Gluten Free Shopping List!

Since creating my blog and posting about my GF lifestyle, I have had numerous people reach out to me asking for suggestions on how they can start living GF! I compiled a list of different items and brands that I stick with when I am doing my grocery shopping. These can be found in both local stores (Meijer or Kroger) or my favorite places to shop like Whole Foods and Trader Joe's. This of course, is not everything GF but should help you navigate where to look and what to look for :)

Here we go!

Fruits- All fruit is naturally GF

Veggies- Also naturally GF

Breads- Freezer section will have some frozen loaves of bread. Or in the aisle with GF products there will be a few there too. Whole Foods has a HUGE freezer section! Udi’s is my favorite brand!

Pasta- GF section will have GF pastas

Quinoa- This is a great substitute for pasta or rice, not only naturally GF but so much healthier for you! You can find it either by rice or in the organic section of the grocery store. 

Lunch Meat- All Boars Head lunch meat is GF

Sausage- All Johnsonville is GF

Snack crackers- Blue Diamond makes awesome crackers called Nut Thins that are all different flavors all GF 

Meat- All meat is naturally GF but be careful of things that are pre-seasoned or marinated because many marinades contain gluten.

Dairy- Milk is GF. Mostly all cheese is also just make sure they don't use flour to keep the shredded kind from sticking together when packaged. Yogurt can be GF, plain is your safest bet, when they add in different flavorings it gets a little tricky so make sure to check. NO Activia!

Potatoes- All GF. 

Seafood- All GF in natural state (no coatings or marinades)

Soy sauce- NOT GF! You can find GF soy sauce but it will be marked. We use liquid aminos as a substitute for soy sauce. 

Dressings- Many Kraft dressings are GF, not too sure which exactly. When it comes to a salad dressing I usually go for oil and balsamic vinegar (make sure the vinegar is distilled though) ESPECIALLY when I am at a restaurant because they never know which are actually GF

Seasonings- McCormick has many GF spices and will be marked if it contains wheat, barley, rye, or oats. It is usually best to but separate spices and not the premixed kind. 

Condiments- These can be tricky. Mustard and ketchup usually is GF but they have the possibility of being cross contaminated because of where they are made and packaged. READ THE LABEL! 

Franks Red Hot- I mention this because it is my favorite and just my luck I can still enjoy it!

Peanut Butter- Most brands are GF but I stick with sunflower seed butter because I think it taste better and it is marked right on the front of the jar GLUTEN FREE. 

Barbecue Sauce- Sweet Baby Ray's is GF 

Chips- BetterMade chips are GF so are most tortilla chips as long as they are made from CORN not flour. Most Lays chips are also GF. 

Eggs- All GF

Cereal- Marked Chex cereal is GF. I eat something called Gorilla Munch, it is GF and taste like Kix cereal (but better) it is also all organic! I have only found this at Whole Foods and Trader Joe's. 

Soda- Majority are GF. I know that Pepsi products all are.

Beer- MUST be marked GF. New Grist is a brand I have drank before. All hard ciders are GF (Woodchuck, Strongbow, Angry Orchard etc.)

Wine- 99% is GF but make sure you check each brand before you buy. 

Liquor- Again 99% is GF just do a quick Google search to be sure. 

NO fast food! Though French fries are GF, when they cook them in oil that has fried anything breaded it can cross contaminate any GF product. There really isn’t anything on a menu at any FF joint that offers anything GF. Who needs that crap anyways though right!?

-Stay away from anything that says Whole Grain or Whole wheat. Anything on a label that says anything about wheat, barley, or rye are bad. It will usually say something like “this product may contain..” and have a list of things like soy, peanuts, wheat etc. Wheat is obviously the NO-NO.

-Luckily most things are labeled with GF if they are, or they make you aware if it may contain gluten.

-When eating at a restaurant ask if they have a gluten free menu or if they offer any gluten free options. If they don't know, go somewhere else!  

-Your best bet would be to cook for yourself so you know exactly what it is that you’re eating. Meal prepping is something I suggest to everyone, it will help you stay on track. Especially when you are on the go!

-NO PREPACKAGED FROZEN MEALS! They all contain gluten (unless specified which you can find in the frozen GF section) No Lean Cuisine or Health Choice meals! 

JUST BECAUSE IT IS GLUTEN FREE DOES NOT MEAN IT IS HEALTHY!! There is still a lot of "junk" food that is GF so don't be fooled! 

The best advice I can give you when you are shopping at any store, is to make sure you are CHECKING LABELS! If there is something on there that isn't specifically marked GF along with ingredients that you can't even pronounce don't even bother. Organic is best because it's not only better for you but most of the time it is GF. It never hurts to use handy dandy Google to look up specific brands or items. NEVER ASSUME, chances are you are wrong :)

Anything homemade is better. When something is prepackaged it contains some kind of preservatives that are not only terrible for you, but they usually aren't gluten free. Make your own pasta sauce, salad dressing and marinades etc! They will taste better and you don't have to worry about sneaky ingredients! 

This list only scratches the surface of different food items that are GF but this is a general overview that should get you through your first shopping trip! I would be more then happy to get together with you or talk one on one about any questions you have or to go more in depth if you are ready to take your GF eating one step further! Feel free to email me or send me a Facebook message! 

Lcraddock07@gmail.com