Getting Through Grocery Shopping Part 1

Grocery shopping, a seemingly normal and routine task, has become one of the most difficult parts of being gluten-free and living with someone who is not.  When I lived on my own, I knew what aisles to avoid.  I hardly ever had to go near food I was forced to give up, so the reminders of mouthwatering snack cakes and salty Goldfish crackers weren’t there to pull at my tastebuds.  However, living with Seth completely changed that.  You don’t think a trip to the store can be difficult--unless of course you have four kids under the age of five that you have to literally cart around.

Some people might think it would be easier if he just did his own shopping, but I don’t like that idea, especially since I know he would buy double the junk food if I wasn’t there.  I do have to brag that more gluten-free options are becoming available throughout grocery stores, so that makes it easier.  I’ve also found that while walking passed the fresh bread towards the yummy, Little Debbie’s cakes has become easier when I think about the outcome of eating gluten-filled foods.  Plus, I’ve found some good gluten-free snacks of my own that I will share in next week’s blog.

When I was first diagnosed with Celiac’s, grocery shopping was a little intimidating because I wasn’t sure what was “safe” for me.  The key is to READ THE LABELS!  Most people with Celiac’s know what to look for on a label, but if you’re new to this or trying to make something gluten-free, it’s important to know what’s safe.  A lot of food these days is labeled gluten-free, but when you aren’t sure, you want to avoid food with phrases like “wheat flour” or “contains wheat.”  Many gluten-sensitive people cannot have food that says “may contain traces of wheat” or “made in a facility that processes wheat” because of the risk of cross-contamination.  When I plan on trying something new, I always do research before I go to the store, and I like to grocery shop early in the morning because it’s less crowded, so if I do need to read labels, I don’t feel like I’m blocking anyone.

It’s amazing how much food is “naturally gluten-free,” which makes it easier to transition to living with someone who is not gluten-free.  Any kind of meat, fruits, or veggies that haven’t been seasoned or breaded is naturally gluten-free.  Most cheeses, butters and other dairy products are gluten-free.  Also, most chips are naturally gluten-free because most chips are made from corn or potatoes.  Unfortunately, French Onion Sunchips are made with wheat.  I guess it’s kind of a good thing, considering I would have to stop myself from eating the entire bag in one sitting.  See, there are good things about Celiac’s!

Since the basics of most meals are naturally gluten-free, knowing the things to add to those meals are what can become difficult when shopping.  If you’re like me, you hope to cook a meal that is safe for both you and your hunny (or your children or whoever else may eat dinner with you).  I don’t want to survive off of grilled chicken and rice, and Seth definitely would die of starvation.   I like a good, crunchy breading on most meat, so  I recommend Pillsbury Gluten Free Flour; Seth enjoys this flour and has even mentioned how it’s almost exactly the same as the “real” stuff.  I’ve also used Bisquick Gluten Free Baking Mix, but I tend to use that more for pancakes and waffles.  Bisquick can be used for multiple things, so I do recommend keeping it on hand, too.  Another way to bread meat is to use bread crumbs.  There are a few brands out there, but I find that I like 4C Crumbs, which I buy at Wal-Mart.  It’s also important to have seasonings to add to any meal.  I don’t get fancy when I cook, so I stick to some basics: garlic salt and pepper.  These are my go-to seasonings for pretty much everything!  The seasonings I choose to use are naturally gluten-free; however, I do suggest checking labels because sometimes you just never know!

There’s just so much information about grocery shopping that I can’t fit it into one week’s worth of writing.  Please stop back by next week when I will be sharing helpful tips on where to get some good quality gluten-free food at reasonable prices.

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Thanks for reading!

Brittany

Let's Get Started!

I was diagnosed with Celiac's Disease in 2014.  Having to change my diet was difficult but not as difficult as trying to cook for two people when only one needs to be gluten-free.  My hunny, Seth, puts up with my constant "new recipes" and is always more than willing to try them.  While it isn't always easy to cook for us both, I've learned a lot of things these last few years that I want to share so I can help many people in my situation.  So, let's get started!

Cross-Contamination

When you live on your own, it doesn’t matter if you double-dip in the peanut butter or if you cook pancake after pancake... after pancake.  But what happens when you live with someone who doesn’t have guts that will churn at the site of a crumb of “real” bread?  For many people, it is recommended that you and your housemate(s) have separate foods, such as a peanut butter jar for you and a peanut butter jar for me.  Other foods that are recommended to separate are butter, jelly, and mayonnaise--basically anything that might risk contamination of crumbs or anything else with gluten.  I have been very lucky (knock on wood) that cross-contamination isn’t something that kills my guts like it does many other people with Celiac’s.  Seth and I share the above foods; however, I don’t double-dip if I make him a sandwich, so I keep the food crumb-free. 

Something else that most people don’t consider separating is the toaster or waffle iron.  When you want to make breakfast for dinner, which we often do, it can be a hassle to keep things separate.  I have my own toaster.  There’s just too many tiny pieces of gluten floating in his to risk putting my safe bread in.  If I want homemade waffles or pancakes, however, I’ve discovered that I only I only have to keep the batter and utensils separate.  The trick to avoiding cross-contamination here is to cook the gluten-free waffle or pancake first.  The only downfall to this is I wait until everyone’s food is done cooking before I eat, so sometimes my waffle isn’t as warm as I want it to be.  

Living with someone who has Celiac's Disease will be a struggle at first.  Knowing how to avoid microscopic crumbs hiding in your mayonnaise is just the beginning of the learning how to dine with a Celiac!

What is something you learned early on when having to transition to a gluten-free diet?  Please share in the comments below!

Thanks for following!
Brittany