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Why Some People Don’t Want an Official Celiac Diagnosis

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

With all the controversy swirling around the health care reform bill, here is something else to be considered in the mix. Shortly after my celiac diagnosis, our health insurance provider at the time (Blue Cross/Blue Shield) sent us a letter asking if we had supplemental health insurance. We called the insurance company as this was a strange request they’d never sent us before. The insurance giant stated that we probably forgot that they periodically sent us the same letter. We had not forgotten anything and had never gotten such a letter from them in the past, peroid.

After speaking with some people that worked in the insurance industry, and some who used to, everyone agreed this letter might be the insurers attempt to drop my coverage because I had recently been diagnosed with celiac disease. We told the insurance company we didn’t have supplemental coverage and that was the end of it. Maybe we assumed wrong about the meaning of the letter but we’ll never know one way or another.

One of the main issues here is that most insurance companies do not think most people with celiac disease are following the gluten-free diet faithfully. Studies show that up to 60% of patients who are told to go gluten-free continue to eat gluten, so the insurance companies assumptions are understandable. Many of them even mark the charts of celiac patients “pre-cancerous condition”. This is because untreated celiac can lead to several types of cancer, including but not limited to, non-Hodgkins lymphoma.

Certianly I don’t know what the answer is regarding health care reform. Health insurance is not the same as health care anyway, but that point seems to be get lost in the discussion at times. It also seems that in this country, you might be better off not having a bonafide celiac diagnosis on your health record. Here is some evidence that this assumption might be correct.

Excerpt from the Chicago Tribune:

When 17-year-old Brianna Rice was diagnosed with celiac disease in February, she had health insurance.

She doesn’t now.

In the months that followed her diagnosis, her insurance company, American Community Mutual Insurance, combed through her medical records and ruled that her parents lied on her application last year.

In May, American Community not only canceled her policy, but also rescinded coverage all the way back to the day it started — Nov.

Please take time to read the entire article. At the very least, what is happening to this family is sad and unfortunate. Share your thoughts about the issue in the commments below.

Special thanks to Celiac Listserv member Michael Thorn for passing along this article to the list!

Review of Gluten-Free Crackers

Last Updated on by the Celiac-Disease.com Staff

Both Saltine and Ritz crackers were a staple in our house when I was growing up. I was more into water table crackers with fancy toppings when I was diagnosed with celiac disease than the crackers of my childhood. Still, to this day, I’ve not really found a “replacement” for Saltine or Ritz crackers. But I have found some gluten-free crackers worth keeping on hand in my exhaustive, expensive and extensive quest.

Glutano crackers were the first gluten-free crackers I tried and they didn’t not appeal to me at all, though they are very popular with many people. I wasn’t crazy about basic rice crackers either. I like some of the Nut Thins – probably the Pecan  and Smokehouse are my favorite flavors. Mary’s Gone Crackers makes some nice flavored gluten-free crackers that I pair with strong flavored cheeses or spreads. These crackers also work especially well as a filler in meat loaf.

Glutino now offers four flavors of gluten-free crackers but I only like the Vegetable flavor. It is really about as close to a Ritz cracker as I’ve found, though of course it has a veggie flavor to it which a Ritz doesn’t have. Many people love all the flavors but the Cheddar, Multigrain and Original crackers did not appeal to me enough to buy them again.

For a basic plain cracker to be eaten with a nice spread or topping I like Ener-G Crackers. But I love their Onion Crackersand I can even eat them plain! I’d love the company to reduce the size of their crackers though. The huge rectangle shape is quite awkward to serve at a party and they are fairly difficult to cut down to a more manageable size.

Periodically I check the gluten-free product listings on Amazon.com and over a year ago I found a gluten-free product line called Valpi-Form. The France based company makes several phenomenal gluten-free products, one of which is their Salty crackers. This is the only cracker I’ve found to be similar to a Saltine in taste, size and texture. The problem is that they  – or anything from the line – are rarely in stock. And as soon as the products arrive on Amazon.com, most are sold out in a couple of hours. People can sign up to be notified when out of stock products arrive on Amazon.com.

Many people consider Schar crackers the closest thing to a Saltine but they are too buttery and crumbly for me to agree with that assessment. They are quite good crackers though, and as long as you are not trying to spread anything on them, they should not crumble. The packaging improved immensely a while back so that half the box will not be in pieces either.

Over the last few years I’ve tried gluten-free crackers that literally tasted like dirt – or the box they came in. I would not repeat the name of the products if I could remember them because everyone has different tastes and I don’t want to deter anyone from trying something just because I don’t like it. One of the items I bought after reading rave reviews about it – so I was the odd man out thinking they were horrible.

Photo courtesy of The Grainless Baker

To my great surprise there are actually two types of crackers for which I’ve found gluten-free versions that taste better than the gluten ones I was trying to replace. The Graham Crackers from The Grainless Baker are the best such product I’ve had and I’ve tried five gluten-free brands that I can remember.

My gluten eating husband will eat every single Grainless Baker graham cracker if I don’t hide them from him and he doesn’t even like gluten crackers! Put a little peanut butter on one for a truly decadent snack or just enjoy them plain with hot tea. Or use them or the graham cracker crumbs from the company for the best graham cracker pie crust ever!

Last but not least, the Cheese Crackers from the Sunny Valley Wheat-Free Bakery (all products are gluten-free)  in WA State are my favorite gluten-free cracker EVER! If you want to know what they taste like, think of a Cheez-It cracker that is made only with real ingredients. This of course means the gluten-free cheese crackers taste better than Cheez-It crackers. They are actually cheesier if you can believe it!

Tell us what your favorite gluten-free crackers is in the comments below.

Note: I have not tried the new Cheese Crackers from The Grainless Baker as I just found out about them today. Their Graham Crackers are now available at Return to Eden.

How to Be a Good Gluten-Free House Guest

Last Updated on by the Celiac-Disease.com Staff

As indicated by comments in my article about having house guests, we all have different gluten-free house rules. But what happens when we have to be guests in the homes of friends and family? In my case, it’s fairly easy regardless of whom we’re visiting.

My in-laws are very accommodating regarding my dietary needs. I remember a story from a while back, about someone’s Mother-in-law declaring she “cooked the gluten out of a dish by baking it at 500 degrees”. Not once have any family members suggested that I could pull the innards out of a sandwich or pick the pasta out of the soup – though many acquaintances have. Yet others I’ve met have things like that happen on a regular basis. That is why I feel especially fortunate to have such thoughtful and respectful in-laws!

Two of my immediate family members also have celiac disease so visiting them is super easy as well. Still, all the homes of friends and family that we visit are full of gluten. They are typical American heavy-on-the-gluten-diet households. But this does not mean I can’t survive safely as long as I get organized before I arrive.

The first thing to remember is that it’s highly unlikely that your hosts are going to spring for gluten-free powdered doughnuts or bagels from Joan’s in NYC for you to nosh on during your visit. If you want to start your day with such treats, pack them before you leave home. We drive when visiting most friends and all family, so we just pack a cooler with gluten-free goodies and hit the road. If you are traveling by plane you might want to take shelf-stable items instead of things that need to be kept cold.

The next thing to remember is to take kitchen tools you think you’ll need when you’re away from home. Some people actually take their own toasters on trips. Since I’m never without my amazing Toast-It bags, I can use any toaster I encounter on the road safely. When using a toaster oven you can securely wrap your food in foil to keep it from getting contaminated during the heating process.

Some people like to take their own can openers since so many soups (and other canned foods) contain gluten, and not everyone keeps their can opener squeaky clean. Most can just be washed prior to each use but certainly, take your own if you’re more comfortable doing that. I always need to use a can opener when visiting others because I often have soup when others are having sandwiches. I either have soup cups or canned soup, both of which make a quick and easy lunch.

Since I love all things dairy, I’m never far from butter. Therefore, when visiting others I usually take a small amount of my own butter in a lidded plastic container. This way, the ever-present bread or toast crumbs on the family’s communal butter do not pose a problem for me. If you can’t take ownership, request that your hosts allow you to open a fresh stick and put enough to last your visit in a container. Unless they don’t have any butter, this should not be an issue.

One thing I never want to do is inconvenience my hosts because of my dietary needs. People who are not living gluten-free can’t learn the nuances of this diet just to accommodate me a few times a year. It took me several months just to figure it out myself, after all. It’s not the responsibility of my hosts to make sure I eat well and safely when I’m in their home – it’s mine. If I plan ahead this is not hard to do – and being a good house guest allows me to be invited back in the future.

Whenever I go anywhere I do usually take more food than I end up eating. But since unused items just go back home with us, nothing goes to waste. I’d always rather have more food than I need than not enough. This way I’m sure to never feel deprived during my visit. And that’s something all of us can appreciate – not having to do without great food just because we can’t have gluten – no matter where life takes us!

What are your good house guest tips?

Applebees Gluten-Free Menu

Last Updated on by the Celiac-Disease.com Staff

Applebees restaurants are everywhere these days, so it has always been frustrating to see that their corporate office will not commit to anything on their menu being gluten-free. With that said, that does not mean that you can’t eat a gluten-free meal at an Applebees restaurant! Major companies are often hesitant to confirm anything is gluten-free due to cross-contamination concerns, but they still have many gluten-free options available on their menu. You’ll just have to work a little harder and make sure your server is aware of your gluten-free needs.

Official Website Menu Information: Applebees Gluten-Free Menu
Location Finder: Find an Applebees Location Near You

According to my research and experiences dining at Applebee’s, there are a few fairly safe items that are gluten-free on Applebee’s menu. Here are the items which are more than likely safe if cross-contamination is avoided:

  • Garlic Herb Chicken
  • Chicken Caesar Salad (make sure they know not to use croutons)
  • Fiesta Lime Chicken
  • Chips with Salsa

Make sure you educate your server on cross-contamination concerns so they can be sure that croutons aren’t added and then removed from the salad, for example. Typically when your server realizes the severity of your diet they can accommodate you without any problems.

Applebees also offers a “to-go” service, so knowing that there are a few okay items at Applebees can be useful when traveling. Just make sure you educate the person over the phone about your dietary needs when you place your order!

Have you eaten a gluten-free meal at Applebees?  Let us know your experience (positive or negative) below in the comments!

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.

What Are Your Gluten-Free House Rules?

Last Updated on by the Celiac-Disease.com Staff

Many people who can’t eat gluten live with others that can. That leads to them having two toasters, colanders and a host of other things. When I was diagnosed with celiac disease, my husband and I went through the kitchen and got rid of  all the gluten except for his sandwich bread and cereal.

Three years later we no longer keep gluten bread in the house as my husband is 99% gluten-free by choice. He does have cereal with barley malt in it. Other than that our house is gluten-free – except when in-laws with kids visit.

I didn’t think to make up house rules for visitors until one of my Brother-in-laws brought Krispy Kreme doughnuts into the house. Who knew the sight of the only thing I didn’t have a fabulous gluten-free version of would make me feel so bad? Certainly not my in-laws or even me. The feeling was one I was quite surprised by, but it really wasn’t something I could control.

After thinking about what my gluten-free house rules should be, I realized that only two things were not welcome in our home. Krispy Kreme doughnuts and Kentucky Fried Chicken. Luckily for my Brother-in-law, Dunkin Donuts are fine by me as I think they are absolutely horrid.

The friends and family that visit us are free to enjoy their gluten laden foods, though the younger kids don’t understand why I can’t have a gold fish cracker. My oldest nephew is old enough to understand that some foods make his Aunt Tiffany sick. He will even bring me a bag of gluten-free chips and say that his Mom said they were OK for me to eat. How precious is that?

I can’t help but think that my nieces and nephews generation will understand food allergies and intolerances much better than mine does. And that’s a very good thing indeed!

Tell us what your gluten-free house – or house guest – rules are in the comments below!