mbrookes

I'm not sure of your gender, but if you are female you might consider that you are possibly entering a pre-menopausal period. At that time, our metabolisms go heywire. Weight loss becomes very difficult. This could also contribute to your need for the anti depressants. You might want to discuss this with your gynecologist as well as your GI doctor.

The lesson here is read the labels. I recently picked up a can of turnip greens, got home and read the label. Yep. Wheat. Why is wheat in turnip greens? Or roasted peanuts? Or a host of other things. That is why we have to read the labels, always.

As to the "produced in a facility that also...", My husband keeps a loaf of Wonder Bread in our otherwise gluten free kitchen. I would have to list us as a facility that also uses wheat. If there is no other red flag, I would tend to go with it. The "may contain traces..." and "produced on shared lines..." give me more pause. Shared lines I will sometimes go with but never with may contain traces.

Then there are the lucky ones like me. I can eat ANYTHING except gluten. No other intolerances. If I listened to what bothered others, my diet would be much different.

Part of the reason for the slight ambiguity in the Kraft statement is the litigious society we live in. Sue for anything. Go for the big bucks. For this reason, many companies will not say their products are gluten free, even when to the best of their knowledge they are.

Anianna, this is great. Is it a separate web site I can save to favorites? Where can I find this great info when it rotates off this page?

I admit it... I am a Udi's junkie. I guess after all this time (I've been gluten-free for almost five years) I don't really remember what real bread tastes like. I cut the end pieces into fourths and toast it slowly in the oven. Break it up for crutons, crush for bread crumbs or (my favorite) use as a base for appetizers. Try spreading the bread sticks with Laughing Cow cheese or anything else you like.

Thanks, yall. I will definitely try tossing the Glutino ones with butter and salt. That sounds like it would work.

I don't necessarily mean for snacking, although I do love them. I use several recipes that call for crushed Ritz Crackers, and nothing I have used seems to give a similar taste or texture. This is for topping casseroles, coating fritters etc.

I don't mean this to be a political statement but.... everything I buy is going up. printing more money makes it worse. Isn't there something that can make things better????

I just got back from New Orleans where I ate like a king...safely! Muriel's and American Sector Cafe (John Besh's place at WWII Museum) both have gluten free menus. K-Paul's, Maximo's and Irene's have servers that understand and can reccommend safe foods. My advice is to go to New Orleans and have a wonderful time.

I have been gluten free for almost six years and Weight Watchers works perfectly for me. I have lost 28 pounds and have about 10 more to go. The diet is totally flexible and easy to substitute on. I don't get the part about no bread. My husband's regular bread is 1.5 pts per slice and Udi's whole grain is 2 pts per slice. That's not enough difference to keep me from a sandwhich now and then or a slice of toast with breakfast.

The gluten-free desserts are really bad, but desserts would be bad with gluten. I make sugar free Jello with all kinds of fruit in it and all flavors fat free/sugar free puddings also by Jello.

Has any one tried products from Silly Yak Bakery in Madison, Wisconson? I see that they ship, but the products are so expensive that I want to see what others think before I order. The foods sound very good, but sometimes it is hard to tell from an ad.

A good bet would have been Chick-fil-a. Order the grilled chicken, slaw and waffle fries. The fries are done in a dedicated frier. Ihave never had a problem with this order. Be sure to ask (nicely) for them to change gloves and be really careful. They will take care of you.

Sounds like a really good idea. Do you have any training in the nutrition field? They might have regulations that require that if you want to have input into the menu or recipes. I salute you for looking for solutions rather that moaning about your situation.

What kind of peanut butter comes in a tube? Sounds like a cool idea; I've just never heard of it.

My last glutening was my fault. I love Abe's Barbeque in Clarksdale,MS. Last time I had a chance to go, I thought I would be really smart. I took my own Udi's bun and ordered pulled pork and slaw. Standing at the counter to pay (after eating my delicious sandwhich), I saw them heating the pork AND the buns on the same flattop grill. AAAARRRGGGGG. Yep, I have had the bad D for a week now.

Hot dog on Udi's bun with homemade chili and slaw. Chili and slaw were leftovers, so it was a super easy lunch.

A good way to sve it to buy in season. A little late for this year, but I always hit the farmer's market and buy in season vegetables and put them in the freezer. I have loads of green butter beans (known as limas outside the South), speckled butterbeans, purple hull peas, silver queen corn and peaches for this winter. Freezing is not hard to do and you can get a small freezer for not too much. Check estate sales for freezers.

Justlisa, I really appreciate your point of view. It is a hard lesson, but we all have to learn "It's not all about me". Of course there are jerks out there. Some people don't care for me because of my politics, some because of my personality, some for rreasons unknown to me. Cross them off and go on with the non-jerks. Oak trees may look strong, but a hard wind can take them down. Willows bend and snap back. Be a willow.

In the good news column:

Waffle House hashbrowns are gluten free. Just ask them to please use clean gloves when they fix your food. I have always found Waffle House people to be extremely cooperative.

I use Cup4Cup and my old recipe. Works great.

The over-use of antibiotics is a major cause in the development of untreatable infections due to mutation of bacteria. Try not to take antibiotics unless necessary (as with strep)and be sure to take the full prescibed course. Antibiotics are not preventative drugs.

Just stumbled on this thread. I read constantly. I love Nevada Barr's books, especically the Anna Pigeon series. Have any of you read Greg Isles? Try his The Quiet Game and Turning Angel. For funny entertainment there is anything by Janet Evanovich, especially the numbered ones (One For the Money through Eighteen).

I believe it all comes down to personal responsibility. No one but me is responsible for what I eat. I read all labels and make my decisions based on that. If a company doesn't accurately label their products, I just don't buy from them.

I do not think most companies (or, really, any companies) are trying to poison us. They have a responsibility the their stock holders to make a profit. If using dedicated lines would cut deeply into the bottom line, they don't do it. Make your own decisions about what you will or will not eat.

Keep your mouth closed during spraying. You don't absorb gluten through your skin, only through your digestive system. The spray shouldn't cause any problems.