from the store if you want to. Anyway, there are instructions for cooking in an electric pressure cooker or on a stove top. Its a flavorful and healthy, veggie packed, gluten-free lunch or dinner. Throw in some chopped Kale for extra Vitamin K!
Whole Foods Finds Optional uncured Bacon , organic frozen veggies, organic bunched kale.
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Gluten Free Diet: Building The Grocery List
Gluten is a type of protein found in wheat, barley and rye, as well as foods made from these grains. Consuming even the smallest amounts can damage the intestines of someone with celiac disease. Because of this, individuals with celiac disease must follow a strict gluten-free diet. Here are a few tips on building a grocery list and navigating the aisles.
Build Your Grocery List
There are many grains and flours available that don’t have gluten. Some safe choices to add to your grocery list include rice, wild rice, corn , sorghum, quinoa, millet, buckwheat, amaranth, teff, Indian rice grass and gluten-free oats*. These grains may be found intact, like when you buy a bag of rice, or ground into a flour. Some other gluten-free flours you may come across include sago, soy, potato, tapioca, garbanzo bean and arrowroot.
Other foods that are naturally gluten-free include single ingredient foods like fresh fruits and vegetables, milk, butter, eggs, lentils, nuts and seeds, fish and poultry, honey and water.
*Oats are, by nature, gluten-free. However, they are often contaminated with other gluten-containing grains during processing. Many individuals with celiac disease are able to tolerate about a ½ cup of dry gluten-free oats per day.
Keep It Off the List
In the Aisles
Finally, don’t hesitate to speak to your grocer about grains you would like to have available in your store.
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Ingredients Beware Heres What To Avoid On Food Labels
If youre one of the lucky gluten-free gals, youll need to become aware of what ingredients to stay away from, especially if you buy a lot of processed goods.
But dont worry!
Its not as overwhelming as it seems, especially if you stick to whole foods.
In the meantime, start getting used to reading food labels before you purchase, and look for trigger ingredients like wheat, barley rye, triticale, and wheat varieties like durum, einkorn, emmer, kamut, spelt.
Expert tip:
Wheat flours can have different names based on how the flour was milled. All of these flours have gluten in them:
- Self-rising flour, also called phosphate flour
- Semolina, the part of wheat used in couscous and pasta
- Enriched flour
- Farina, usually found in hot cereals
- Graham flour, a whole wheat flour
We made this simple graphic so you and your loved ones can remember what foods to avoid:
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What Can You Eat
An easy way to know if a food is gluten-free? Check the ingredient list. As youre shopping, get into the habit of reading ingredients and choosing foods with gluten-free on the label. Foods with a gluten-free certification on their labels have been third-party tested to meet the requirements for gluten and food labeling set by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration . Heres which foods get the green light, plus which ones are off-limits.
Look For Whole Fresh Foods
Fresh, whole fruits and vegetables naturally have no gluten. There are several choices to add to your shopping list from apricots to zucchini.
Frozen fruit and vegetables are also gluten-free and single-food items are the safest options. Think frozen peas or frozen pineapples.
Canned fruit and vegetables in water or 100% juice are also gluten-free and should be safe to eat. Most dried fruits are safe as well. Be sure to read the label.
Unprocessed meats, poultry, fish and seafood are also naturally gluten-free options. So are plain and roasted nuts and seeds.
Whole, plain dairy is also gluten-free. On the other hand, flavored yogurt, milk, and processed cheeses can contain added gluten or gluten due to cross-contamination.
Like fruit and vegetables, most plain,unflavored dairy is safe for the gluten-intolerant and gluten-sensitive. This includes plain milk , butter, plain yogurt and cheese.
On the other hand, flavored yogurt, milk, and processed cheeses cancontain gluten or be cross-contaminated from processing and packaging.
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Pop The Champagne For Gf Grains
For the longest time I had no idea grains could be gluten-free. I mean, come on, it sounds like a total contradiction.
But but but!
There are some grains that are naturally gluten-free…who wouldve thought?
Of course, its always a great idea to double check labels when purchasing grains, as they can be processed in the same facility as typical gluten grains.
Condiments Sauces And Spices
Many products in this category contain gluten ingredients, and even single-ingredient products like spices can be subject to significant gluten cross-contamination.
- For spices, Spicely is certified gluten-free, and McCormick’s will clearly label any gluten-containing ingredients, but does not test for cross-contamination.
- Heinz ketchup and French’s yellow mustard are considered gluten-free, as are some popular salsa brands.
- Salad dressing can contain gluten ingredients, although many do not. Organicville salad dressings are certified gluten-free.
- Don’t buy soy sauce unless it’s specifically labeled “gluten-free.”
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When In Doubt Always Look For The Gluten
The gluten-free label can be found on packaged foods is helpful to assure its safe to eat for those with Celiac disease or gluten-sensitivity.
The Food and Drug Administration , who regulates packaged foods, allows the gluten-free label on foods that meet certain requirements.
These requirements say that food must be made to be free of gluten or by nature is free of gluten. It is also required that the food not be made from gluten-derived grains and contains less than 20 ppm of gluten.
Manufacturers are not required to test the starting ingredients or the finished product of their food items. However, they are required to back up their claims if tested/inspected by the FDA.
This labeling is voluntary, meaning companies can choose to bear the label on their foods, but are not required to. There are foods on the market that are gluten-free, but dont have the gluten-free label.
Below is a complete list of gluten-free foods, available in a printable PDF here.
