Video:Tips for Shopping for Gluten-Free Food

Transcript:Tips for Shopping for Gluten-Free Food

Hi, I’m Maria Saracen from ArtfullyNourished.com and in this video for About.com, I’m going to give you six tips about how to shop for gluten-free food.

Shop for Whole Foods on a Gluten-Free Diet

Now the good news is that all grocery stores carry gluten-free food, and it’s merely the selection and amount of specialty gluten-free products that may vary .So my first tip, which is applies to all grocery stores, is to concentrate on buying whole foods that are naturally gluten-free. For example fresh fruit, vegetables, nuts, poultry, meat and fish do not contain any gluten when they’re unprocessed, so you can always buy these items knowing that they’re safe.

Avoid Processed Foods

My next tip, which goes hand-in-hand with this one, is to avoid processed food. The more processed a food is, the greater the chance it contains gluten, because gluten is often used as a protein or a thickening or stabilizing agent. Now if you’re determined to buy processed food like bread, waffles, or salad dressing, my next tip is to look for labels that say gluten-free. This is the best and safest way to ensure that a product contains no gluten. Some grocery stores go so far as to put labels on the shelves so it’s easier for customers to find these gluten-free products.

Ask for Help to Find Gluten-Free Food

Which brings me to my fourth tip, don’t be afraid to ask for help from store clerks. Many of them are knowledgeable about gluten-free products, and if a store doesn’t carry something you really want, you can always ask if they would consider stocking it.

Buy Gluten-Free Grains as Substitutes

My fifth tip is to buy gluten-free grains like rice and rice flour, quinoa and buckwheat. When you first start eating a gluten-free diet, you might feel a bit restricted, but by adding these grains and grain-like foods into your diet, you’ll really open up your options and you can also learn how to cook all your favorite foods using gluten-free grain substitutes.

Look for Sales on Gluten-Free Items

Lastly, don’t forget to look online for non-perishable gluten-free items. Chances are, you’ll find good deals on certain products and there’s also the added bonus of being able to read other shopper’s tips and reviews.

Thank you for watching and for more information about gluten-free shopping, please visit About.com