GF Notes 7/13/15

Month 1: Notes and News:

What is gluten? Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye and barley.

                                   

Reading a label:  Always read labels! Companies can change ingredients or sources of ingredients. Read to make sure the product doesn’t have: wheat, barley, rye, or oats listed, or derivatives of those.

If the package says “Gluten Free” according to recent law, it must contain 20 ppm (parts per million) or less. It has been tested. Call the company or check out their website. Ask questions and get more information.

Shopping:

HyVee has best selection for just starting out; it is convenient and it's all in one aisle. 10% off ALL Health Market items on Wednesdays at all HyVee's.  If you shop the HyVee on George Mills in WDM on Saturdays it's also 10% off.

--HyVee has a list of all their brand name products that are GF--you can find this online. 

-Trader Joe's has compiled a list of their GF items. You can find online or at the store. This does not include seasonal items.

-Walmart

-Whole Foods

-Fareway 

-Aldi's

-Costco

Waukee HyVee has a GF separate slicer for deli meats; other stores might have this too-ask around at your own store.

--ask to price match at HyVee-- different stores have different prices. Tell them at the counter and they will price match another HyVee's price.

--Start with foods naturally GF; shop the outskirts of the store; then gradually add more ingredients.

--apps: "ipiit"; "Find Me Gluten Free"

Your kitchen: If it’s a shared kitchen, have    separate toasters, butter, jelly, peanut butter, etc. and other items that could be cross contaminated. 

Think about:

-Colander

-Nylon spoons/spatulas/wooden spoons

-Grill

-Cutting Board

-Stoneware

-have separate toasters

--use aluminum foil on cookie sheets when cooking to avoid cross contamination.

BBQ and picnic ideas:

--If grilling, take something in a foil packet:

hot dog, pre-cooked sausage, etc.

--chips and salsa

--hummus dip and pre-cut veggies

-Old Wisconsin GF turkey sticks

Our favorite GF products:

Pasta:

•               Quinoa Ancient Harvest

•               Tinkyada rice pasta

•               Trader Joe's Gluten Free pasta

•               Barilla GF pasta

•               Ronzoni GF pasta

•               Schar's GF pasta

Breads:

·      Canyon House Bakery breads—found at the bakery section at SuperTarget

·      Schar’s

·      Chebe mixes

·      Udi’s

Pizza:

•               Kinnikinnick  (frozen pre-made pizza crust)

•               Udi's (frozen pre-made pizza crust and also a pre-made pizza.)

•               Trader Joe's has a frozen pre-made pizza

Baking Mixes:

•               Betty Crocker has GF mixes

•               Bob's Red Mill has gluten free mixes (make sure the package says "gluten-free")

•               Pamela's baking mix

•               Krusteaz

•               King Arthur

•               Fahlstrom Farms mixes

Flour:

•               Pamela's Baking & Pancake mix 

•               Jule's Gluten free Flour Mix

•               GF Cup for Cup

•               Namaste GF flour

Snacks:

•               Snyder's of Hanover gluten free pretzels (make sure the bag says "gluten-free")

•               Blue Diamond crackers

•               Larabars

•               Envirokidz cereal

•               EnjoyLife snacks

•               Van's cackers

•               Food should Taste Good crackers 

•               Special K GF popcorn chips

Other:

•               Eggo GF waffles (found in regular freezer section)

•               Chicken tenders/nuggets: Perdue and Applegate

Some good name brands in general to try are:

•               Schar's

•               Udi's

•               Blue Diamond

•               Envirokidz

•               Breads by Anna

•               Gluten Free Pantry

•               Kinnikinnick

•               Enjoy Life

Other:

·      Farm Rich GF meatballs (frozen section at HyVee and Fareway)

·      Costco and HyVee’s rotisserie chickens are GF; (ask at HyVee to double check)

·      The Iowa State Fair will have the option of gluten free corn dogs this year! J

·      Magazine Gluten Free and More

GF Newbies notes 6/8/15

Adventureland has an online list of GF foods that can be found at: https://www.adventurelandpark.com/attractions/foodandfun/allergens/?allergens[]=1&

Travel tips and thoughts:

--Pack skillet, toaster, utensils. Take your own packets of PB & Jelly, travel handy sauces, salad dressings. If staying in a hotel room, ask for a fridge in your room as a medical necessity.

--Find Me GF app is very handy when traveling!

--Culver's has a GF bun

--If eating at Chick Fil A remember to ask if they are using separate fryers for their french fries.

--Wendy's has GF baked potato and chili. Ask for the potato to come wrapped and not opened up, so no worries on anyone touching the potato.

Quick easy meals:

--crockpot!

--pasta, tacos, nachos

--iowagirleats.com is a great blog. The author is GF and always has fabulous recipes.

--gluten free on a shoestring--blog and I think there's a cookbook as well.

--salmon burgers at Costco--freezer section. nice to have on hand and labeled GF.

--Eggo has GF waffles

--California Kitchen has 2 kinds of GF pizzas (freezer section)

--HyVee online shopping has had great reviews

Other:

--Shopwell app is handy

--Low Fodmap diet app

--Garden Delight Muffins at Costco, Super Target

--Trader Joe's has GF bread on shelf, and also bagels

--Breads by Anna are good

Restaurants: (that we talked about and are recommended) 

--Centro

--Hickory Park in Ames (fries are GF--they use a separate fryer)

--Louie's Wine Dive

--On the Border

--Biaggi's

--Red Robin

--Northern Lights GF pizza and they also give you a  GF pizza cutter

--starbucks has a GF cookie

 Christie went to the Iowa Cubs last week and they have a concession stand that only serves gluten free items!   They have chicken strips, french fries, hamburger, hot dogs, and ciders on tap.  The stand is over by 3rd base, not with the other stands. 

GF notes from 3/9/15

For info on nutrition check out this link: http://www.livebetteramerica.com/health-nutrition/celiac-food-sensitivities/gluten-free-nutrition

we talked about the following products:

--Quest GF Bars- found at HyVee in Health Market

--Protein chips

--Protein bars at Costco (not sure on brand name)--located in refrigerated section near the meat)

--Digestive enzymes and probiotic: Mindlinx and Natureways Probiotics are GF.

New products: 

--Krusteaz (bread mixes) has GF honey cornbread mix, brownie mix & blueberry muffin mix. It was found in the regular baking section.

--Special K has GF cereal.

--General Mills GF Chex granola and oatmeal

--Recommended beers to try are: Omission, New Grist, Angry Orchard Hard Cider, Bard's Beer, Redbridge, ginger beer (for Moscow Mules)

--Any alcohol that is distilled is GF

--wine is GF.

GF Notes from 2-9-15

Resources:

--apps: Gluten Free Scanner; ipiit; find me gluten free

--A list of favorite books, magazines and websites can be found at the blog: iowaglutenfree.blogspot.com
--cookbooks: How can it be Gluten Free; The Allergen Free Cookbook
--befreeforme.com

Restaurants:

A list of area restaurants that are GF friendly can be found at: http://celiacsconnect.com/HelpfulInformation.aspx

Meats/Deli

--Ask butcher to get fresh meat from the back (be aware that meat in the meat counter can be touching other items that might be marinated/contain gluten)
--At the deli: some lunch meats may contain gluten. DiLusso brand is safe. The slicers at the deli are not safe, they can be cross contaminated. Ask to clean the slicer; the HyVee in Waukee has a separate deli meat slicer that is reserved for gluten free products. 

--Oscar Meyer and Hormel pre-packaged deli meats are good at labeling their packages

Pasta

--Some favorite brands: Ronzoni; Barilla; Schar; Thai Kitchen stir-fry rice noodles

--Jovial egg pasta; found at HyVee on Jordan Creek

Other
--Barilla is building a gluten free section
--check out the quinoa mac and cheese recipe at iowagirleats.com
--I just heard Cheerios is working on gluten free cheerios--due to arrive this summer!  Hooray for one more option.  http://www.blog.generalmills.com/2015/02/new-gluten-free-choices-from-big-g/

GF Newbies Notes from 1/12/15

Hi everyone, 

Here are the notes from Monday's meeting (1/12/15) Please let me know if you have any questions! Our next meeting will be February 9. (we always meet the 2nd Monday of the month) 

Reading Labels

--if the package says "Gluten Free"; according to a recent law, it must contain 20ppm (parts per million) or less. It has been tested.

--call the company or check out their website. Ask questions and get more information.

Where to shop
-HyVee has best selection for just starting out; it is convenient and it's all in one aisle. 10% off ALL Health Market items on Wednesdays at all HyVee's.  If you shop the HyVee on George Mills in WDM on Saturdays it's also 10% off.

--HyVee has a list of all their brand name products that are GF--you can find this online. 
-Trader Joe's has compiled a list of their GF items. You can find online or at the store. This does not include seasonal items.
-Walmart
-Whole Foods
-Fareway 
-Aldi's
-Costco

Kitchen: Items to think about
-If it's a shared kitchen, have separate toasters, butter, jelly, peanut butter, etc. and other items that could be cross contaminated.
-Colander
-Nylon spoons/spatulas/wooden spoons
-Grill
-Cutting Board
-Stoneware

-have separate toasters

--use aluminum foil on pans when cooking to avoid cross contamination.


Favorite GF Stuff & recent items we have tried (& liked!)
-Udi's GF tortillas (freezer section at HyVee)
-Canyon House Bakery breads--found at the bakery section at SuperTarget

-Fahlstrom Farms mixes
-Van's Cinnamon Heaven cereal
-Special K GF popcorn chips
-Scratch Cupcake has GF options
-Gusto's pizza & they have desserts from Sweet Rewards
-Sweet Rewards bakery in Waukee (like them on Facebook)

--Schar's: take and bake bread; ciabatta buns; all of their products are good!

--Enjoy Life

--Food Should Taste Good

--Chebe

--Namaste GF flour (found at Costco)

--Pamela's

--Farm Rich GF meatballs (frozen section: HyVee & Fareway)

-Snyders of Hanover GF pretzels

-HyVee Rotisserie chickens and Costco Rotisserie chickens are GF; ask at HyVee to double check because I think last time one option was GF and one was not....(?!)

Other info:

--Waukee HyVee has a GF separate slicer for deli meats; other stores might have this too-ask around at your own store.

--ask to price match at HyVee-- different stores have different prices. Tell them at the counter and they will price match another HyVee's price.

--Start with foods naturally GF; shop the outskirts of the store; then gradually add more ingredients.

--apps: "ipiit"; "Find Me Gluten Free"

---helpful website: iowagirleats.com

--January 31st is the next Iowa Celiac Connection potluck at Hope. 11:30am. First time attenders don't need to bring an item! Lots to sample and try and lots of good info.