I just browse at TJ's and Whole Foods. WF has an online GF list. Regular grocery stores have varied levels of available foods, and it is wildly different ebween stores. One grocery, 30 miles away, has a lot of GF foods, while the closer store of the same chain, 8 miles away, has far less. But even Safeway has some things where you would not expect them. But you have to read labels religiously.

Even if you don't have a WF near you, at least print out the GF products, because many are sold in other store. If you are serious about GF, maybe you can make a trek to the store every month or so and stock up.

I read labels all the time. Intensely. But even Costco has a lot of good things. Try subscribing to a local GF or Celiac email list. A friend who lives in Maple Valley WA is Celiac, an he says there is a bakery in his town that does wonderful things. There are a couple of such places in the Bay Area, but we aren't close. Sigh.

Hope this helps.

Here is a link that might be useful: WF special diet lists

Terri, do you have celiac, or going wheat free for other reasons?

Kathleen, I do not have Celiac..BUT, I am going wheat free, corn free and red meat free. It's all an attempt to detox my body..relieving it's "super good" ablitiy of holding onto excess fluids. In the same respect..It's very likely that I do have food allergies. As a child I was diagnosed with several food and "thing" allergies and was submitted to allergy shots and such. (I was to young to remember them though.)

My mom has hooked up with a Natural Nutrionalist, and since our bodies are similar, I'm following the same plans he's outlined for her.
And in my case, it seems to be working faster for me than her but I just started having more fluid retention problems (about the same age her's really flaired too)..So in hopes that I don't end up like my mom, I'm starting now!
I've begun to drop weight, have less fluid retention at the end of the day, and feel over all much better than I did a month ago..
It's not so bad..I'm going to slowly start making things Wheat free for the whole family..(won't hurt them at all, and all but one of the men around here could stand to loose a few pounds!)
Right now my biggest challenge is to find a flour mixture I can use 1:1 for AP flour...then well..there will be no stopping me.

FG, TJ's also has a GF listing on their site..I think it's like 5 or so pages long..but hadn't been updated since the spring.

This must be a huge issue now a days...I just went online to check out what my library had to offer in the way of cookbooks..EVERYTHING was checked out or on hold..I put myself on the list of about 10 books!!!

The Whole Foods site also has recipes for special diets...

Rita

You can't use the AP flour for baking very well. You need the Xanthan gum for binding to replace the gluten, and it just isn't that easy. The WF bakery items probably use a different combination of flours for each item. The ingredients list is different for each item, I think, and is usually a combination of other flours, but it varies. There is a Bob's Red Mill AP flour that we use for breading, etc. ANd I use bread crumbs that I make from the Bob's bread ends.

The best book we have is by Shelley Case. Buy a copy, you'll use it as a reference. And do a lot of Googling and see if there is a support group or other resources near where you live.

Here is a link that might be useful: GlutenFree Diet, by Shelley Case

Terri, sounds like you are 100% committed - good for you!

I wonder if all the books were out because of "the link" some have made to a wheat/gluten free diet and improvement in autism. Jenny McCarthy has a new book and was on Oprah and basically said it has been almost a cure for her son...

so...no bread? pasta? is it like being a low carb diet?

I love TJ's hummus, too! Roasted red pepper is my fave.

Well, the jury is way way out on the evidence of a Hollywood name (is she an actress? singer? what exactly did she do to get a name anyway?) and scientific proof, so I don't take that seriously.

But we have learned that Celiac disease in the United States is a lot more common than previously thought, with approximately 3 million people or one in 133 affected. And it is thought to be under diagnosed, as well.

There is an excellent bread mix by Bob's Red Mill, that works well in a bread machine. And rice pasta is easily available, best priced at TJ's, just like wheat-based pasta. Quinoa pasta sucks, tho. ;-)

She was just talking about what worked for her - and when someone goes on Oprah they have an immediate best seller - so I just thought could be why the books were out of the library. I bet when you are in the situatin you would be willing to try anything once to help your child.

You have me looking up Celiac disease so I am getting an education.

It is not a diet for me of necessity or choice but I admire the commitment and I am always happy to get educated.

I hope it helps, Teri.

Maggie, I think you are on to something..and as FG states, the rate of those diagnosed with Celiac is climbing..Funny that she put the numbers in..very close to the rate of Autism too (and there are some studies on going about the correlation of food related allergies and different degrees and oddities of Autism in children)..I have known for a long time that foods can cause amazing "problems" in an allergic body. Many kids that sport ADD, ADHD symptoms/problems have food allergies and the culprits in many ways are wheat, corn and dairy.
The problem I see is, that this wonderful country we live in likes to play with our food supply. Things are tainted that shouldn't be tainted...And next year I will enjoy things that I can't eat right now..because I can grow heirloom varieties organically!

and Maggie, I do eat pasta..and serve it to my family. I use brown rice and spelt(spelt is the "ancient" wheat grain) I'm not going gluten free, so I can eat Spelt, because it's a "whole" uncompromised grain.I also eat Oats. I just had a piece of Spelt Toast from TJ's with my homemade Tayberry jam for breakfast.

Lastnight I was up alone, hubby was out with the "fellas" and the boys were asleep..I spent hours reading all the Gluten Free Blogs, looking at Gluten Free recipes and sites..There is sooooooo much information!

Again, I don't want anyone confused on this subject and as it pertains to me, I'm just learning too...But I can see that in one months time, it's made a considerable difference removing wheat, corn, soy and red meat from my diet (as hard as it is to leave some of those things behind! BEEF!) The pay off is way worth it. I've never felt so commited in my life about something. I've always had the desire to feed my family better, to use as much whole foods as possible, to prepare good foods and treats using the best I could afford. I just never really implemented it as far as I knew I should..Until now..I've made a drastic change, and intend to slowly slip the changes into my families diet as well..They are already sharing in some things with no loss!

Hey good for you on your journey. Me, I can't give up beef or chocolate, or wheat stuff, but who knows, maybe I will be on the same road too.

Another TJ item for you to consider is Quinoa (pronounced keen-wa). High protein grain. Great in pilafs and as a rice substitute in California rolls and such!

We tried and could not stand quinoa. Yuck. But maybe someone else will like it.

Here is an article about the rising rates of autism, and how it is probably due to changes in diagnosis and definition.

Here is a link that might be useful: Autism rates

Oh Jessy, I've not given up on Chocolate. :)
Then I'd die! LOL

I will try Quinoa one of these days..Maybe..LOL

Well I agree with FG on 2 points, quinoa (yuck)and changes in diagnostic criteria having more to do with the increase in Autism than diet, vacines, environmental changes, etc. There is a lot of ongoing research based on real science and a lot more to learn. I have been in the field for many years and continue to be amazed at how much more we are doing to change the lives of children with this and other developemental disabilities than was possible in the not very distant past. But I am getting way off topic, sorry. I'll bow out gracefully now and let everyone get back to the gluten-free discussion about which I would like to learn more too.

Quinoa is disgusting if you prepare it by itself. Tastes like grass. I usually tank it up with vegetable or chicken stock, and add shiitake mushrooms. Lots of good recipes out there, you just have to look.

Hi Ladies...I'm adding my '2' cents again. I never ever heard of this Disease, until a little over 3 yrs ago, when my Granddaughter was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at age 21 months...at the same time, they found out that she had Celiac Disease. They told my daughter that my Granddaughter was born with it, which led to her developing the Diabetes..Seems that many children have this double connection of sorts between the Diabetes and Celiac. The hardest part now, is keeping my Granddaughter on this Strict diet...she goes to Kindergarten now, and it's hard with all the parties and goodies that they serve there..and she can't have any. Thankfully though the school (bless them) informs my daughter of All up coming parties or events so she can supply them with something special for my granddaughter to have. As far as her having Celiac...they feel that because I have Lupus...there may be a connection...I don't know. Anyway, I was reading that a Doctor...I don't recall what country he's in, has a wife who has this Disease, and has done some studies and discovered it has something to do with an enzime defficiency in the body. He has developed a pill...his wife is taking it,and is doing very well on it..however, they said it will be years, before this would be approved, due to all the regulations...So, Pray, that this Doctor is on to something and that all it takes is taking a pill. It seems this is a very quiet 'undiscovered' disease that is just coming into the limelight...due to so many being diagnosed with it now...as never before. I don't know what's happening to us with all the 'junk' that's put into food now a days, but it certainly is catching up to us and affecting young children. I worked in the Education System with young children for over 22 yrs, and never before have we seen so many cases of ADD & ADHD, as well as Autistic Children..as we do now. Makes you wonder and worry what is going on...

My DDIL, who is a nurse, told me that there has been a Canadian long-term study that links too much gluten in early childhood diets and development of diabetes in later life. So she kept the baby off of gluten-containing foods for the first few (don't know how long) months when he started eating baby food. Also kids with celiac are more likely to be diabetic.

Terri, be careful with the spelt. A true gluten-free diet is unforgiving, and any form of the wheat/barley/rye gluten, including spelt, is forbidden. It isn't one of those diets that you can get away with a little of it on occasion, but a complete no-tolerance diet. If you want to test the theory, try being completely strict with no gluten at all (malt vinegar, reading ALL the labels, everything) for a month or so, and then add the spelt back into your diet, and see if it makes a difference.

There are studies about using proenzymes with celiac patients. Here is a link to an article about it. It's not a magic bullet, tho.

Here is a link that might be useful: but not a magic bullet

FG, I don't have Celiacs. I just have a few other health issues. Some heriditary, and apparently living with a different standard of foods will help that.
That's why I can and do eat Spelt. I don't have a gluten intolerance...I'm just avoiding Wheat, corn, soy and red meat. Partly because according to the Dr helping my mother. These are the mostly highly affected "foods" in the American Diet to genetic modifications.
The gluten free part comes in handy finding NON wheat recipes. However in Gluten Free life, corn products are fine. Which I've been told to avoid. And Oats are okay too.
I'm not quite clear on why Organic Beef isn't okay..but maybe it's something that pertains to our specific issues, not that Organic Beef is something that everyone should avoid.

Slinkey, your last line is soooooooo true. Spend a week in an Elementary school and you'll be amazed at the number of kids lined up to take their "pill" at lunch time, or start their day with a time released capsule to "slow them down"!