If you are starting a gluten-free diet, figuring out what to eat can be very challenging. Below is a list of 10 things that gluten might be in that people do not always realize.
There are many things that gluten is in that most people are aware of. This includes bread, cakes, flour, cookies, crackers, pizza, fried foods, pretzels, and pasta. However, there are MANY things that are not as well known, but still very important to avoid. These items include:
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Soy Sauce
All “regular” soy sauce has wheat in it, but gluten-free soy sauce is very easy to find in stores and even some restaurants. I love having soy sauce packets from Amazon that I just throw in my purse when I’m heading to grab sushi. Way easier than trying to bring a whole bottle of soy sauce!
Sushi
This one can be tricky. A lot of sushi can seem gluten-free and are not. Communicating well with your server is very important in places like this. Especially while you are still learning what all is gluten-free! Anything that contains imitation crab, anything with the word “tempura”, made with non-GF soy sauce, or that has teriyaki sauce is not safe. Don’t forget to bring your own GF soy sauce if you don’t know if the restaurant provides GF soy sauce!
Oats
While oats themselves do not contain gluten, they are stored and processed with wheat, which means they have a high cross-contamination rate (gluten crossing over from unsafe food to previously safe food). There are plenty of certified gluten-free oats, just make sure you pick up these instead of the regular oats before you make your next bowl of oatmeal.
Salad Dressings and Sauces
Most salad dressings and sauces are gluten-free these days. Unfortunately, there are still quite a few that contain gluten. Always check your ingredients on these, especially the thicker ones. When you are at restaurants, don’t assume their dressings are gluten-free either. Always ask for a gluten-free menu or allergen menu.
Beef and Chicken Stock
Always check your ingredients. I like the Pacific Foods brand of stock, and it can be found in most stores. Swanson stocks have also recently become gluten-free and are in most stores.
Processed Meats
Processed meats have gotten significantly better in recent years as far as gluten is concerned but some will contain gluten, so always read your ingredients on these!
Ice Cream
Always check ingredients on ice cream, because so many ice cream flavors have cake or cookies in them, it is important to make sure your ice cream doesn’t have anything containing gluten in it.
Soups
Companies use flour to thicken soups, so, unfortunately, there are a ton of soups that are not gluten-free. As of right now, all Campbell’s soups (the original red and white label kind) contain gluten, but Progresso has a good number of soups that are clearly labeled gluten-free. Panera pre-packaged soups are also a great option when you are sick and in need of some warm soup.
Candy
Most candy is gluten-free, but some (like Twizzlers) are not. Until you are comfortable with candy, always check your labels on candy. Some candy to definitely steer clear from includes: Twizzlers, KitKats, Mr. Goodbars, Mars Bars, and Whoppers. I will be creating a post soon with allll the candy info, so check back soon!
Meatballs and Meatloaf
Many people don’t think about the fact that meatballs and meatloaf are held together by one important thing…BREAD. There are plenty of gluten-free recipes for meatballs and meatloaf, but it is very difficult to find safe options in restaurants or stores.
Bottom line, READ YOUR LABELS. It is frustrating at first, but soon you will be so fast at reading labels it will be second nature.
Still, struggling to figure out what all you can and can not eat when eating a gluten-free diet? Check out my post What You Need to Know About Starting a Gluten Free Diet.