Thanksgiving Turkey Listings

Gluten-Free Thanksgiving Turkey Links:
About.comGluten-Free Thanksgiving Turkey Brands at About.com
Which Popular Turkeys are Gluten-Free at Celiac.com
Gluten-Free Butterball Gravy Exists at Chicago Now

Special Turkey Breast at Gluten-Free Easily

Today Show Recipes for Thanksgiving
Gluten-Free Simplicity's Gluten-Free Corn Chex Stuffing Recipe!

Honey Sliced Turkey

Buddig Honey Slice Turkey: Gluten-Free according to the package.

Halloween Candy & Treats

Halloween Candy & Treats
For a list of Gluten-Free Halloween Candies and Treats: Click right here...
if you dare....

Turkey for Thanksgiving

 Riverside Young Turkey with Giblets and Gravy Packet Included: The label says it all!

* Click here for a wonderful Gluten-Free Corn Chex Turkey Stuffing Recipe!!!

Shredded Parmesan & Mozzarella Cheeses

Great Value Shredded Parmesan and Mozzarella Cheese: According to the label, this product (purchased on September 6, 2009), is a "Naturally Gluten-Free Food".  It is ALWAYS a good idea to look for a G-F indication on the label of the actual product one is buying.

Caramel Candies

Shur Fine Caramels: According to the label on the back of the package, these candies are "Gluten Free".

Cinnamon Apple Sauce

Great Value Cinnamon Apple Sauce: According to the label, this product is a "Naturally Gluten-Free Food". On the other hand, the "Walmart" website did not state this on August 15, 2009. It is ALWAYS a good idea to look for a G-F indication on the label of the actual product one is buying.

Baked Honey Ham

Buddig Deli Cuts Baked Honey Ham (Sliced): According to the statement on the label below the Ingredients, this product is "Gluten Free".

Rice Pudding & Tapioca Pudding

Kozy Shack's "All Natural" "Original Rice" and "Tapioca" Puddings: According to the labels on these products, they are "Gluten Free".

Soy Sauce

Walmart "Great Value" Soy Sauce: This product is Gluten-Free According to the Label as well as the website.

* It is ALWAYS wise to read the label of the actual product one is purchasing as they are in the store. For example, I recently visited a store that offered "Great Value" Soy Sauce, however, this particular batch DID NOT have the "Gluten-Free" stamp and its ingredients listing contained "Wheat".

Mashed Potatoes (Instant)

Idahoan Potato Products: These include various flavors of instant mashed potatoes as well as other products. This company is kind enough to state on its website product listing, whether or not a given product is Gluten-Free or if it includes other allergens.

Corn Chex Cereal

Corn Chex: These are now gluten-free according to their label. When I purchased them (June 20, 2009), they were mixed in with boxes that did NOT have the "Gluten-Free" label. So I would be very careful when purchasing them that one chooses the version that is Gluten-Free.

Corn Meal

Lamb's Corn Meal: Says it is Gluten-Free on the label.

Baking Powder, Rumford

Rumford Baking Powder is Gluten-Free: According to their label.

Peanut Butter

Peter Pan Peanut Butter: According to a Peter Pan website posting dated Feb. 12, 2009, "All varieties of Peter Pan Peanut Butter are made without adding any potential gluten–containing ingredients such as wheat, rye, barley, and oats."

Pepperoni, Canned and Sliced Meat Products

Hormel Peperoni: This and many other Hormel products are Gluten-Free according to their website. This list contains many items under several names including House of Tsang, Kid's Kitchen, Spam, Black Label and others.

Some popular Gluten-Free items Include:

• Dinty Moore Beef or Chicken Stew
• Hormel Bacon Bits and Pieces
• Hormel Beef Tamales
• Hormel Chili with Beans
• Hormel Chunk Meats: Breast of Chicken, Chicken, Ham, Turkey
• Hormel Corned Beef
• Hormel Corned Beef Hash
• Hormel Dried Beef
• House of Tsang Sesame Oil
• Black Label Canned Hams
• Various Hormel Deli Sliced meats as well as other products

The Hormel Foods "Gluten-Free Product List" is an updated .pdf file online, which states:

"Although our products are labeled in compliance with government
regulations, it is always necessary to read the labels on the products to
determine if the food product meets your required needs."

Grated Parmesan Cheese

Kraft Grated Parmesan Cheese: "The KRAFT products certified as gluten free" web page includes "Grated Parmesan" on its list. Kraft's "33% Less Fat Grated Parmesan Cheese Blend" brand is also on this list.

Corn Tortilla Chips, Taco Shells, Tostadas, Gorditas & Sopes

Mission Foods Corn products (i.e., Corn Tortillas, Corn Tortilla Chips, Taco Shells, Tostadas, Corn Gorditas, and Sopes): The following is a copy of a conversation from the Mission Foods website food allergen page. It appears that there is certainly no intentional wheat contamination of their "corn" products. Read this excerpt carefully.

Q: "Are Mission Foods products gluten free?"
"Mission Foods Corn products are produced with 100%
corn flour; wheat ingredients are not added to the formulation. These products include Corn Tortillas, Corn Tortilla Chips, Taco Shells, Tostadas, Corn Gorditas, and Sopes. These products are produced in plants that also process wheat tortillas."

Q: "Is there any wheat, rye, barley, or oats in corn tortillas?"
"No. Mission corn tortillas do not contain wheat, rye, barley, or oat ingredients."

Q: "Are wheat flour tortillas produced in the same lines as corn products?"
"No, our corn production lines are dedicated to corn products only. Wheat Flour tortillas are produced in dedicated lines."

Q: "Is wheat used in any way to make the corn products?"
"There are no wheat ingredients or incidental wheat present in the products or on the lines that produce corn products."

Q: "Is there a potential for cross-contamination of corn products with wheat ingredients?"
"All Mission Foods plants have strict food safety programs in place, including a very comprehensive Allergen Control Program."

BBQ & Chili Sauce

Heinz Chili Sauce: Their Chili Sauce as well as the Bar-B-Que sauces (listed below) are reported to be Gluten-Free according to their website. However, there is also a caution notice below.
Quoting the Heinz Gluten-Free Products page on their website:

"*Product formulations can change so consumers should carefully read product
labels to ensure that their favorite Heinz products remain gluten free."

Heinz® Barbecue Sauce
Chicken and Rib BBQ Sauce
Heinz BBQ Sauce Honey Garlic
Original Barbecue Sauce
Jack Daniel's® BBQ Sauces (Original #7®, Honey Smokehouse, Hickory Brown Sugar, Spicy BBQ Only)

Why "Gluten-Free Brands"?

This is a good question.
Any thorough search for gluten-free products or even a listing of gluten-free products (i.e., products that are "safe" for people with Celiac disease) will turn up several good candidates. So, why am I putting energy into this effort here?
Well if one looks closely and broadly at the candidates turned up in such a search for Gluten-Free products and/or information about Gluten-Free products, one will probably find one or more of the following characteristics:

1. If it is a list of products, it might have a price. This is NOT a criticism; just a fact.
2. If it is a list of products, it might be undocumented and contain outdated or even false or unintentionally misleading information.
3. If it is a list of products, such as common grocery brands that are "Gluten-Free" it tends to be concentrated in a given area of tastes and also non-exhaustive. This is much like the current state of the list I am preparing.
4. If it is a specialty product with a "Gluten-Free" label, it might cost as much as three times the price of its common high quality grocery counter-part -- and this does not include the shipping costs.

First of all, I need to say that I am grateful for all of the efforts that went into producing all that would fit into any of the four categories above. The work of their creators' is very important and has made a significant positive impact on my life as well as the lives of many others.

What makes my list different?

The list I am gradually populating on http://www.gluten-freebrands.blogspot.com/ is different from all four of those noted above in that I hope to have eventually created a list that effectively addresses each of the four problems noted therein.

This list should do so by reflecting these four corresponding virtues:

1. This list is FREE to all who are able to access it.
2. All products included on this list will be empirically documented as "Gluten-Free", based on either a product labelling statement or a statement directly from the manufacturer.
3. This list will hopefully eventually be exhaustive and very broad to cover a wide variety of tastes, styles, cuisines and cultures.
4. This will be a list of otherwise, standard-to-high-quality grocery products that are sold within the price range of their gluten-contaminated counterparts.

These virtues reflect my personal and professional values (i.e., self-determination, equal access, integrity, comprehensiveness, and fairness)that:

1. Everyone who needs and wants information about Gluten-Free products should have equal access to it. At this point, I can only serve the purpose of helping make this happen on the Internet, but I am keenly aware of the digital divide and would like to explore ways to insure people without Internet access can also get such information without being delayed by monetary barrier.
2. Integrity depends on accuracy and so this list will require empirical proof prior to inclusion.
3. Comprehensiveness will be facilitated with each new item added.
4. Fairness in the market place is especially important for people who have EXTRA health concerns. This is particularly applicable to Celiac Disease, as market abuse not only costs these people immediate comfort but it also effects the quality of their entire lives as well as the lives of those around them. Thus, I see no virtue in promoting or supporting over-priced specialty "gluten-free" products when the market has plenty of safe products that are already available, yet still sort of hidden due to pre-innovation formula and labelling practices.

This is NOT intended to be a political statement or even a criticism. But rather, this is my attempt at helping to solve the enormous problem that many people with Celiac Disease and Gluten-Sensitivity are likely to face as often as three times per day as they try and figure out what they can eat. And for many, this task it not as difficult because they can afford specialty products or they have access to a wide variety of "health-food stores" which may drive the prices down a little.

But my guess is that many many more (if not a majority) of people with Celiac disease are not quite as financially comfortable and could use a dependable and free listing of common Gluten-Free product brands.

Seasoning Mixes

Jane's Crazy Mixed Up Salt: An email from Jane's Haddon House merchandiser states that Jane's is Gluten, Iodine and MSG free.

Additionally, according to a post on Amandas Mommy's Blog from 2005, Jane's Salt is Gluten-Free. This post also list numerous other seasonings that they report to be gluten-free.

Corn Starch

Argo Corn Starch: According to the Argo Corn Starch website, this product is Gluten-Free.

According to their website in response to the question:

"Can you use corn starch in place of arrowroot, potato starch or
all-purpose flour when thickening sauces or gravies, preparing puddings, or making pies?"

They replied:

"Corn starch has the same "thickening power" as arrowroot, potato starch and
tapioca, and you should substitute the same amount. Corn starch has twice
the "thickening power" of flour, so it's necessary to use only half as much.
Example: If recipe calls for 1/4 cup of flour, use just 2 tablespoons corn
starch. (Retrieved from the Argo website)."

On the website they provide a conversion table so that if you are used to thickening with wheat flour, you will be able to decide how much corn starch to use instead. They also provide directions on how to use Corn Starch.

Candy

Smarties: Smarties are Gluten-Free according to the label on their package.

Chewy Candy

Tootsie Rolls: According to the Tootsie Roll Industries website,

"All Tootsie products are gluten-, peanut-, and nut product-free. Tootsie
does not use wheat, barley, rye, oats, triticale, spelt, or any of their
components, either as ingredients or as part of the manufacturing
process."

Sugar Babies: The Sugar Babies Allergen Information webpage says they are:

"Nut Free, Gluten Free, Peanut Free, but Contain Soy
and
Milk."

P.S.: A wonderful Gluten-Free Snack and Candy List for School Children is available at Dallasrock.org.

Rice

Mahatma Rice: Their products are advertised by the manufacturer to be Gluten-Free. This includes:

• Long grain rice,
• Brown Rice,
• Instant White Rice,
• Jasmine,
• Valencia (Short Grain),
• Spanish Rice Mix,
• Broccoli Rice and Cheese Mix,
• Long Grain and Wild Rice Mix,
• Nacho Cheese Rice Mix,
• Saffron Yellow Rice Mix

Minute Rice: This company was kind enough to send me an email with a link to their "Allergen" web page, which states that the following items under their brand name are Gluten-Free:

• White Rice
• Brown Rice
• Boil-in-Bag Rice
• Premium White Rice
• Ready to Serve Brown Rice
• Ready to Serve White Rice
• Ready to Serve Chicken Rice Mix
• Ready to Serve Yellow Rice Mix
• Ready to Serve Brown & Wild Rice

S & W Rice: Both their White Rice and Natural Brown Rice are reported to be Gluten-Free on their Website.

* There are other brands that have some Gluten-Free rice mixtures including Uncle Ben's and S&W Rice.

For further information about rice and being Gluten-Free you might read the article: Is rice really Gluten-Free?

Hashbrowns

Ore-Ida Hashbrowns: A variety of the Ore-Ida Frozen Potato Products are Gluten-Free. See their Gluten-Free product list. due to occasional recipe changes, it is recommended that one check the ingredients label on the box also.

Corn Flour

Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free Corn Flour: Bob's Red Mill labels this corn flour as Gluten-Free.

Butter

Land O'Lakes Unsalted Butter

On the currently updated Land O'Lakes website, A reader asked the question,

"Do LAND O LAKES® Products contain gluten?"

Land O'Lakes, Inc. response:

"Land O'Lakes strives to provide complete and accurate ingredient information on its labels. For any specific product, we feel the best source of this information is the product ingredient listing on the package. To date, the FDA and USDA have not defined the term "gluten-free." To the best of our knowledge, the ingredients in our natural dairy products (e.g., natural cheese and butter) do not contain gluten."

Therefore, from this statement, one can deduce that when the product is labelled as a, "natural dairy products (e.g., natural cheese and butter)" from Land O'Lakes; it does not contain gluten. Reading over the ingredients of their Unsalted Butter, it appears to be Gluten-Free.

Cream Cheese

Philadelphia Cream Cheese: A large selection of Philadelphia Cream Cheese products are "Certified as Gluten Free" according to the Kraft website.

Breakfast Cereal

Rice Chex Cereal: "Without changing the crunchy, oven-toasted flavor of Rice Chex, General Mills has replaced barley malt with molasses resulting in a Gluten Free Cereal" according to the Chex website. And "Gluten-Free" is clearly stated on the box.

Honey Nut Chex Cereal: This is Gluten-Free according to the Label.

Salad Dressing

Wishbone Salad Dressings (Italian, Ranch, Deluxe French): These brands are Gluten-Free according to the Gluten-Free Survival Guide posted by the Bi-State Celiac Support Group at http://www.bscsg.org/docs/GlutenFreeSurvivalGuide.pdf which also offers an abundance of gluten-related dispositions on many other products.

Steak Sauce

Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce: According to the Lee & Perrins website FAQ , their Worcestershire sauce is gluten free.

Pure Vanilla Extract

McCormick's Pure Vanilla Extract: Gluten-Free according to its label.

Mayonnaise

Hellmann's Mayonnaise: Gluten-Free according to its label.

Bouillon: Chicken

Knorr Chicken Bouillon: Gluten-Free according to review from Kill.the.gluten website.