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Items Worth Ordering Online if You Can’t Buy Them Locally

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

It would be wonderful if we could all buy our favorite products locally but that might never be a reality for any of us. The truth is that many pretty awful tasting things sell really well because people are just happy to find a gluten-free bagel. For many people on the gluten-free diet, taste doesn’t seem as important as finding something – anything – they can eat.

We have one rule about gluten-free food at our house. It can either be as good as a great gluten version of the food or better. It can not offer a sub-standard taste however.  Therefore, we are willing to cut back on other expenses just so we can have the best of the best in the gluten-free market place. These are our favorite items and might not suit everyone else’s taste, of course.

Sorrella Bakery Biscotinnes are handmade gluten-free biscotti type cookies. They are crunchy but not as dense as regular biscotti. There are several flavors but we only tried the “Cinnamon Swirl” which is phenomenal. All Sorella’s Bakery items are peanut and dairy free. It’s rare to find a shelf stable gluten-free item that does not go stale fairly quickly once opened. We don’t go anywhere without packing this gluten-free travel friendly item. This fabulous biscotti was once sold at a store here but it did not move well. Too bad I wasn’t gluten-free back then as I would have cleaned them out of all their stock!

Go Picnic Gluten-free Meals and Snacks are a lifesaver when you get stuck somewhere that only offers you a safe salad to eat.  Each gluten-free meal or snack offers something salty, something sweet and some protein.  The turkey pepperoni packs are the perfect size for two and the stick is just enough for one person. The Go Picnic meals really are shelf stable meals in a box!

Udi’s gluten-free products, all of them we’ve tried anyway, are unlike any other gluten-free items we’ve had to date. Who knew it was possible to make gluten-free bread that tasted great without being heated? Udi’s products are free of gluten, dairy, soy and nuts. The only thing they don’t seem to be free of is incredible taste!

Joans’ GF Greatbakes Bagels and English Muffins are hands down the best we’ve tried and we’ve tried every brand in the U.S.  Nothing else comes close to these amazing breads, at our house anyway. In order to save money on shipping, I order with friends and that way the shipping cost for each of us is nominal.

Le Veneziane pasta from Italy is unlike any corn pastas I’ve had. The secret is apparently the quality of corn grown in Italy (nothing like U.S. corn) and the artful way the pasta is made. It’s basically like a wheat pasta, except that it is gluten-free!

Island GF Bakery gluten-free waffles are probably the best I’ve had in life. Note they are not the just best gluten-free waffles, but the best waffles period. In an attempt to find the perfect ready made gluten-free waffle I tried everything I could find – about seven brands/flavors. Finally, my search is over.

Everybody Eats Sticky Buns and Ravioli are the best items out there but sadly the bakery can’t ship the incredible Ravioli. It’s much too delicate. It tastes like hand made gluten pasta in Italy so I dream of the day when I can buy it in a  store near me. The Sticky Buns can be shipped and a dear friend of mine shipped me some of them for Christmas even though I can buy them here. What a lovely early gift that was!

Let us know if there is something you can’t do without, and are willing to order if you can’t find it in a store near you.     

Simple Money Saving Strategies for Gluten-Free Shopping

Last Updated on by the Celiac-Disease.com Staff Leave a Comment

Finding gluten-free groceries that don’t break the bank is tough enough, but with the rising cost of, well, everything, it is getting harder and harder know what to buy and where. Some tips are simple, and universal, including buying “in season” produce, and looking local. But what about the gluten-free foods, which are never “in season” and usually far from local?

Neighborhood Grocery Stores

Believe it or not, many local grocery stores are now carrying gluten-free pasta, bread, and cookies. In some cases, stores are even labeling their private brands with “gluten-free.” Wal-mart labels their Great Value brand pizza sauce “gluten-free,” along with some more obvious things, like canned veggies and cottage cheese. Kroger (King Soopers) is making a real effort to carry a variety of gluten-free foods, including breads and frozen meals (in some locations). In Longmont, CO, King Soopers is carrying Amy’s frozen meals, Pamela’s cookies, and Udi’s bread. Usually, the average family grocery store is less expensive than the big name organic and specialty stores. When you visit the neighborhood grocery store for eggs and butter, check the aisles for new gluten-free additions.

Note: For help finding grocery stores in your area that carry gluten-free items, check out our gluten-free groceries by state page.

Online Deals

Online shopper? There are some great deals online. Kinnikinnick products are yummy, but sometimes hard to find. Thankfully, you can order all of their products on their website, and they offer $10.00 flat-rate shipping cost and monthly specials. If you have any experience with Amazon.com you know they offer some great deals, like 33% off of a 3 pack of Pamela’s Baking Mix. You have to buy in bulk, but if you have a freezer, or a large family, the savings are worth it. Amazon.com offers Free Super Saver shipping on many items, which usually takes 5-9 business days. If you are a frequent Amazon.com shopper, they offer the Prime Membership for $79.00 per year, and you get free two-day shipping, or one-day shipping for just $3.99 per item, which could save you money if you shop on Amazon.com often. Sign-up for emails from your favorite companies which may include coupons, recipes, and online specials.

Shop Smart

Some things are obvious, like fresh produce, beef, butter, milk (cow, soy, rice…) and can easily be purchased, usually for less, at your local grocery store. Remember to read labels and buy products that you can get at the neighborhood stores that are naturally gluten-free, and save the specialty stores for the specialty products. Look for your favorite products online, and buy in bulk at a discount.

Clip Coupons

You may find coupons for gluten-free foods online or in magazines, but don’t forget the coupons for cleaning products and hygiene products in the weekly newspaper. If you can save on the other grocery items, the gluten-free goodies won’t seem like such an expense.

Ruth’s Chris Gluten-Free Menu

Last Updated on by the Celiac-Disease.com Staff Leave a Comment

Over the past couple of weeks, we’ve received several requests that we research Ruth’s Chris steakhouse and publish any known gluten-free information. Because this steakhouse is found all throughout the United States it made sense for it to be the next restaurant featured here.

Official Website Menu Information: Ruth’s Chris Gluten-Free Menu
Location Finder: Find a Ruth’s Chris Location Near You

Unfortunately, a review of their official website didn’t uncover any official gluten-free menu information so I decided to do some additional research and see what I can find. Steakhouses typically have several foods which can easily be prepared gluten-free and it appears that Ruth’s Chris steakhouse is no exception.

Here are the menu items we’ve been able to confirm are gluten-free (as is the standard disclaimer, please make sure to educate your server of cross-contamination concerns):

Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse Gluten-Free Menu

Appetizers/Soups/Salads

  • Barbequed Shrimp
  • Shrimp Remoulade
  • Onion Soup (no croutons)
  • Ahi Tuna is (no sauce)
  • All salads (no croutons)
  • All salad dressings except Ranch

Entrees

  • All entrees (steaks are only seasoned with salt, pepper, and butter)
  • Stuffed Chicken Breast (no Ranch dressing)

Sides

  • All potatoes are acceptable with the exception of Au Gratin and French Fries (both are fried in the same fryer as the Onion Rings)
  • All vegetables are acceptable except Creamed and Au Gratin.

Desserts

  • Chocolate Sin Cake
  • Crème Brulee
  • Berries with Cream

So there you go. Not a bad selection at all! 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.

Have you eaten gluten-free at a Ruth’s Chris steakhouse before? Please share your experience in the comments!

Biaggi’s Gluten-Free Menu

Last Updated on by the Celiac-Disease.com Staff Leave a Comment

Biaggi’s is a large restaurant chain that recently came to my area, so I was excited to hop online and learn that they offer a gluten-free menu (PDF) on their official website in a conveniently printable format.

Official Website Menu Information: Biaggis Gluten-Free Menu
Location Finder: Find a Biaggi’s Location Near You

So far I’ve only been able to go once (it is a little pricey) but the food was excellent. I had Spaghetti Marinara which was very good. Next time I go back, I plan on trying one of their gluten-free pizzas which it appears they make themselves.

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.

Have you eaten at Biaggi’s before? Please share your experience in the comments!

What Ice Creams are Gluten-Free?

Last Updated on by the Celiac-Disease.com Staff

Many ice creams are gluten-free, but most of them are not labeled as such. Several companies maintain gluten-free product lists on their websites. There are gluten-free ice creams available from many companies, including but not limited to, Breyer’s, Dreyer’s, Edy’s, Haagan Dazs, Mayfield and Ben & Jerry’s. Many of the manufacturers’ websites will list the flavors that are gluten-free, even though none of their items are labeled gluten-free.

Many private label gluten-free ice cream options are available. Check your local grocer’s website for their gluten-free product list. In the Atlanta area, Publix, Ingles and Kroger offer many different flavors of gluten-free ice creams. In the Midwest Hy-Vee offers gluten-free options and in California Safeway has quite a selection. For non dairy desserts, check out Purely Decadent products. That line even makes a gluten-free cookie dough ice cream! For gluten-free gelato, look for the Talenti brand. OK – it’s made in the U.S. but it’s one the best gelatos we’ve had outside of Italy! Dryer’s, Edy’s, Hy-Vee, Publix, Kroger and Safeway offer some gluten-free sherbets, sorbets or both. Julie’s Organic Ice Cream teamed up with Glutenfreeda to make the first gluten-free ice cream sandwich available in the U.S. They are sold at Wholes Foods locations nationwide.

One of the best frozen gluten-free desserts we’ve tried is Gaga’s Sherbetter. It’s a dairy free, gluten-free treat that has more flavor than any other similar product we’ve had. It’s all natural and doesn’t contain any artificial preservatives, flavors, or sweeteners. Sherbetter is sold in many health food stores, some grocery stores and at Whole Foods nationwide. The most popular flavors are the fruit varieties but Sherbetter makes a chocolate flavor as well. Gaga’s was featured in gluten-free Living magazine a while back.  Their frozen bars are the perfect summertime treat!

It’s somewhat easy to avoid gluten in ice creams. Many of the ones that contain gluten do so in an obvious way. Key phrases to watch out for are pie, cookie, cobbler, cookies and cream, cookie dough and the like. The Purely Decadent Cookie Dough dessert is the only one I’m aware of that is gluten-free but others might exist. Most cookie dough ice creams contain dough made with wheat flour, and therefore wheat will clearly be listed in the ingredient label.

More and more products are being labeled gluten-free these days. To date, the items I’ve seen marked gluten-free are most of the gelatos from Talenti, all Sherbetter flavors and all Purely Decadent products.  It’s likely that in the near future, we’ll start to see ‘gluten-free’ popping up on ice cream cartons from many mainstream companies as well.

Have a question about the gluten-free diet that we haven’t covered yet?  You can now submit your questions here! (Note: All medical questions should be directed to your physician.)