Showing posts with label celiac. Show all posts
Showing posts with label celiac. Show all posts

Saturday, March 17, 2018

Gluten Free at Harvard University

Considering attending Harvard? Trying to figure out if you can stay on a Gluten Free Diet while you are seeking a stellar education can be daunting.

I was relieved to find out that the section of town where Harvard is located also includes an area known as "Harvard Square".   Harvard Square has quite a lengthy list of gluten free options, from a wide variety of restaurants. Take a gander HERE!


Buy my new book Life in the Gluten Free Zone on Amazon today!



Disclaimer: This blog post is intended for conversational purposes only. The blog's author and publisher does not accept any liability for any of the ideas discussed in this post or any other post on this blog. Always obtain medical advice from a licensed medical practitioner.

Tuesday, March 13, 2018

Gluten Free At Country Style

Country Style   has quite a history in Canada, so I thought I would share their nutritional information for those who are trying to exclude wheat from their diet.

Always do your due diligence and research before you eat fast foods, so that you can ensure you are doing your best to exclude ingredients that you are sensitive or have allergies to.
(Always get medical advice from a licensed medical practitioner, and yes, gluten intolerance and celiac disease or wheat allergies are issues that need to be addressed by licensed medical practitioners.)

For the most current listing I could find of their menu's ingredients click here: Country Style

And don't be shy, if you want to get information "straight from the horse's mouth", you can always contact the head offices of your preferred fast food shop. Country style's Canadian contact information can be found here  (note that their page also includes a handy toll free number)

Best wishes for you and your family as you source out those items that bring health and wellness.

Peace,

Carla

RELATED: Gluten Free at Tim Hortons

Buy my new book Life in the Gluten Free Zone on Amazon today!



Disclaimer: This blog post is intended for conversational purposes only. The blog's author and publisher does not accept any liability for any of the ideas discussed in this post or any other post on this blog. Always obtain medical advice from a licensed medical practitioner.

Gluten Free At Popeyes

Popeyes has set up a couple of shops in our city over the past few years, and the scent emanating from their restaurants is most enticing! So i have discovered from their American website that they do have some gluten free items. Always be sure to double check as restaurants can change the ingredients in their menu's whenever they wish. But it's nice that Popeyes  already has a list of some gluten free  items on their website. Always helpful to have at least a few items in mind that you can inquire about.

Be sure to read the fine print and do your due diligence!
( always consult a licensed medical practitioner for medical advice)

If you want to view their current list from the Popeyes USA just click on the Popeyes

May you always be able to find something delish to eat that will be a blessing to your health :)

Peace,

Carla

RELATED: Gluten Free At Swiss Chalet

Buy my new book Life in the Gluten Free Zone



Disclaimer: This blog post is intended for conversational purposes only. The blog's author and publisher does not accept any liability for any of the ideas discussed in this post or any other post on this blog. Always obtain medical advice from a licensed medical practitioner.

Gluten Free at Swiss Chalet

Just discovered that Swiss Chalet has a great way to help folks figure out if they can eat at Swiss Chalet if they have food allergies or food sensitivities.  Check out their website and you will see how fun the functionality is. You get to put check marks on the allergies you have and the website will detail which foods you can still eat.

Note, as a word of caution, please do read the fine print on their website. Restaurants usually have a high risk of cross contamination of gluten free foods with gluten containing foods. Do you due diligence and always obtain medical advice from a licensed medical practitioner. Also, note that restaurants often post changed to their menu ingredients, so make sure you obtain up to date information from their website or by contacting their head office directly at here...

Thank you Swiss Chalet, for your very user-friendly website to help us eat better !

Peace,
Carla

RELATEDGluten Free at McDonalds

Buy my new book Life in the Gluten Free Zone on Amazon today!



Disclaimer: This blog post is intended for conversational purposes only. The blog's author and publisher does not accept any liability for any of the ideas discussed in this post or any other post on this blog. Always obtain medical advice from a licensed medical practitioner.

Tuesday, February 7, 2017

Gluten Free At Subway

Yup it's true! Subway has gone "gluten free"....by offering a sealed gluten free "bread" upon which to serve their sandwich toppings. Now I've not yet had the chance to research just precisely which
"toppings" are also gluten free, but at least the fact that they are carrying GLUTEN FREE sandwich bread is a HUGE step in the right direction for those of us who choose, or must choose to observe a gluten free diet.


For more details...go directly to their website Subway.


Way to go Subway! We applaud you!

May many more fast food companies follow your example and offer healthy GLUTEN FREE options!

Peaceful productivity,
C.

Buy my new book Life in the Gluten Free Zone on Amazon today!


Disclaimer: This blog post is intended for conversational purposes only. The blog's author and publisher does not accept any liability for any of the ideas discussed in this post or any other post on this blog. Always obtain medical advice from a licensed medical practitioner.

Wednesday, December 14, 2016

Woot Woot.. Gluten Free Has Gone MAINSTREAM

Perhaps some of you could already see the writing on the wall with regard to the gluten free movement.....but for those who were waiting all these years for the breakthrough, it was a very long long road.

But, alas, I am so glad to celebrate that now MANY major food distributors have added BIG BOLD gluten free products to their regular line up. Gluten free foods are almost as common as 2% milk  lol.

Shall I name some names? Cheerios! Becel Original Margarine! Hellman's Mayonnaise! Mirage Margarine.
To name just a few.

These are big names in the food business....and it was no small task for these companies to be able to print clearly on their food labels "Gluten free". It is a multi-million dollar venture to convert any high volume product into a "certified gluten free" product. Much is at stake....

I can only imagine what must have gone through the minds of the CEO's of these companies as they ventured into the new and uncharted territory called "Gluten Free".

Perhaps they were thinking:  " If we go "gluten free" will we lose our "regular "customers in favor of a much smaller and very niche market? If we go gluten free, will it be sustainable? How hard will it be to maintain a completely gluten free facility? Or is it just a fad that we just spent millions to cater to? How large should we write "gluten free" on the label? We want it to be noticeable, but not distract from the rest of the packaging..."

But these CEO's spent their dollars well and have earned my respect by biting the bullet and ponying up some mainstream products with a gluten free twist. Methinks that they began to understand that those who are trying their best to eat a gluten free diet are tired to eating "odd" and unknown food labelled products.
Gluten free people are us. We are normal. We eat fast food. We work, we live and we are busy. Trying to sniff out gluten free foods is our least favourite thing to do......so the mass food producers have responded by bring gluten free foods out of the closet. Thank you!

Ps. as a wee word of caution, please make sure that you do see the actual words "Gluten Free" printed on the label of the product before purchasing. Some of the above brands still carry many products that contain gluten and they may be located on the grocery store shelf right along beside your gluten free products. Therefore, just be sure to check the label......but I'm sure that you already are accustomed to doing that.....for years ")

Have a splendid gluten free day,
Peace,
Carla





Saturday, November 12, 2016

Best Gluten Free Margarine

Always on the hunt, my friends for more gluten free foods that are affordable and tasty.
So today's winner for gluten free margarine is.....drum rolll.......

Mirage Margarine by Golden Gate. The local bakery where I buy it charges less than $3 per tub, so that's even better!

Here's their company website for photos and recipes.

Mirage

Give it a try...it's creamy and easy to use on gluten free toast and crackers and performs well for cooking/stir frying too.
Let me know if you like it too.

By the way, if you really don't like the thought of buying margarine that has a long-ish list of ingredients than consider the simple answer.....go back to butter...it's always gluten free ")


Peace,
Carla

Buy my new book Life in the Gluten Free Zone on Amazon today!


Disclaimer: This blog post is intended for conversational purposes only. The blog's author and publisher does not accept any liability for any of the ideas discussed in this post or any other post on this blog. Always obtain medical advice from a licensed medical practitioner.

Tuesday, June 21, 2016

One of the Worst MISTAKES the GLUTEN FREE Movement is Making

I'm so happy to see, yet again, that BIGGER and BIGGER corporations are jumping onto the Gluten free Bandwagon and serving consumers like myself who are trying their best to live a Gluten FREE lifestyle.


Some Mainstream big name brand name cereals like Chex are 100% gluten free.
(be sure to read the labels to confirm) Kudos! AND the Big BONUS is that they
NOT CHARGING EXTRA for the fact that they are making their products certified GLUTEN FREE.

But what disturbs me as a person, as a consumer and as a mother.....is this.
SOME companies are trying to flood the gluten free  market place with
  VERY HIGH PRICED GOURMET gluten free items.

Eh.....err...that kinda just ticks me off! In my mind, if someone is going to "go gluten free", then they are going to have to adopt a lifestyle where  ALL their food items are certified gluten free.
 They DON'T want to just adopt ONE expensive gluten free DISH per month. 

News flash!....

WE, the GLUTEN FREE NATION, eat THREE meals a day....plus snacks. 

Therefore, we need the marketplace to provide products for ALL OUR GLUTEN FREE MEALS and SNACK TIMES.

Therefore, i believe that the "gluten free high end high priced gourmet product" promoters
are taking the wrong tack on this movement!

As a gluten intolerant person, finding gluten free stuff to eat all day and every day is a CONSTANT struggle.
Therefore, when I bump into beautiful gluten free foods that are priced out of the stratosphere, I think
"Sigh....they just don't get it."  


NOBODY wants to pay GOURMET prices for the regular foods they eat every day!


We want to pay as close as possible the SAME prices that regular foods cost,
 but in a "gluten free certified" kinda way.

Do you hear me? Do you feel my pain?

Thank you :) Point made.

Carla

Buy my new book Life in the Gluten Free Zone on Amazon today!



Disclaimer: This blog post is intended for conversational purposes only. The blog's author and publisher does not accept any liability for any of the ideas discussed in this post or any other post on this blog. Always obtain medical advice from a licensed medical practitioner.

Wednesday, June 8, 2016

Is Gluten Free Fast Food an Oxymoron?

It's coming...whether you are ready or not....the GLUTEN FREE apocalypse...
Ok, ok, I'm being rather dramatic....but in all seriousness, if you or someone you love is working in the food industry and has not accommodated the GLUTEN FREE market...
....then a dramatic U-TURN is required.

Gluten FREE foods are not only a legitimate food category, it is now becoming a MASSIVE GROWTH opportunity to build up market share for those who DO NOT have a MEDICAL reason for eating a gluten free diet.
Are you shocked???

You shouldn't be. More books and research has been done lately on the benefits for
"REGULAR" consumers to adopt a gluten free diet because it simply
MAKES THEM FEEL BETTER!

Why? Gluten is a complex "hard to digest" molecule that even "regular" folks can have a hard time digesting.
Therefore, when  ANYONE adopts a gluten free diet, they may begin to notice changes and improvements on many levels of human functioning.

 These improvements may include:

  • less mood swings
  • more emotional stability
  • more energy
  • Less abdominal bloating, and gas 
  • more predictable digestion and elimination
  • less constipation
  • improvements in complexion of the skin


Need I go on ? But don't take my ideas as truth....just try it for yourself and see what your results  may be.....
Only YOU can discover if a GLUTEN free diet can help you live better.

Let me know how gluten free food makes you feel in the comments below


Peacefully yours,
Carla

Buy my new book Life in the Gluten Free Zone on Amazon today!


Disclaimer: This blog is not intended as medical advice. The author and publisher of this blog does not accept any legal responsibility or liability for any of the ideas discussed in this blog post or any other post on this blog. Medical advice should always be obtained from a licensed medical practitioner.


Wednesday, June 1, 2016

Why You Should Try Gluten Free...Even if You Aren't a Celiac

Ok, folks....I  just wanna write today to those of you who aren't necessarily diagnosed with any kind of gluten intolerance or celiac disease.

Why? Because it is being discovered more and more, that eating gluten free foods can help ANYONE's digestive system take a much needed rest from the standard "gluten packed" diet.

What folks need to realize is that the molecule called "gluten" is a VERY VERY hard
nut to crack when we ingest it as food. Digesting GLUTEN is very hard work even for the healthiest digestive system. Even the healthiest human being can be negatively affected by eating too much gluten.

Anything with WHEAT in it contains gluten. Gluten is hard to digest! It requires a lot of energy and effort on the part of our stomach, intestines, and colon just to process it.
Therefore even if you are perfectly healthy, you may just want to give your body an occasional
break from eating any source of gluten for a full  "day" or  "week" or a whole "month".
Remember that gluten can stay in your system for many days, so if you are going to give your body a break from gluten, you want to try to stick to a gluten free diet for a good chunk of time. Give your body a chance to cleanse itself of all the gluten it is holding onto, and see if you begin noticing any improvements.
You may, as gluten leaves your body, begin noticing a thinner waist line, a clearer complexion,
 and a more stable mood.

You never know....you  might feel completely revitalized and regain energy simply by removing
gluten from your regular diet.

It is a personal choice what we put in our mouths. Far be it from me, to tell anyone what to do... But I want to encourage you to experiment and see how eating differently may improve your life.We don't HAVE to eat anything we don't want to....and thus we can observe and sense the changes that our diets have upon our own sense of wellness, energy level and moods.

Be blessed and well,

Carla

DISCLAIMER: This blog post is not intended as medical advice. This blog post is intended for conversational purposes only. The author and publisher of this blog do not take any liability for any ideas discussed in this blog post or any other blog post on this blog.
Medical advice should always be obtained from a licensed medical practitioner.






Friday, May 20, 2016

Hey McDonalds Canada...... We want Gluten Free Burgers Too

I was surprised and inspired to read in an online MSN article
that McDonalds serves GLUTEN FREE BURGERS in several European countries!
To be specific, the MSN article stated that McDonald restaurants in Italy, Finland, Norway and Sweden offer a gluten-free burger..

That's great news for Europe....but hey ...what about us???

There are plenty of Celiacs and Gluten Intolerant people in Canada....would it be so hard to set aside a few special gluten free burgers for us?

If you click Here you'll be able to see for yourself all the varieties of menu items that McDonalds has developed across the globe. Can you find your country or regional flavors listed?

If you feel strongly about this issue, maybe it's time to drop a line to your own McDonalds headquarters.....
and ask them to offer some delicious gluten free items.

Contact McDonalds Canada

Contact McDonalds USA








Tuesday, September 8, 2015

Check out M&M's Gluten Free Items!

Twas a great relief to discover this summer that all of my favourite beef burgers selling at 
M&M Meat shops were ALL GLUTEN FREE!

It seems that they have extended themselves to cater to those who want to observe a gluten free lifestyle and I couldn't be more delighted!

Check out their website : M&M

Peace and Bon Appetito,

Carla.

Thx for buying my new book Life in the Gluten Free Zone on Amazon today!


Monday, June 8, 2015

Why Living GLuten FREE still STINKS

It's not that the "gluten free" movement isn't gaining momentum.....it is. It's not that manufacturers are not listening....they are.....at least more than they used to.


It's just that the "frustration factor" is still there.....in full swing.

Gluten free items are not clearly displayed on most menu's. The gluten free products are still awkwardly displayed and located in weird "hard to find" spots in some grocery stores.
 Walmart is the only store I've found with an OBVIOUS and easy to locate "gluten free section".

When you eat out......You still have to make a point to ask your wait staff or server which items are officially gluten free. Some servers still don't know if the gravy that their restaurant serves up contains wheat flour or if it has been thickened with corn starch. These kinda things really matter to someone who is attempting to live "gluten free".

For some, the choice to live gluten free, was not really a choice, but a rather stern and intimidating instruction obtained directly from their doctor.  But whether you're choosing to eat gluten free by your own free will, or by doctor's orders, it still is REALLY HARD.

It's been several years now since I was advised that I was "gluten intolerant"....and I have still not met anyone who has confidently stated that it is an EASY lifestyle....because it just isn't.
Gluten is lurking in SOOOO many foods and snack foods. The detailed labeling of ingredients is really helpful....but hey we are HUMAN too, and we really don't want to spend long and precious hours every day of the week reading teeny tiny lists of ingredients just to ensure that we don't ingest any gluten.

It's gotta get easier. Perhaps they will start making GLUTEN FREE EMPORIUMS where folks have to leave their gluten at the door and they enter a gluten free commercial paradise.
To top it all off......all the products in this GLUTEN FREE HEAVEN, would not only be gluten free, but also priced under $5 per item. Wouldn't that rock????

NOT peacefully gluten free,
Carla


Ok, I'm pretty much done my rant now. But tommorrow's another day.
P.S. Perhaps I'm still ticked off that Tim Horton's cancelled their one gluten free doughy concoction called the "coconut macaroon"...   :(

Thanks for buying my new book Life in the Gluten Free Zone on Amazon today!


Disclaimer: This blog post is intended for conversational purposes only. The blog's author and publisher does not accept any liability for any of the ideas discussed in this post or any other post on this blog. Always obtain medical advice from a licensed medical practitioner.




Monday, January 5, 2015

Yum... Breton Gluten Free Crackers from Walmart

Came across this precious brand of crackers labelled "NEW" in bright red letters.

Since, I'm currently gluten intolerant, I am always on the lookout for affordable gluten free snacks.

So Breton and Walmart have scored another brownie point in my book with this delish treat.

The particular box I bought at Walmart was called  "Breton Gluten Free--Original with Flax". The box even has a convincing looking blue seal of approval from the Canadian Celiac Association.
The only noticeable difference was when I noted that the boxes of crackers that contained wheat/gluten were longer and therefore had more crackers in them compared to the gluten free boxes which were being sold for the same price at 135 grams.

But I'll not complain about the shorter box, because the crackers were delightful, crispy and flaky and hearty all at once. If every gluten free adventure I have is as easy as this was, then I'm onto a good roll.

Peace and wellness in your gluten free quest.

Carla

Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Living Gluten Free in Canada

Just wanted to chat today about what it's like to try to live gluten free in Canada. I'd appreciate it if you add your feedback. It is a national discussion....one whose parameters are expanding across many nation's lines and into mainstream culinary logistics.

All the best chefs are now very much aware that if they prepare some of their specialty dishes, that their guests may very well insist upon being served a gluten free rendition of their specialty. For all those in the culinary arts, it will pay off to be prepared in advance to serve your gluten-avoiding customers. Some customers will fall into the "gluten intolerant" category, which for me, means that consuming foods or beverages that contain gluten can cause digestive pain and discomfort but is not life threatening. But then there are the official "Celiacs" for whom the issue is a lot more crucial and can be life threatening.

If you are forming a restaurant of any kind or even a coffee shop, it will be in your best interests to have something completely sealed off and separate from your regular gluten containing menu items. Speaking from experience, I would rather eat something gluten free that has been commercially sealed in plastic and
is guaranteed to be gluten free, than something that folks "hope" is gluten free.

So what is it like to chase down a gluten free lifestyle in your home country? do you find it difficult....or inconvenient or embarrassing or too expensive?
I have found it to be all those things and more. But it is something that I have to deal with, and has become a part of my daily routine.

I do with that more fast food outlets had more gluten free menu items, as I am often on the go and don't want to have to sift through hundreds of choices before finally finding something that is gluten free. In Canada, Tim Hortons sells a great bowl of chili, that is gluten free. But sadly, Tim Hortons has discontinued selling the coconut macaroons that were their "claim to fame" in the gluten free world. Alas, not everyone likes coconut I presume.

I'm still waiting for KFC to produce a gluten free fried chicken option. Do you think my wish will come true?
Do tell!

Talk to you soon.
Carla



Disclaimer: This blog post is intended for conversational purposes only. The blog's author and publisher does not accept any liability for any of the ideas discussed in this post or any other post on this blog. Always obtain medical advice from a licensed medical practitioner.

Friday, June 7, 2013

The Gluten Free Minefield

Ok, so you are a human being that has decided to attempt to live a "gluten free" lifestyle.
Here's the basics of what you may need to know:

Gluten free foods don't taste the same as your usual foods that contained gluten. Foods made without gluten often contain rice/corn/arrowroot flour, tapioca starch, potato flour etc.

Many food that you perhaps wouldn't suspect of containing gluten may contain LOADS of it....such as soups, gravies, and chocolate bars.

Expect to pay much more to buy a gluten free product...., even more than double what you would normally spend. Note, that the Canadian government has some kind of tax incentive for people who can medically prove that they are "celiac" . Therefore, if you are interested in that kind of tax incentive, you should save your store receipts for anything you buy that is gluten free. Contact your tax professional or the Canada Revenue Agency for details.

I have noticed that some canadian grocery chains are finally noticing the market for gluten free items and have developed their own store brands of gluten free grocery products. Two stores that seem to be doing a pretty good job of it are  Zehrs and Food Basics. Food Basics even has a whole section devoted entirely to their new gluten free product line.

Lots of gluten free items are made with rice......rice breads, rice crackers, and yes, even rice pizza dough. Note, though, that foods made with rice won't make you feel as full as your old glutenish products did.....but at least you won't activate an unwanted response.

People who can't eat gluten respond to any ingestion of gluten in a HUGE variety of ways. Some people are very extremely reactive to gluten and can become seriously ill from ingesting even the smallest amount of gluten. Other folks who consider themselves "gluten intolerant" can handle tiny amounts of gluten, but may have reactions to gluten that are more inconvenient and not life-altering.
These reactions may include bloating, constipation, diarrhea, abdominal pain, moodiness and
emotional upsets. The gluten may affect their levels of energy and their ability to fight off common colds and flu viruses. They may feel uncertain about traveling because they may not be convinced that they will be able to find gluten free food in their destination of choice.

So what to do? Do your best, my friends, and listen to your doctors. If you aren't having any success with your current "modus operandi", then, go and get a second opinion from another doctor.
You don't have to suffer unnecessarily. Strive to create a lifestyle that you can handle, that is productive and functional. If you are having trouble coping with it, seek some help.

If you are finding the lifestyle very difficult to handle, there are supports around in some communities for gluten free living. There are ooodles of websites to browse . If you are unable to figure out what to do, maybe your local librarian can help you find the support you need.
My point is, that the gluten free lifestyle can be a formidable endeavor, and if you are serious about sticking to it, you may need to get some outside support.
i want to encourage you not to give up, but to figure out ways to make it work for you.
Peace,
Carla

Monday, March 4, 2013

Almost Like a Double Fudge Cookie

So, in the world of "Gluten Free" ya gotta give credit when one particular gluten free item does a pretty good imitation of the "real thing". So, today I bring you the "KinniToos Fudge Sandwich Creme cookie.
I bought the package at the Bulk Barn for just under 5 dollars. Now there is a bit of a gritty texture, which unfortunately is quite common for gluten free products, however, the pleasure is to be had certainly if you are someone who likes to dunk their cookies in their coffee or tea. These Kinni Toos Fudge Sandwich Creme cookies dunk superbly and taste about as close to a "normal" cookie as a GF cookie can get. ( by the way, these cookies are also Dairy Free, Lactose free, Casein Free, Peanut free, and Tree Nut free!)
Enjoy:)
Good Job Kinnikinnick Foods...keep em coming!

Thursday, January 3, 2013

Gluten Free at the Mandarin

And so my quest for all things gluten free led me to contact the Mandarin buffet restaurant head office in order to determine their perspective on the foods they offer at their buffet restaurants in Canada. I received a very friendly and helpful response which I will share with you below:

Thank you for your e-mail regarding our gluten free items. It is very difficult for me to answer your question as we do not have a detailed ingredient list available for our buffet items. There are many items that may contain gluten.
It may be helpful to let you know that we use canola oil when preparing most of our dishes. We also use corn starch in many of our soups and stir fries. Chicken base is also used in most of our hot buffet dishes and stir fries, and as far as I know, it is not gluten free. Our Garden Salad is prepared without dressing (You must select your own dressing for the salad), and our grilled items are marinated before they are cooked. Our Soy Sauce is not gluten free. Also, to my knowledge, our plain Steamed Rice and Peel and Eat Shrimp should not contain gluten.
We do have an à-la-carte menu available as an alternative to the buffet. Simply ask your hostess or server for our menu upon being seated. Our chefs may be willing to prepare a dish without chicken base or other ingredients containing gluten at your request. However, please be advised that it is almost impossible to say that any dish is gluten-free because there is a high risk of cross-contamination in our restaurants.
I hope that this information will help you, if you choose to dine at Mandarin. Thank you for contacting us with your question.
Sincerely,

Mandarin Restaurant Franchise Corporation
8 Clipper Court, Brampton ON L6W 4T9
T 905-451-4100
F 905-456-3411
E info@mandarinrestaurant.com

Sunday, December 23, 2012

Gluten Free at Starbucks

Ok, so in my quest for all things "gluten free" I contacted the  canadian head office of Starbucks.
Basically I got a long but friendly email back stating the following:



We're delighted you took the time to contact us!

Starbucks is unable to guarantee a "gluten-free" environment in our retail locations due to the potential for cross contamination with gluten-containing products. The open environment and operating procedures of our store locations may present additional risk for gluten-sensitive customers aside from the gluten-containing ingredients themselves. "Gluten-free" is a claim with specific requirements defined by government agencies and industry standards. We are unable to make this claim on a product unless the item is specifically formulated and manufactured to meet the definition of the claim.

Thanks again for writing us.  If you ever have any questions or concerns in the future, please don't hesitate to get in touch.

So that was the main gist of the email. Kinda stinks that a prosperous company would care so little for those who are struggling daily with gluten intolerance. Even Rice Crispies has come up with a "Gluten Free" brand  of rice crispies in order to meet the demand. If you want to inquire about the Starbucks locations in your neighbourhood contact their head office yourself either through their website or by snail mail:

http://www.starbucks.ca/customer-service

Note to their credit. The local Starbucks does carry some prepackaged snack bars under the brand called
"Kind" which are labelled gluten free. However, that seems to be the limit to their gluten free food options.


Friday, November 16, 2012

More GLUTEN FREE "ON THE GO!"

Just because I am gluten intolerant doesn't mean I am going to sit indoors bemoaning the days when I could quickly grab a hamburger at any fast food joint on the go....No way! I refuse to feel sorry for myself or restrict my lifestyle in any way in order to accommodate my attempt to live a "gluten free" life.
Now mind you, I am not so severely affected by gluten that I have the same symptoms as an official celiac, however the symptoms are still painful and an absolute inconvenience.

Therefore, since I refuse to sit still or slow down, I have been trying to find fast places that will provide me with the gluten free snacks that I can grab and go. I am not a professional 'brown bagger" and therefore prefer to have my lunch or snacks prepared by someone else.

Hence the importance of FAST gluten free food made available to me at a reasonable price is ESSENTIAL. Therefore I have become somewhat of a gluten free detective of sorts, sniffing out
all worthy gluten free snacks available at major chain fast food outlets.

So last week I discovered the following: The biscotti at Second Cup is gluten free!
The snack bars labelled "KIND'" in colorful colors at Starbucks are gluten free! Wooohoo!
Be sure to double check and do your homework. "Ingredient lists can change at the drop of a hat, and you are therefore highly encouraged to always ask before you start eating something that you have assumed to be gluten free.
This is especially important if you get really strong symptoms and painful experiences from ingesting
even the smallest amounts of gluten.

You can get more information about living gluten free from the following website.http://www.celiac.ca/

Always double check with your doctor before making medical decisions that involve your gluten intolerance or sensitivity or allergy to gluten. It is very important that you don't try to diagnose yourself, but get the support and professional advice you need from licensed medical and nutritional professionals.

God bless you with reliable information and the steps to move forward to good things.
C.

Disclaimer: This blog is not intended to provide or replace medical advice in any way. This blog and it's author do not accept any liability for any ideas obtained from this blog. This blog is intended for conversation purposes only to provide inspiration and empowerment by linking people to resources and like-minded people. Always see a licensed medical doctor for professional advice and treatment.