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Hardee’s Gluten-Free Menu

Last Updated on by the Celiac-Disease.com Staff 7 Comments

Have a Hardee’s near you? I don’t anymore, and I am bummed because they have some gluten-free options on their website and a coupon. Check out their website with the gluten-free options and print the coupon for a free drink or free salad with purchase.

Official Website Menu Information: Hardees Gluten-Free Menu
Location Finder: Find a Hardees Near You

Below we’ve collected what foods are currently safe to eat at Hardee’s for your convenience:

Hardees Gluten-Free Menu

Thickburgers:

  • Low Carb Thickburger® (Lettuce Wrap)

Sides:

  • Side Salad (Dressing not included)
  • Green Beans
  • Cole Slaw
  • Mashed Potatoes (Gravy not included)

Desserts:

  • Single Scoop Ice Cream Bowl
  • Hand Scooped Ice-Cream Shake™

Condiments & Dressings:

  • Barbecue Sauce Dipping Cup
  • Barbecue Sauce Packet
  • Buffalo Sauce Dipping Cup
  • Butter Blend, Packet
  • Buttermilk Ranch Dipping Cup
  • Fat-Free Italian Salad Dressing
  • Honey Mustard Dipping Cup
  • Honey Packet
  • Horseradish Packet
  • Hot Sauce Packet
  • Jam, Strawberry
  • Jelly, Grape
  • Ketchup
  • Lemon Juice
  • Mayonnaise
  • Mayonnaise Packet
  • Mustard
  • Mustard Packet
  • Picante Sauce Packet
  • Ranch Dressing
  • Tartar Sauce
  • Texas Pete® Hot Sauce

Breakfast:

  • Low Carb Breakfast Bowl®
  • Grits

If you have any questions about gluten-free food at Hardee’s, please see the email below from Beth:

(Email from Hardee’s)

How’s this sound? Folded eggs topped with a sausage patty and Swiss cheese, piled with a loaded omelet, and finished with shredded cheddar and bacon bits. A charbroiled 100% Black Angus beef patty, cheese, and all the fixings, packed in a fresh whole-leaf lettuce wrap. Oh, did I mention these were gluten-free options? Who knew you could gluten-free it at the drive-through at Hardee’s?

What many people don’t know is that at Hardee’s you can order anything on the menu any way you like it.  No gluten?  No problem. Visit www.hardees.com/menu/indulge for some ideas and to download a coupon to make your own flavor experiment with us.

It’s really the easiest way to treat yourself to a tasty, inexpensive, fast option that satisfies your appetite while sticking to your diet.

Spread the word, indulge yourself, and let us know what options you come up with.  Tell us your own personal favorite menu creation.  You never know – we may just name it after you!

Gluten-free it,
Beth
For Hardee’s
(314) 552-6749

As always, when dining out gluten-free, do your due diligence and make sure the staff understands your needs. There are very few restaurants that are 100% gluten-free, so cross-contamination is always a risk. If you don’t feel comfortable with what you are hearing from the staff, perhaps it is best to dine elsewhere.

For information about other gluten-free restaurants menus, check out our gluten-free restaurants page.

Lesser Forms of Celiac Disease May Increase Risk of Death

Last Updated on by the Celiac-Disease.com Staff 4 Comments

If you’ve ever attended a large celiac support group meeting before or attended any type of event which has a large collection of people who suffer from celiac disease, you may have compared notes and noticed that there seem to be a number of varying types of the disease out there which result in a variety of symptoms. Though they are all forms of celiac disease, some are definitely more severe than others.

Historically, most testing has focused on the most severe forms of celiac, but recently WebMD covered a study that showed patients with less severe forms of celiac disease may be at a higher risk of death.

The researchers compared all patients with a comparison group from the general population and followed them for a median of about seven to nine years (half were followed longer, half less). Among those with celiac disease, there were 3,049 deaths; among those with inflammation, 2,967 died and among the latent group, 183 died.

The increased risk of death, the researchers found, differed by group:

  • Those with inflammation had a 72% increased risk of death.
  • Those with celiac disease had a 39% increased risk of death.
  • Those with latent disease had a 35% increased risk of death.

But Ludvigsson puts the finding in perspective. The most important finding, he says, is the relatively low overall risk of death, even though it is increased. It translates, he says, “into very few actual deaths.”

It is important to note that the researchers also found that people who are diagnosed before age 20 had nearly twice the risk of death.  However, Ludvigsson put that into perspective by stating that kids are at increased risk of mortality.  It is also believed that the higher risk in those with less severe disease may be because of untreated inflammation, as those patients may not be told to follow a gluten-free diet.

Newman’s Own Gluten-Free Products

Last Updated on by the Celiac-Disease.com Staff 3 Comments

Newman’s Own products are not only made with excellent quality ingredients, many of them are also a great option for those who can’t eat gluten. We loved the products when we ate gluten so we were thrilled to find out that they have a lot of gluten-free products, once I had to go gluten-free. If fact, I can’t think of anything we enjoyed from the line before, that is not gluten-free.

The Natural Newman’s Own popcorn has been a staple in our house for a while. The pasta sauces and salsas have as well. There are 15 or so pasta sauces in the line and all are gluten-free. There are over 10 salsas – all gluten-free also. I love the Tequila Lime salsa, though it does not actually contain Tequila.

organic_salsa_familyWe’ve tried several of the pasta sauces and have so far never been disappointed. Our favorite is probably Tomato Basil sauce. I actually add some of the Italian Blend spice from Alchemy Spice to it and use the sauce for lasagna, spaghetti, anything that calls for Italian red sauce, including pizza. One we’ve not tried yet is the Five Cheese pasta sauce. As I love all things cheese, this one would likely be right up my alley. My favorite salad dressings from the line are Caesar and Greek. All of the popcorn flavors are gluten-free.

I’ve not tried any of the five refrigerated dressings, two of which are gluten-free. The pizza, cookies and cereals are not gluten-free. Their wheat-free  cookies now have a warning label on the package about gluten. The cookies have always said “wheat-free” and people were likely just consuming them and finding out too late they are made with barley flour. The first time I saw the package it did not have the warning about gluten. I meet way too many people that think if a label doesn’t say wheat on it, it’s gluten-free. In many countries all forms of gluten must be listed on the label, but this is not the case in the U.S.

If you avoid other allergens than gluten, the Newman’s Own product line will serve you well. Check out this easy to understand allergen/sensitivities chart. You’ll notice that the list contains all major allergens and gluten, MSG and sulfites. I’ve not seen such a complete list as this on any other food manufacturers website. All of the salsas and drinks are free of all eight allergens, gluten MSG and sulfites.

Also of note, many of the Newman’s Own gluten-free products in the product line are free of dairy, soy, nuts and MSG as well. As I have stated again and again, MSG is gluten-free. I personally try and avoid it as I don’t think it’s generally healthy. It’s probably fine if you don’t consume a ton of it but since it’s added to so many packaged food products, it’s hard to tell how much you’re consuming. And no one seems to know how much is too much anyway.

One of the best things about this company is how much money they give to well deserving charities. That is what got me hooked years ago when Paul Newman started the company. He was extremely fortunate and wanted to pay it forward. That is something we can all respect and aspire to do ourselves – in any small way we can.

Here is quick look at how much the company donates to charities and information about the Hole in the Wall camps they support:

We anticipated sales of $1,200 a year and a loss, despite our gambling winnings, of $6,000. But in these twenty-six years we have earned over $270 million, which we’ve given to countless charities.

Hole in the Wall Camps is a nonprofit umbrella organization that serves a global family of camps for children with serious illnesses and life-threatening conditions as well as camps in formation. Since its founding in 1988, the family of Hole in the Wall Camps has provided more than 119,374 children with a camp experience, all free of charge.

Let us know what your favorite Newman’s Own product is. I’ve yet to find the drinks they make locally but some of them sound great!

Gluten-Free Foods at Sports Venues

Last Updated on by the Celiac-Disease.com Staff

Over the past few years, thanks to some solid efforts from various celiac support groups, a growing number of sports venues have started to make an effort to accommodate the Celiac community by offering gluten-free foods and drinks at their stadiums, arenas, and other venues. Based on the information I’ve been reading, the selection can range from a gluten-free beer and a few standard pre-packaged gluten-free foods all the way to a large variety of gluten-free foods. A couple of baseball stadiums (the Colorado Rockies and Atlanta Braves) even offer a completely gluten-free concession stand!

In the below post, I’ve gone out and collected as much information as possible about the various sports venues and posted them below, sorted by sport. As more sports venues add gluten-free accommodations, this post will be updated.

Major League Baseball Teams (MLB)

  • Atlanta Braves (Atlanta, Georgia) – Now a gluten-free dedicated concession stands located in section 106 (at field level).   Featured at the stand are all beef franks, sirloin beef burgers, chicken sandwiches, chips, popcorn, brownies, cookies, soda, water, and gluten-free Red Bridge beer!
  • Arizona Diamondbacks (Phoenix, Arizona) – Chase Field offers gluten-free beer and snacks. Larabars and gummy bars are available and gluten-free beer is available wherever liquor is sold (sections 109, 114, 122, 129, 136, 311, 324).
  • Baltimore Orioles (Washington D.C.) – Gluten-free pretzels are available from Noah’s Pretzel
  • Chicago White Sox (Chicago, Illinois) – US Cellular Field offers gluten-free granola bars, candies, and gluten-free beer at the Southside Grill.
  • Colorado Rockies (Denver, Colorado) – Coors Field has an entirely gluten-free concession stand behind section 147 on the left field.  This concession sells burgers, hot dogs, chicken sandwiches, cookies, pretzels, chips, brownies, beer, and soda! [Learn More]
  • Los Angeles Dodgers (Los Angeles, California) – Gluten-free beer (Redbridge) is available at many concession stands.  [Learn More]
  • Philadelphia Phillies (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) – Section 128 of Citizen’s Bank Park offers gluten-free hot dogs/buns and gluten-free snacks.  Redbridge Beer is also available at many stands throughout the park, including Sections 139, 204, and 323.
  • Washington Nationals (Washington D.C.) – Gluten-free pretzels are available from Noah’s Pretzel

National Football League Teams (NFL)

  • Baltimore Ravens (Maryland) – You can read more about gluten-free options at Ravens games here.
  • Philadelphia Eagles (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) – Lincoln Financial Field offers a “Philly Stand” at Section 117, where gluten-free hot dogs/buns and gluten-free snacks are sold.  Redbridge beer is also available next door in Section 118. [Learn More]

National Basketball Association Teams (NBA)

  • Philadelphia 76ers – Redbridge beer ($6.75) and Woodchuck hard cider ($6.75) are available in the “Fan Favorites” stands at Sections 104, 110, and 116.  You can also get grilled chicken sandwiches ($6.00) and hot dogs ($4.00), both on gluten-free buns, which are located on the concourse level at Section 122. This stand also sells Redbridge beer.  [Learn More]

National Hockey League Teams (NHL)

  • Carolina Hurricanes (Raleigh, North Carolina) – According to gluten-free Raleigh, the RBC Center offers both Redbridge beers and a few food items, including popcorn and garden salads (sections 126 and 314). You can read more here.
  • Philadelphia 7Flyers – Redbridge beer ($6.75) and Woodchuck hard cider ($6.75) are available in the “Fan Favorites” stands at Sections 104, 110, and 116.  You can also get grilled chicken sandwiches ($6.00) and hot dogs ($4.00), both on gluten-free buns, which are located on the concourse level at Section 122. This stand also sells Redbridge beer. [ Learn More]

College Teams (NCAA)

  • Sprint Center (Kansas City, Missouri) – Gluten-free beer and some gluten-free foods (pizza, brownies, and candies) [Learn More]

Note: Levy Restaurants caters to a large number of stadiums and other sports venues.  You can see a full list here.  Aramark also caters to a number of stadiums, but they offer limited information on their website about any of their gluten-free concession stands (however you can view the stadiums where they have contracts within the drop-down menu).

Sadly, that is as complete as I could get the list. I’ve found a few other similar lists around the internet and am confident this is the most complete one available, but there have to be quite a few that the above list is missing.

With that said, I’m going to turn this over to our readers since you guys are scattered throughout the United States (and the world!). Know of a sports stadium, arena, or venue with gluten-free accommodations which we are missing from our list?  Please leave a comment below or contact us with information about your local sports teams!

Separating Gluten-Free Facts from Fiction

Last Updated on by the Celiac-Disease.com Staff

Why is there so much confusion over what is and is not gluten-free? The internet is a wonderful thing in many ways. It allows people to connect with others around the world, and learn about pretty much anything that they are interested in. The problem is that it’s fairly difficult to separate fact from fiction in cyberspace – especially when it comes to the gluten-free diet.

Let’s say that someone posted an “unsafe foods” list on a celiac website or blog ten years ago. It will likely list alcohol made from gluten grains and distilled vinegar as containing gluten. Ten years ago the proof that the distillation process rendered said items gluten-free did not exist. Remember to check the gluten-free status of flavored alcohols as some might contain gluten. Forget about the fact that based on the ten-year-old list one would conclude they need to drink potato or corn vodka. What about the fact that they’d also avoid mustard, mayo, ketchup, most salad dressings, or even pickles? They all contain vinegar which was once thought to contain gluten as well.

Some people choose not to consume products distilled from gluten grains. That is their choice and their right, of course. McCormick’s vanilla is distilled from gluten grains and they now mark the product gluten-free. Benefiber is made with wheat starch and is also labeled gluten-free. That is because these products have been tested and proven to be gluten-free. Gluten-free Living did an in-depth article about wheat starch that was fascinating. Facts are facts and myths are myths that will seemingly never die.

Hence the problem with the internet as it pertains to gluten-free information. It’s not a problem if fad dieters think they can not eat ketchup. Most trend followers flirting with our diet will give up on it quickly enough, assuming they don’t feel better eating gluten-free. But it is an issue when people who must remain gluten-free for health reasons run across a lot of inaccurate information online. Remember, the average U.S. doctor tells their celiac patients to go online to learn about their new diet.

At Celiac-Disease.com, we are committed to sharing the most current and accurate information we can find with our readers. Keeping up with the latest celiac and gluten-free news and how it affects our community is no small feat.  We will not knowingly spread “celiac myths” on this website. This is easier said than done since there are hundreds of them out there floating in cyberspace. However, we will continue to strive to help our readers learn and understand the most current – and accurate – information available.

The fact that the gluten-free diet is being perceived as a fad diet more and more every day is not helping the matter. There is also a lot of “gluten-free backlash” popping up everywhere you turn. Martha Stewart’s daughter complained well over a year that she was tired of hearing about gluten-free menus at restaurants in NYC. I think her Sirius satellite radio show website crashed over that comment. The recent Slate.com article didn’t help matters much. The fact is that the dietary needs of the allergen community are changing the market place and most people don’t like change.

Recently, Dr. Cynthia Rudert spoke to the Atlanta Metro Celiacs group and commented about the dining card in the back of the book “G Free Diet” by Elisabeth Hasselbeck. The good doctor noted that the card was great for people with the same intolerances as the author, but not someone who just needs to avoid gluten. In case you are not aware of the controversy surrounding this book, please read WebMD’s review of it here.

So, in addition to celiac myths splashed on untold websites, even a new book contains inaccurate information. And so our work gets harder instead of easier, yet we are up to the challenge and will continue to report the most factual information available to date on this website. We so appreciate the trust you – our readers – have placed in us to do so.

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