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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Stuck Under A Dollar

Want to go on an adventure? I would like to dare you to try, just for one day or hour of grocery shopping to only buy items that you can find for one dollar or less. And yes that would include bulk or fruit or veggies that you can buy for under one dollar per pound.

It can be quite challenging and liberating all at the same time. If you have watched Jeff Yeager...a.k.a the Ultimate Cheapskate hunt down the best bargains, he uses this little general rule, which is to always try to seek out items that are either priced at one dollar each or less or priced loose/bulk at 1 dollar per pound or less.

Are you ready to try? Even if you don't NEED to try this kind of experiment for financial reasons, I would like to challenge you to give it a try just for fun, just for the purpose of learning something new and interesting.

I guarantee that you will never look at grocery shopping in the same light again, once you realize all the great things that you purchase for a buck or less.

Ready to try?
Here's a few that I find are sometimes/often selling for dollar or less:

Tins of chunk tuna
bananas
fresh garlic still in the bulb
carrots
red grapefruits
crackers
red lentils
apples (at box stores/wholesale clubs)
fresh white potatoes
packages of pasta
large cans of diced/whole tomatoes
regular sized cans of black beans
regular sized cans of red/white kidney beans
garbanzo beans/chick peas
dry packages of quicky soups
cans of quicky soups
bulk all purpose flour
TVP (texturized Vegetable protein)
6 pk of bagels


I'd love to hear what sorts of items you can find at your country's equivalent of one Canadian or U.S. dollar.
Your comments are most welcome in the comment section!
 A Smart shopper is a happy shopper!



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The Humble Lentil

So I 've become a fan of the humble red Lentil. My dutch relatives would be pleased with the purchase price too which I found at a wholesale club for $6.99 for a 5 kg bag.
The nutritionists would be impressed too with the protein boost
 contained within as it is a whopping 22 grams of protein in only100 grams/1/2 cup red lentils!
What else is so cool about the lowly lentil is that  it is uber easy to prepare and throw into any soup or stew. If you want a pure lentil soup you need only add red lentils,water,a boullion cube, an onion and parsely and your extra fresh veggies chopped up and you have a wonderful hearty soup that will feed an army....ok maybe not an army but a BIG family. Our favorite flavoring to add to this soup other than salt and pepper is soy sauce.
Dig in!


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