Gluten Free at Princeton

Trying to plan ahead to stay on a gluten free diet while attending Princeton?

There appears to be a good effort being made by the Princeton Residential Dining Halls to accommodate gluten free diets . There are also local eateries that are more than happy to help you out in your search. Check out this helpful listing of local gluten free menu offerings created by university students! What a cool site....it's called Spoon University !


May God bless your educational path and may it be super easy for you to find gluten free foods all the while gaining a stellar ivy league ed!

Peace,
Carla


Btw, thanks for buying my new book Life in the Gluten Free Zone on Amazon today!

RELATED: Gluten Free at Harvard

Disclaimer: This blog post is intended for conversational purposes only. The blog's author and publisher does not accept any liability for any of the ideas discussed in this post or any other post on this blog. Always obtain medical advice from a licensed medical practitioner.






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Gluten Free at Tim Hortons

Tim Hortons is such a fast food powerhouse.  There must be something there that is gluten free! You can read up by using their pretty user-friendly chart here

If you want to have the most current information, please remember that restaurants can change the ingredients in their menu items as often and as spontaneously as they wish. So be sure to do your due diligence before consuming fast food items if you have gluten allergies, gluten intolerance or celiac disease. Always obtain medical advice from a licensed medical practitioner.

If you want speak with someone from their head office just fill in their "contact us " form
and see what happens ") See the link here : Contact Tim Hortons
  It is really good, I have discovered from experience to let corporations know what kind of products you really want and need. Also, from a personal perspective....it is quite empowering to call or write to a large corporate entity and discover that your questions are valid and respected. The best part is actually finding an accurate and up to date answer for all your
 "glutenfree-ish" questions.

Be well and may your search for gluten free foods be successful!

Peace,
Carla.


Buy my new book Life in the Gluten Free Zone on Amazon today!

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Disclaimer: This blog post is intended for conversational purposes only. The blog's author and publisher does not accept any liability for any of the ideas discussed in this post or any other post on this blog. Always obtain medical advice from a licensed medical practitioner.

Gluten Free At Popeyes

Popeyes has set up a couple of shops in our city over the past few years, and the scent emanating from their restaurants is most enticing! So i have discovered from their American website that they do have some gluten free items. Always be sure to double check as restaurants can change the ingredients in their menu's whenever they wish. But it's nice that Popeyes  already has a list of some gluten free  items on their website. Always helpful to have at least a few items in mind that you can inquire about.

Be sure to read the fine print and do your due diligence!
( always consult a licensed medical practitioner for medical advice)

If you want to view their current list from the Popeyes USA just click on the Popeyes

May you always be able to find something delish to eat that will be a blessing to your health :)

Peace,

Carla

RELATED: Gluten Free At Swiss Chalet

Buy my new book Life in the Gluten Free Zone

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Disclaimer: This blog post is intended for conversational purposes only. The blog's author and publisher does not accept any liability for any of the ideas discussed in this post or any other post on this blog. Always obtain medical advice from a licensed medical practitioner.

Gluten Free At Starbucks

I must admit, I do like the occasional cafe from Starbucks. Yup, the prices are high, but the ambience, not to mention the unlimited wifi, are great perks. We have a couple of Starbucks that have been built in my city over the past couple years and I couldn't be happier.

So, back to gluten free items at Starbucks. So far, I have discovered two items which are usually in stock at Starbucks which are gluten free: Peanut butter cups and Kind Bars. Make sure to verify that these are the 100% gluten free ones. I do so enjoy the really dark chocolate peanut butter cups. Rich and delish!

I also just discovered today that Starbucks is rolling out a new gluten free breakfast sandwich, which I don't know if they are rolling it out to all their locations, but I certainly hope so!
Here's a description of it's unveiling :Starbucks new Gluten Free Breakfast Sandwich

Bon Appetito, my gluten free friends!

Carla

Ps, If you want to contact Starbucks directly to verify which gluten free items are available in your area....here is their  Canadian website:  Starbucks Canada

On their USA website there is a toll free customer service number
displayed on the right hand side of their website: Starbucks USA

Peace,

Carla

RELATED: Gluten Free at the Mandarin

Buy my new book Life in the Gluten Free Zone on Amazon today!

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Disclaimer: This blog post is intended for conversational purposes only. The blog's author and publisher does not accept any liability for any of the ideas discussed in this post or any other post on this blog. Always obtain medical advice from a licensed medical practitioner.

Gluten Free at Swiss Chalet

Just discovered that Swiss Chalet has a great way to help folks figure out if they can eat at Swiss Chalet if they have food allergies or food sensitivities.  Check out their website and you will see how fun the functionality is. You get to put check marks on the allergies you have and the website will detail which foods you can still eat.

Note, as a word of caution, please do read the fine print on their website. Restaurants usually have a high risk of cross contamination of gluten free foods with gluten containing foods. Do you due diligence and always obtain medical advice from a licensed medical practitioner. Also, note that restaurants often post changed to their menu ingredients, so make sure you obtain up to date information from their website or by contacting their head office directly at here...

Thank you Swiss Chalet, for your very user-friendly website to help us eat better !

Peace,
Carla

RELATED : Gluten Free at McDonalds

Buy my new book Life in the Gluten Free Zone on Amazon today!

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Disclaimer: This blog post is intended for conversational purposes only. The blog's author and publisher does not accept any liability for any of the ideas discussed in this post or any other post on this blog. Always obtain medical advice from a licensed medical practitioner.

Gluten Free At Subway

Yup it's true! Subway has gone "gluten free"....by offering a sealed gluten free "bread" upon which to serve their sandwich toppings. Now I've not yet had the chance to research just precisely which
"toppings" are also gluten free, but at least the fact that they are carrying GLUTEN FREE sandwich bread is a HUGE step in the right direction for those of us who choose, or must choose to observe a gluten free diet.

For more details...go directly to their website Subway.


Way to go Subway! We applaud you!

May many more fast food companies follow your example and offer healthy GLUTEN FREE options!

Peaceful productivity,
C.

Buy my new book Life in the Gluten Free Zone on Amazon today!
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Disclaimer: This blog post is intended for conversational purposes only. The blog's author and publisher does not accept any liability for any of the ideas discussed in this post or any other post on this blog. Always obtain medical advice from a licensed medical practitioner.

Woot Woot.. Gluten Free Has Gone MAINSTREAM

Perhaps some of you could already see the writing on the wall with regard to the gluten free movement.....but for those who were waiting all these years for the breakthrough, it was a very long long road.

But, alas, I am so glad to celebrate that now MANY major food distributors have added BIG BOLD gluten free products to their regular line up. Gluten free foods are almost as common as 2% milk  lol.

Shall I name some names? Cheerios! Becel Original Margarine! Hellman's Mayonnaise! Mirage Margarine.
To name just a few.

These are big names in the food business....and it was no small task for these companies to be able to print clearly on their food labels "Gluten free". It is a multi-million dollar venture to convert any high volume product into a "certified gluten free" product. Much is at stake....

I can only imagine what must have gone through the minds of the CEO's of these companies as they ventured into the new and uncharted territory called "Gluten Free".

Perhaps they were thinking:  " If we go "gluten free" will we lose our "regular "customers in favor of a much smaller and very niche market? If we go gluten free, will it be sustainable? How hard will it be to maintain a completely gluten free facility? Or is it just a fad that we just spent millions to cater to? How large should we write "gluten free" on the label? We want it to be noticeable, but not distract from the rest of the packaging..."

But these CEO's spent their dollars well and have earned my respect by biting the bullet and ponying up some mainstream products with a gluten free twist. Methinks that they began to understand that those who are trying their best to eat a gluten free diet are tired to eating "odd" and unknown food labelled products.
Gluten free people are us. We are normal. We eat fast food. We work, we live and we are busy. Trying to sniff out gluten free foods is our least favourite thing to do......so the mass food producers have responded by bring gluten free foods out of the closet. Thank you!

Ps. as a wee word of caution, please make sure that you do see the actual words "Gluten Free" printed on the label of the product before purchasing. Some of the above brands still carry many products that contain gluten and they may be located on the grocery store shelf right along beside your gluten free products. Therefore, just be sure to check the label......but I'm sure that you already are accustomed to doing that.....for years ")

Have a splendid gluten free day,
Peace,
Carla





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Is Gluten Free Fast Food an Oxymoron?

It's coming...whether you are ready or not....the GLUTEN FREE apocalypse...
Ok, ok, I'm being rather dramatic....but in all seriousness, if you or someone you love is working in the food industry and has not accommodated the GLUTEN FREE market...
....then a dramatic U-TURN is required.

Gluten FREE foods are not only a legitimate food category, it is now becoming a MASSIVE GROWTH opportunity to build up market share for those who DO NOT have a MEDICAL reason for eating a gluten free diet.
Are you shocked???

You shouldn't be. More books and research has been done lately on the benefits for
"REGULAR" consumers to adopt a gluten free diet because it simply
MAKES THEM FEEL BETTER!

Why? Gluten is a complex "hard to digest" molecule that even "regular" folks can have a hard time digesting.
Therefore, when  ANYONE adopts a gluten free diet, they may begin to notice changes and improvements on many levels of human functioning.

 These improvements may include:

• less mood swings
• more emotional stability
• more energy
• Less abdominal bloating, and gas 
• more predictable digestion and elimination
• less constipation
• improvements in complexion of the skin

Need I go on ? But don't take my ideas as truth....just try it for yourself and see what your results  may be.....
Only YOU can discover if a GLUTEN free diet can help you live better.

Let me know how gluten free food makes you feel in the comments below


Peacefully yours,
Carla

Buy my new book Life in the Gluten Free Zone on Amazon today!


Disclaimer: This blog is not intended as medical advice. The author and publisher of this blog does not accept any legal responsibility or liability for any of the ideas discussed in this blog post or any other post on this blog. Medical advice should always be obtained from a licensed medical practitioner.


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Why You Should Try Gluten Free...Even if You Aren't a Celiac

Ok, folks....I  just wanna write today to those of you who aren't necessarily diagnosed with any kind of gluten intolerance or celiac disease.

Why? Because it is being discovered more and more, that eating gluten free foods can help ANYONE's digestive system take a much needed rest from the standard "gluten packed" diet.

What folks need to realize is that the molecule called "gluten" is a VERY VERY hard
nut to crack when we ingest it as food. Digesting GLUTEN is very hard work even for the healthiest digestive system. Even the healthiest human being can be negatively affected by eating too much gluten.

Anything with WHEAT in it contains gluten. Gluten is hard to digest! It requires a lot of energy and effort on the part of our stomach, intestines, and colon just to process it.
Therefore even if you are perfectly healthy, you may just want to give your body an occasional
break from eating any source of gluten for a full  "day" or  "week" or a whole "month".
Remember that gluten can stay in your system for many days, so if you are going to give your body a break from gluten, you want to try to stick to a gluten free diet for a good chunk of time. Give your body a chance to cleanse itself of all the gluten it is holding onto, and see if you begin noticing any improvements.
You may, as gluten leaves your body, begin noticing a thinner waist line, a clearer complexion,
 and a more stable mood.

You never know....you  might feel completely revitalized and regain energy simply by removing
gluten from your regular diet.

It is a personal choice what we put in our mouths. Far be it from me, to tell anyone what to do... But I want to encourage you to experiment and see how eating differently may improve your life.We don't HAVE to eat anything we don't want to....and thus we can observe and sense the changes that our diets have upon our own sense of wellness, energy level and moods.

Be blessed and well,

Carla

DISCLAIMER: This blog post is not intended as medical advice. This blog post is intended for conversational purposes only. The author and publisher of this blog do not take any liability for any ideas discussed in this blog post or any other blog post on this blog.
Medical advice should always be obtained from a licensed medical practitioner.






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Hey McDonalds Canada...... We want Gluten Free Burgers Too

I was surprised and inspired to read in an online MSN article
that McDonalds serves GLUTEN FREE BURGERS in several European countries!
To be specific, the MSN article stated that McDonald restaurants in Italy, Finland, Norway and Sweden offer a gluten-free burger..

That's great news for Europe....but hey ...what about us???

There are plenty of Celiacs and Gluten Intolerant people in Canada....would it be so hard to set aside a few special gluten free burgers for us?

If you click Here you'll be able to see for yourself all the varieties of menu items that McDonalds has developed across the globe. Can you find your country or regional flavors listed?

If you feel strongly about this issue, maybe it's time to drop a line to your own McDonalds headquarters.....
and ask them to offer some delicious gluten free items.

Contact McDonalds Canada

Contact McDonalds USA

Bon Appetito....and don't be shy to let your food needs be known by corporations, it really does help them meet our needs! Peaceful productivity, Carla Buy my new book Life in the Gluten Free Zone  on Amazon today! Disclaimer: This blog post is intended for conversational purposes only. The blog's author and publisher does not accept any liability for any of the ideas discussed in this post or any other post on this blog. Always obtain medical advice from a licensed medical practitioner.

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Yes, Fries from McDonald's in Canada Are Wheat Free

It seems like folks are hesitant to assign a "gluten free" label onto certain products, by the slim chance that something containing gluten bumps into that menu item while it is being prepared in restaurants. So I suppose the general idea is "Consumers beware and dine at your own risk".

If you are trying to live a gluten free lifestyle there are a limited number of choices for you if you are going to eat at fast food places in Ontario Canada. Almost every popular food item comes wrapped in a bun or wrap that has been made from wheat. Therefore, to find gluten free items, you usually have to select items that are not one of their mainstream popular meals.

One great exception is Wendy's which serves a great little gluten free snack known as their
"chili cheese nacho" dish. But again, if you have any other ingredients that you are allergic or sensitive to, you are going to want to do your own research. Call the toll free numbers for the places that you want to eat and see what you can find out. Don't be afraid to let your needs be known. The more requests that fast food places receive for gluten free foods, the more likely they are to carry more gluten free menu items.

As of my last conversation with McDonald's in Canada, it appears that there are currently at least three items that do not contain wheat which are the following:
French Fries
Chocolate sundaes
Hot Caramel Sundaes

If you want to find out more and do your own research....just check out their website:
McDonalds has a menu on their website called the "Nutrition Center" which has PDF files you can download to find out the precise ingredients of each menu item. Their website is located on the web at:

McDonalds Canada

Wendy's has a Section called Nutrition Landing which can be found at the following website:

Wendy's

Remember that restaurants don't want to accept the liability for guaranteeing that their foods are 100% gluten free, because they know that a mistake could be very costly. Use your licensed medical practitioner's advice in selecting the best and most nutritious foods. Also be aware that ingredient lists can change at a moment's notice, so be sure to check regularly to see if your favorite fast food outlet has changed the ingredients of your favorite foods. They will provide you with the ingredient lists if you request it.

Be bold yet courteous and may your food sensitivities or allergies not hinder you from living a full and abundant life.

Peace,
Carla

Btw, thanks for buying my new book Life in the Gluten Free Zone on Amazon today!




Disclaimer: This blog is intended for conversational purposes only. This blog is not intended to provide any medical or health advice. All medical and health related advice should be obtained from a licensed medical practitioner. The author of this blog as well as the publisher accepts no liability for any of the ideas discussed in this blog post as well as any other blog posts contained within this blog.

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Tim Hortons Now Carries Gluten Free Macaroons!

Woohoo! Fait Accompli! Not sure if I spelled that right...my french needs a tuneup.

But I am delighted to let my blog-ees know that Tim Hortons in Ontario Canada has just begun as of the last few weeks ago, to carry GLUTEN FREE coconut macaroon cookies!
And the big bonus? Yes, they taste great. No seriously, I'm not lying... they do actually taste normal and delish!
If my memory serves correctly, the price was 1.49 for two in a sealed plastic pack.
So I want to send out my congrats to Timmies' for listening to us finally and adjusting their mindset to this most urgent quest for a gluten free lifestyle.
Praise God.

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The Gluten Free Customer

This is for all of my readers who are trying to live GLUTEN FREE. You may be celiac, or gluten intolerant, or just have chosen to utilize a gluten free lifestyle in order to enhance your health and wellness.
I want to get your feedback on what you are experiencing as a "Gluten Free Consumer". It is my prayer that
the companies that are developing the next wave of fast foods, will discover the great need for gluten free convenience foods that are certified gluten free and also reasonable in cost.

It has been often an unpleasant experience to meet a salesclerk or fast food worker who displayed a confused or irritated expression when I have requested their foods "without the bun" or asked them simply if they had any food on their menu that was gluten free. It can be quite embarrassing to deal with staff who don't even know what gluten is and don't have a clue that ordinary bread and pasta contains loads of it.

It is difficult enough, just to have the self discipline to conduct a gluten free lifestyle....let alone having to deal with very exclusively high priced gluten free foods sold at specialty health food stores or health departments in grocery stores. I don't appreciate being charged more than double to buy one loaf of gluten free bread compared to a regular loaf of wheat bread.

I am curious as to how you all are doing in this regard? Are you finding low cost and efficient ways to manoever your way through your week while avoiding gluten? Do you find that people are helpful and understanding to your quest, or are you facing insensitive workers who make you feel embarrassed about
your food choices?

I complained once to a popular fast food chain, about their lack of gluten free foods, and they wrote me back saying that it is impossible for them to prevent "cross contamination" with gluten containing foods, so therefore they don't even bother to try. I beg to differ. It is called the miracle of plastic packaging. A gluten free food can be prepared in a certified gluten free factory and shipped to shops and restaurants around the globe in presealed plastic wrap/small sealed plastic bags. It isn't that complicated..

Fast food outlets have been most accommodating to those who are seeking "low fat" or "sugar free" menu items. Why is it that "gluten free" seems to be such a difficult hurdle? If you agree, I would encourage you, as a powerful gluten free consumer, to start to make a little noise. Write an email or make a phone call to the head office of your favourite coffee shop or restaurant chain, and tell them that you, as a valued customer would really appreciate it if they would carry more gluten free items on their menu. As is often the case, the squeaky wheel gets the grease. Corporations are looking for ways to attract and hold on to loyal customers, and they would be well advised to listen to your request.

God bless you my friends and readers. Peace.

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Gluten Free at the Mandarin

And so my quest for all things gluten free led me to contact the Mandarin buffet restaurant head office in order to determine their perspective on the foods they offer at their buffet restaurants in Canada. I received a very friendly and helpful response which I will share with you below:

Thank you for your e-mail regarding our gluten free items. It is very difficult for me to answer your question as we do not have a detailed ingredient list available for our buffet items. There are many items that may contain gluten.

It may be helpful to let you know that we use canola oil when preparing most of our dishes. We also use corn starch in many of our soups and stir fries. Chicken base is also used in most of our hot buffet dishes and stir fries, and as far as I know, it is not gluten free. Our Garden Salad is prepared without dressing (You must select your own dressing for the salad), and our grilled items are marinated before they are cooked. Our Soy Sauce is not gluten free. Also, to my knowledge, our plain Steamed Rice and Peel and Eat Shrimp should not contain gluten.

We do have an à-la-carte menu available as an alternative to the buffet. Simply ask your hostess or server for our menu upon being seated. Our chefs may be willing to prepare a dish without chicken base or other ingredients containing gluten at your request. However, please be advised that it is almost impossible to say that any dish is gluten-free because there is a high risk of cross-contamination in our restaurants.

I hope that this information will help you, if you choose to dine at Mandarin. Thank you for contacting us with your question.

Sincerely,

Mandarin Restaurant Franchise Corporation

8 Clipper Court, Brampton ON L6W 4T9

T 905-451-4100

F 905-456-3411

E info@mandarinrestaurant.com

www.mandarinrestaurant.com

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Gluten Free at Dairy Queen

I received a very polite and helpful response from Dairy Queen headquarters in Canada in response to my
request for any gluten free items in their menu. Find pasted below the letter they sent to me:

Dear Ms. ,

Thank you for contacting Dairy Queen Canada Inc. with your request for
gluten information.

We know dealing with gluten intolerance can be very difficult and Dairy
Queen would like to help you enjoy your favorite DQ® treats while still
following a safe diet. We hope the following information will be of
assistance to you. If you are looking for something other than the
products listed, please check out our nutrition calculator at one of the
links below.

http://dairyqueen.com/ca-en/eats-and-treats/nutrition-calculator/
or
http://dairyqueen.com/ca-fr/eats-and-treats/nutrition-calculator/

Our nutrition calculator offers nutrition, ingredients, and allergen
information for approved menu items within the DQ system. The nutrition
calculator is updated on an on-going basis with the newest information on
products and promotions, as we strive to provide the most accurate,
up-to-date information.

We are happy to inform you that the following DQ products do not contain
gluten:

• Vanilla and chocolate soft serve
• Arctic Rush® slush (all flavors)
• These toppings for Shakes and Sundaes: Chocolate, Caramel, Hot Fudge,
Marshmallow, and Strawberry
• MooLatté® frozen blended coffee drinks in vanilla or mocha without
whipped topping
• These manufactured novelties: DQ Fudge Bar and DQ Vanilla Orange Bar
• These Blizzard® Treat Flavors: Reese’s® Peanut Butter Cup, Banana Split,
Skor and Strawberry (note that Blizzard cakes often have additional
ingredients and Blizzard cakes made with these flavors may contain
gluten )
• From our food line, I would recommend trying a plain original or
GrillBurger™ hamburger patty, grilled chicken patty, or hot dog, prepared
without a bun.

Many of our Blizzard candies and toppings contain wheat, rye, oats, and/or
barley that would not be safe for a customer with gluten intolerance.
Please note that the Blizzard mixing machine is used for all flavors and
so cross-contact may occur on any Blizzard flavor treat. As DQ stores and
restaurants are very busy, there is always a chance of cross contact of
gluten in any DQ product.

For your safety, we recommend you notify the staff at the DQ location of
your allergy or intolerance before placing your order and request they
thoroughly clean the Blizzard machine before blending your Blizzard to
reduce the risk of cross-contact.

Additionally, please double check all of this information regarding food
and treats with your local restaurant.

Once again, thank you for taking the time to contact us. We hope the
information we have supplied will be helpful to you!

Kind regards,



Dairy Queen Customer Feedback Program
Dairy Queen Canada