Back To School Gluten Free Safety

It's that special time of year again. No, not Christmas. It's 

almost time for the School year to begin. First day of the year is one week tomorrow where I am.

Sending Gluten Free kids to school can be a scary thought. Although my little guy is not intolerant to anything, I am trying to teach him about not sharing any food at school. Period. Sounds a little harsh I know. But in my opinion its better to be safe than sorry. The last thing I want is for him to share his lunch with someone who may be intolerant to it. There are so many food intolerance's out there and its not reasonable to expect very young children to understand them just yet.

Here are my top tips for back to school Gluten Free safety.

1) Have a sit down meeting with your child's teacher, principal and PTA head. Bring any materials you think will help to clearly get the message across. Make sure everyone is on the same page.

2) Supply both the teacher and office with a letter explaining how medically important remaining Gluten Free is for your child and the details of Celiac Disease. 

3) Advise that if there is accidental consumption of Gluten, that your child may need to use the washroom suddenly and possibly for multiple visits. Depending on the age your child and severity of the reaction, you may want to have the school contact you immediately.

4) Go over an action plan with your child and teacher about what to do in case of accidental glutening.

5) Ask the teacher for a list of dates where there will be food brought in for a special occasion such as a child's birthday or a Halloween party. Make note of these dates and send your child to school with a special treat for that day.

6) Make sure teachers know that your child cannot participate in crafts involving  regular noodles and play dough. Point out that children often touch their mouth without realizing it and how this would cause accidental ingestion of Gluten. See if you can provide a small craft kit to be kept at the school for your child. 

Items that can be included in craft kit : homemade GF playdough , GF noodles , peel and stick stickers, GF finger paint. The kit doesnt have to be huge. Just make sure it includes the GF version of what the other students will be using.

7) Advise that under NO circumstances is your child to be given any food other then what you have sent with them. Not all children are comfortable saying no and some don't understand the severity of their intolerance's until they are older.

8) Suggest that the teacher and or Librarian read a book about Celiac Disease to the students. Some great options are :

The GF Kid: A Celiac Disease Survival Guide  

Eating Gluten-Free with Emily: A Story for Children with Celiac Disease 

Mommy, What Is Celiac Disease?: A look at the sunny side of being a gluten-free kid













If you have any back to school tips, feel free to share via comment :)

Review: Whole Foods Mississauga

Over the weekend we made a trip to Whole Foods in Mississauga Ontario.  Wow, what a journey that was! Really wish they would open up shop in Durham region.

I always have my eye open for new places to stock up on Gluten Free food so we went to check it out and see if there were any thing different  available there.

The staff at this location was really friendly and were awesome in helping me find GF food. Let me tell you what a scavenger hunt that was! I'm quite surprised that Whole Foods does not have a better way of displaying GF items. Even Metro does a better job then them, and I'm not fond of Metro's (location near me) GF layout. The food was everywhere. There was really no rhyme or reason to it.

Overall, the items at this location were pretty much on par with what I can get where I live. Nothing special other then the odd  crepe or lasagna. I know people say whole foods is overpriced but we only looked at Gluten Free items and well, they were pretty much on par with everywhere else. Yippee (note sarcasm).

Gluten Free Chicken & Potato Casserole - Review

How about a Gluten Free lunch all the way from Scotland. That's what I have here. 

This hearty dish is a Chicken & Potato Casserole. It is made by Tesco and is part of their Free From line. The price was IMPRESSIVE - £2.40 which works out to around $4.00 or so Canadian. Still, affordable by Gluten Free standards.

This product earned my favor right from the start. Just a few minutes in the microwave with the top sides of the package peeled open and we have a hearty meal!

Although it's called Chicken & Potato Casserole, it was more of a stew in my opinion. That could very well be due to our different way of wording things on this side of the pond.  It was fantastic! Not only did this come out of the microwave fiercely hot, but it did not have that signature microwaved texture.  Very rarely does anything come out of the microwave tasting like it was made fresh and this did. 

This dish reminded me of the stew that my grandmother used to make when I was a child. The chicken was moist and the potato had a nice bite to it. The only thing missing was dough balls. To remedy that, I grabbed a couple of Queijos and tossed in. Perfect!

The portion would probably be one bag to one person, unless your feeding this to kids. Then you could probably split it between two people.

I would definitely purchase this in the future...if I could. Unfortunately the lovely folks at Tesco do not ship to Canada and hubby wont be making a return trip to Scotland any time soon.  

This makes me want to fight for more Gluten Free variety in this country. We have enough cookies and snacks. I want to see healthy, ready to eat  and easy to prepare Gluten Free meals.  

That is a post for another day though.

Gluten Is My Kryptonite

We all know what it's like to be accidentally glutened. 

It sucks.

I've sort of become used to it as of late. That sucks even more! Although, I must say that I have reached a sort of Zen point with it. As soon as I get that first knife wielding stomach cramp, I know exactly what is in store for me. It's exhausting and unfortunate really. But at least I can sort of manage it.

Fortunately for me, I have only been glutened just a couple of times while away from home. That is a scary thing for me. At least when I am at home, I can follow the drill without hassle so to speak.

As long as my 3year old is occupied, I can run to the washroom and stay for a while if need be. This is usually when the Nintendo DS makes an extended appearance for him. 

I'm okay with this. It's part of my life. I can deal with it. What I'm not okay with is the potential complications that my body will face in the future. The more I get glutened, the more harm is done to me internally. The kind of harm that I can't see, but will one day be forced to deal with.

Gluten is my Kryptonite

12 Things You Should Never Say To A Celiac

When Someone Suggests That A Crumb Won't Hurt

If that was the case, do you really think I would be so cautious? To put things in perspective for you, one crumb can and will make me ill. One crumb makes me a difficult person to be around and shortens my lifespan. Chew on that.

When Someone Asks If Gluten-free Helped You Lose Weight

Tumblr.com

No! I actually gained weight. It's called being healthy. Any carb overindulging person will see a drop in weight if they instantly cut it out of their diet. That being said, there are actually carbs in Gluten Free food. Yep. Bet ya didn't know that, like ya didn't know that some people have no choice but to eat Gluten Free.

Every Time Someone Asks Me What I Can Eat

Tumblr.com

 I can eat a lot of the same things you eat. Not everything is off limits. I just have to be cautious of ingredients and make changes to adapt recipes. Time-consuming yes, but extra time and effort trumps being sick.

When Someone Says They Tried Gluten-free for a while

Tumblr.com

You "tried" it? Must be nice to have that option! I do it because I have to. Unlike you, there is no choice for me. Being Gluten Free is what allows me to live. I don't understand why anyone would want to be GF by choice! Not only is it a difficult road to navigate but it is expensive. I would not buy it if I didn't have to, even if it was on sale kind of expensive.

When Someone Mentions The Increased Food Cost

Reactiongifs.com

Yes, gluten-free can be expensive. A lot of companies take advantage and price gouge. It blows my mind that people will choose to pay inflated prices for food they are not restricted to. 

 I prepare chef quality meals without said expensive flour

Reactiongifs.com

 Not everyone lives in an area with massive Gluten Free variety. Nor does everyone have the luxury of being an exceptional chef. Most of us are average folk, given the task of creating satisfying Gluten Free meals. 

When The Server Says The Oven Will Kill Off Any Gluten

NBC / Via giphy.com

Am I being punked? Seriously, who started this rumor?

When People Call Me Picky

Reddit.com

I am NOT a picky eater. Unfortunately, when one has a dietary restriction, eating can become mundane. Like anyone else, I enjoy variety in my diet as well as flavor. I can't always afford to purchase  different and exciting gf food. Nor do I always have the time or energy to make something from scratch. I have a right to become irritated with my food options from time to time.

When Someone Tells Me Gluten-free Is A Fad For Money

Tumblr.com

This actually has a little bit of truth to it. Sometimes it feels like a Gluten Free label is just an easy excuse to charge more money.For those of us who NEED a gf diet, the high cost is an unfortunate side effect of this mandatory lifestyle.

The Suggestion That VeryFew People Have Celiac Disease

Tumblr.com

That is a very archaic thought. 1 in 133 people have Celiac Disease. More people suffer from Celiac than Alzheimer's Disease. 

When Someone Complains About The Cost Of Vegan/Vegetarian/Organic Food

Tumblr.com

Being Vegetarian is a choice. A choice you are allowed and able to make. I don't have any choice when it comes to eating Gluten free. My wallet sure wishes I had a choice, though.

When People Admire My Apparent Willpower

NewYorkz.Tumblr.com

No, it's not willpower at all. Gluten is toxic to my health, therefore, I avoid it. Period.

Where To Find Gluten-Free Groceries Online

Finding gluten free variety in a traditional grocery store can be challenging at the best of times. Below I have compiled a list of online grocers which ship within or to Canada.

Amazon Canada

•  A simple search brings up lots of gluten free items. Some, still not widely available in Canada. 
• Keep an eye out for bulk purchase which can be costly up front, but save you money in the long run. 
• Many items qualify for free shipping, and those which don't are shipped at a fair rate.

Astoria Mills

• Many different types of Gluten Free flour are available to order. You can even purchase the mixes as a set. I would love to try these mixes in the future! Shipping varies depending on weight. 

El Peto

• Located in Cambridge, Ontario
• Pies, muffins, cookies and cereal to baking mixes and even gingerbread kits 

Kinnikinnick

• This is one of my favourite Canadian companies. 
• Product offerings range from soft bread and buns to baking mixes and pizza crust. 

Marcelle's Kitchen

• Located in Port Perry 
• sells their own brand of Gluten Free products

Meyers Whole Foods

• Based out of Winnipeg, Manitoba and they ship Canada wide!!! 
• The variety of Gluten Free choices is very impressive. They also sell miscellaneous items such as Gluten-Free Pocket Dictionaries and Toaster Bags. Unfortunately, they cannot provide a shipping estimate online. 
• They will call you for payment information and to let you know the approximate shipping cost.

Patsy Pie

• Biscotti, old fashioned crumbled pie crust and a variety of other baked products are available for order.

Specialty Food Shop

• Proceeds from purchases go to support research and patient care at Sick Kids Hospital! 
• Unique products
• Frozen items can be shipped seasonally

Walmart Canada

• Wide selection of Gluten Free food and books. 
• Many items qualify for free shipping 
• Pick up from store option

Well.ca

• FREE (restrictions apply) shipping in Canada. 
• Variety of Gluten-Free products and offer some really fantastic sales. 
• You can purchase everything from baby products to general wellness, cleaning products and toys.

My Dream "Mini" Kitchen

Here you have it folks. My dream kitchen! It's actually designed as a kosher kitchen but would work perfect as a Celiac friendly one. These  Armoire Kitchen's have mini versions of everything one would need to cook.

• Two burner cook top
• Exhaust hood
• Dishwasher 
• Fridge 
• Sink
• Microwave

As you can see, there is lots and lots of storage for all of your Gluten Free food and dedicated cookware / utensils.

I love that when you are done in the kitchen, you can just close up shop so to speak. Fear not as there is a built in safety feature that prevents the cook top from working while the panel doors are closed.

Yesterday Was Not So Good

Got Glutened yesterday. 

We went to Lonestar for lunch with the little one. It's usually a great dining experience for us there. The waitress brought Lincoln out a dough ball to play with. A nice gesture that keeps the little ones occupied until food has arrived. Being only 3, my little guy get's a bit antsy sometimes. He fooled around with the ball for a few minutes and had enough. Hubby took the ball away and I could see a gooey mess on his hands. I suggested he take our little guy to the men's room so that they could both clean up. Unfortunately, hubby thought a napkin was sufficient. Not wanting to create an issue, I didn't push.

Our waitress brought us out another nacho/salsa as our meal was not yet ready. This is where the problem arose, I believe. Hubby grabbed some nacho chips to eat instead of asking me to put some on a spare plate for him. I suspect that some left over dough crumbs from his hand got into the nacho platter.

I realized my error in not reminding hubby about the little things that can make me ill. About 30 minutes after leaving the restaurant we hit the mall and I hit rock bottom. It went like this.....

• A thousand knives piercing my lower stomach
• Hot flashes
• Exhaustion
• Nausea
• Multiple washroom visits

The reaction that goes along with it is never something I can get used to or prepare for.

Pretty sure the woman cleaning the washroom thought I had an eating disorder due to 4 visits in less than an hour. Uggh!

I was so tired after this. Hungry too as my stomach was now clearly empty. Relieved though,to finally not be in serious pain. Today the sleepiness and tender tummy linger. But at least I am able to function.

I know my husband was not entirely to blame. I should have stood my ground. Really wish this learning experience did not come with health consequences.

Latest lesson learned : Say no thank you to the dough balls and make sure EVERYONE washes their hands well when we are sharing something. Better safe than sorry.

Dearest Domino's

 Dearest Domino's Pizza,

You have probably noticed by now that the Celiac community is less then enthused with your offering of Gluten Free Pizza. Really, why call it Gluten Free  when it actually  ends up not being so. I understand that the crust itself is indeed Gluten Free, but once your employees handle it all that Gluten Free safeness is out the window. "Appropriate for those with mild gluten sensitivity" Not recommend it for those with Celiac Disease".

 Seriously? What are you trying to accomplish?

In my personal opinion, if you are going to offer a Gluten Free pizza, shouldn't it remain just that? I get that it's not only Celiac's who eat Gluten Free. The difference between us and  bandwagon yuppies   Kim Kardashian, Gwyenth Paltrow, and the rest of the posse is that Celiac's MEDICALLY REQUIRE 100% GLUTEN FREE FOOD! Did you catch that? The fact that you are even marketing it as  Gluten Free  blows my mind. Would you market something Peanut  Free but only suggest it to only those who have a "minimal intolerance"? Probably not. Just like you would not sell a Vegetarian Pizza that is dripped in meat sauce.

Please understand that I am not out to get you. You are just going about it the money making  wrong way. I mean sheesh, why not just label the darn thing "low carb" for crying out loud. Your twitter feed the other day sort of made me laugh. I had to or my eyes would have exploded at the shear ignorance of what you are doing. Sure, go ahead and tweet well known celebs who credit being  Gluten Free  for their amazing bodies, about your new Gluten Free pizza. Not a sham at all! You do realize that these people have personal chefs, fitness trainers and their photos get a healthy dose of that neato thing called Photoshop.

What was the point in partnering with the NFCA? Credentials perhaps? Neither of you recommend this pizza to those with Celiac.So what it is then? Are you secretly hoping that Gluten Free will be the next big thing and then when you are overflowing with money, you will actually offer pizza that stays Gluten Free? Or is it that you are hoping Celiac's in desperate need of something new and quick to eat will see GLUTEN FREE and order without questioning? Sure they can't sue or anything because you disclaimed the hell out of it on your website. Just know that not everyone reads fine print, things such as language barriers exist and a lot of people assume the words Gluten Free mean just that. You probably think that's silly though.

Celiac Disease is an Immune Disorder and Gluten Free is NOT a trend. It is my life. It keeps me from being so ill that I can't function. Have you seen someone with Celiac Disease have a reaction? Did you know that even if we all react differently (hence the trouble with diagnosis) we have the same detrimental outcome. Untreated, or continuous accidental ingestion can and does result in MANY other serious ailments. Please allow me to list a few for you - Osteoporosis, Cancer, Neurological Disorders, Infertility. Oh, and it can be fatal too.

Here's something else I bet you didn't know, Malnutrition is a symptom of Celiac Disease. 

In the end, you are attaching yourself to a trend that is not actually a trend. You are doing so at the expense of myself and others with Celiac Disease. Shame on you.

Celiac Disease: What kids have to say

When The Gluten Free Section Isn't

I went to HomeSense yesterday . This was my first trip to the store and I went thanks to the suggestion of a friend. When  I approached the food section, I was pleasantly surprised to find a lot of Gluten Free items. They were in a section labelled as such too. I was so happy at the site of this that I took a picture with my phone.

Now for the not so cool part. Today I was going through yesterday's GF purchase of almost $40.00 to decide what product I would be enjoying first. Upon reading the ingredients/directions I discovered that  I had made a silly mistake. A novice mistake. In my shear joy of seeing a section full of Gluten Free goodies, I neglected to read EVERY label of every item I was placing in the shopping basket. I bet you can guess what is next! I ended up purchasing 2 NON Gluten Free products. Total bummer! I have labelled the 2 items in my photo in hopes of preventing the same mistake from being repeated by anyone else. At first I thought, okay I must have grabbed these items from a different section. Nope. So there seems to be a mishmash of Celiac friendly and pain inducing (non gf) product in the so called Gluten Free area. Not sure if this is a mistake or if this is just how that section is taken care of. Unfortunate I know.My mistake completely for not verifying and triple checking like I normally do. But still, you would think that a Gluten Free Section would be just that wouldn't you.

Metro's GF Freezer Bin

Metro has a freezer bin almost full of amazing Gluten Free items. I say almost as a few items in the right of the bin (not in the photo) are only nut free. Interesting how prominent the Gf sign is and how there is NO sign advertising the nut free part of the bin. A sign is needed not only to help promote the nut free product, but to prevent confusion. Oh, and the cookies on the top of the bin are NOT GF. Im not even sure they are nut free.

 The Real Canadian Superstore , like many grocery stores has Gluten Free mixed in with Organic and Natural items. This is where I do my groceries so I am well aware of the regular stock of GF items. Anything new, I triple check.

I guess I would just like to see a Gluten Free section that is just that. Gluten Free.

Sleep, Where Are You?

Lately I have been feeling tired. Really tired. There have been days where all I wanted to do was sleep.  With a 3 year old and work, that is not an option. Those are the days Im like a zombie. I can barely think, my appetite is nowhere to be found and I have trouble sleeping...getting that good sleep. 

I wish I could be more like my husband - close my eyes & be immersed in dreamland instantly. But Im not.It's always taken me a while to fall asleep.Lately though, there is not much of that whole deep sleep going on for me.

At times I wonder if I have accidentally ingested the dreaded gluten. It's not a far off possibility. We have a small kitchen with minimal counter space. Sometimes my little guy with stick his hands in a bowl of a gluten free snack for a bite before I can wash his hands. Often before I even notice. There are also times where hubby, as vigilant as he is, assumes safety of food without reading ingredients. I get it though, it kind of makes me shake my head to see gluten in certain food.

Months ago, my family Doctor diagnosed me with Chronic Fatigue. I didn't know what to think and I still don't. There are many different theories on this issue. I forgot about it until recently when I became so tired again. 

I hope it's something minor like stress affecting my sleep. Hopefully with Spring well on it's way, the fresh air and sunshine will help me get back to my usual self.

Enjoy Life Plentils Review

I won a contest care of Enjoy Life ! Talk about exciting! The prize I have been eagerly awaiting has arrived. Can you guess what it is? I received a box containing the NEW  and soon to be released in stores Plentils. My gift pack contained 4 bags of Plentils. One of each flavour -

Margherita Pizza 

Light Sea Salt

Garlic & Parmesean

Dill &Sour Cream

The overall design of the individual packages made me smile right away. As you can see from the pictures, it was like opening a box of Summer. I kid you not. The colours are bold, yet warm and inviting.

On to the most important thing....TASTE. It took a few Plentils to get used to the texture. They have the crisp snap of a potato chip when bitten into. Once in your mouth, the Plentil is almost like a rice-cake in airiness. At the end, it melts away like a shrimp chip. It's a rather interesting experience. Before I knew it, I had downed an entire bowl and was starting a second. Good thing they are healthy. ;)

After sampling the Plentils I have decided the following

1) They are a welcome treat

2) Great snack choice for school / work lunches

3) Would be great for entertaining

4) I can't eat just one

5) Flavour filled without being overloaded

The little note that was on top of my Plentils states that the packaging I received will be used in America only. I'm guessing that the Canadian version  will be only slightly different with the obvious addition of French labelling. 

If you cannot wait for Plentils to hit store shelves, they are currently available online through the Enjoy Life  web store.

Dean McDermott Said WHAT ?

Yesterday morning I read the NFCA Celiac Central Newsletter for February 2012. Nothing unusual there. I love to keep up to date with the valuable information they provide. Then I scrolled down to the Q&A with Tori's Dean...

Where to begin?!  Surprised, frustrated, disappointed and alarmed should just about cover my feelings here.

Dean McDermott, husband of Tori Spelling, spoke about how he was diagnosed with Celiac Disease about a year and a half ago.

There are three very troubling parts of this interview for me: 

• He is in culinary school and regularly samples his non gluten free dishes.

Even the gluten in the air is affecting him and he has no clue to it. Although he may not feel the affects as boldly as some, he is still reacting the same internally. I would like to see him attend a 100% GF cooking class. Not only will this prevent him from having to sample gluten containing food, but it will educate him on how to create safe dishes for himself.

• Dean states that he is on the lower end of the spectrum of Celiac Disease therefore his physician is not terribly concerned if he consumes gluten here and there.

First of all, WHAT ?!?

Such a dangerous comment to make. Especially dangerous as it is coming from someone with a fan base. A fan base that will take what he says seriously.

This is why education is needed. As for his Doctor? Time for a new one Mr. McDermott! My goodness, the Hollywood is crazy stigma is alive and well.

I emailed the Canadian Celiac Association in regards to this article and below is a response from Jim McCarthy, Executive Director.

Hi Sandra,

The celebrity’s doctor is wrong – there is no ‘spectrum’.  No one, not even celebrities, who have been properly diagnosed can eat food containing gluten.

Jim McCarthy

Executive Director

Canadian Celiac Association

www.celiac.ca

Ph: 905-507-6208 x224

Toll-free: 1-800-363-7296

Fax: 905-507-4673

E: ed@celiac.ca

• He is planning on opening a Gluten Free  restaurant

Would YOU eat a a restaurant run by someone diagnosed with Celiac Disease that does not strictly adhere to a Gluten Free diet? I know I wouldn't!

At the end of the day people either have Celiac Disease or they don't. There is no in between and there is no wacky way to dodge the effects of gluten consumption. It's unfortunate that there are clearly many Doctor's who are not properly educated about Celiac Disease

I want to point out that the wonderful people at Allergic Living made a special note for readers, advising that they stick to a 100% Gluten Free Diet.