Step Three: Go Gluten-Free Shopping

"Preserve and treat food as you would your body, remembering that in time food will be your body" – B.W. Richardson

Depending on where you live, you may find that your local grocery stores have a good range of gluten-free products in stock. However, gluten-free ranges can often be more expensive than ordinary brands in mainstream stores and this makes shopping on-line in specialist stores a more cost effective way to source everyday gluten-free products. There are a huge number of on-line stores catering for the needs of gluten-free shoppers which not only helps to make pricing more competitive, it also provides the added bonus of having your shopping delivered directly to your door.

The brands that are best for you will be a matter of personal choice and taste but stores in the US such as Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, Wegmans, and Publix all stock a good selection of gluten-free products to let you see just how much there is to enjoy on a gluten-free diet. The majority of major supermarkets around the world now offer gluten-free ranges, and an on-line search will provide a whole world of choice in terms of mail-order options. Some gluten-free brands are certified gluten-free, meaning they meet the current standards set by the Celiac Sprue Association (CPA), the Gluten-Free Certification Organization (GFCO), or the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness (NFCA) in terms of the amount of gluten present in each product. Certified foods have been tested to identify the gluten content and to qualify, no more than 10 parts per million can be present for GFCO and NFCA certification, and no more than 5 parts per million for CPA certification. Other foods labeled "gluten-free" without certification can currently contain up to 20 parts per million, highlighting once again that a diet of pre-packaged gluten-free products is not necessarily a totally gluten-free diet.

Go Natural!

The only way to completely eliminate all sources of gluten from your diet is to eat only foods that are naturally gluten-free. To do this effectively, you would need to avoid all forms of processed food and any form of food containing additives or preservatives, meaning the majority of canned, jarred and boxed foods are out! Anything that isn’t fresh and in its natural state is more than likely a source of hidden gluten and therefore should be avoided.

Naturally gluten-free foods include:

• Fresh fruits and vegetables
• Meat and fish (unprocessed)
• Potatoes
• Rice
• Lentils

Of course, if you normally eat mainly fresh foods and prepare your meals from scratch using fresh ingredients, transitioning to a gluten-free diet is a relatively simple process, but, if you normally eat mainly pre-packaged convenience foods or takeaways, transitioning to a gluten-free diet may require a more radical change in lifestyle. The good news is that there are gluten-free "ready meals" out there and a growing number of convenience food manufacturers are now producing gluten-free ranges. However, the not-so-good news is that gluten-free "fast food" is not generally an inexpensive option. Gluten-free should never mean enjoyment-free, so learning how to prepare gluten-free versions of the foods you love at home is the way to take gluten out of your diet without taking out the flavor and the fun!

Staple Items for Your Store Cupboards

The easiest way to ensure you always have gluten-free foods available is to keep your refrigerator and kitchen cupboards stocked with the naturally gluten-free foods listed above. However, preparing appetizing meals with those foods will require a few more additional ingredients. With a little organization, it becomes possible to stock your kitchen with everything you need to prepare quick and easy home-cooked meals and never again have to spend time checking the label of every item for hidden gluten before using it. In fact, with so many gluten-free recipes now available, the sky is virtually your limit in terms of preparing simple and simply delicious gluten-free meals.

Suggested foods to have readily available include:

• Eggs
• Nuts
• Beans
• Legumes
• Quinoa – provides an alternative to rice or potatoes
• Noodles – quinoa, rice, or corn varieties
• Fruit juices – freshly squeezed or juiced at home is best
• Milk (without artificial flavoring)
• Coffee – ready ground or grind your own at home
• Tea – unflavored, but ground up natural spices can be used to create your own "specialty" varieties of tea or coffee
• Fresh herbs – grinding your own herbs at home is best, but gluten-free dried herbs are also available
• Oils for cooking and dressings
• Gluten-free flour – rice, almond, garbanzo bean, or coconut to name just a few
• Sugar – most brands are gluten-free but always check
• And milk, cheese, and other natural dairy products if you are not lactose intolerant

The above refrigerator and store cupboard ingredients make it possible to rustle up delicious meals in minutes and as your confidence grows along with your discovery of more gluten-free ingredients that suit your taste-buds and your budget, you can add to your kitchen stocks accordingly.

Popular Gluten-Free Brands

The following brands are just a few of the most commonly available; this is by no means an exhaustive list ...

Bob’s Red Mill® – a wide range of gluten-free flours and baking goods.

Astoria Mills® – suppliers of quinoa products including gluten-free rice and pasta.

Tinkyada® – gluten-free rice pasta.

Glutino® – gluten-free table crackers.

Natural Pasta Magic™ – gluten-free pasta sauces.

Nikki’s Gluten-Free Foods™ – gluten-free sauce mixes and gravies.

Walden Farms® – gluten-free ice cream, dessert toppings, mayonnaise and salad dressings.

GlutenFreeda® – gluten-free range of burrito and pizza wrap frozen dinners.

Allergy-free Foods® – gluten-free frozen dinners.

Amy’s® Kitchen – gluten-free range of frozen dinners, organic salsa, pasta sauces and snack foods.

Hunt’s® – gluten-free tomato ketchup and canned tomato products.

Equal® – gluten-free sugars.

Log Cabin® – gluten-free pancake syrups.

Newman’s Own® – gluten-free salad dressing.

Smucker’s® – gluten-free range of jellies and jams.

Simply Organic® – organic gluten-free range of spices.