Gluten Free help needed urgently

whizzing

My mum is having visitors this afternoon and one is on a gluten free diet and the other is vegetarian. I suspect they are only coming for a snack but obviously my mums usual cakes and biscuits are out. What could she buy at the corner shop or out of the cupboard for a snack for them. She will probably have soup in the freezer made from vegetables and yellow split peas. Would this be any good?

Pink.

Hi whizzing,

Some of the replies on this older thread might help:

gluten free goodies


Pink

suzy_g

hi i have coeliac disease, home made soup will be fine, peas lentil, and corn is fine, but no pearl barley, as long as she hasnt thicken it with wheat flour, this soup will be alright, corner shops often dont cater for gluten free diets, but most supermarkets now do a range gluten free cakes and biscuits
suzy

whizzing

Thanks for your reply Pink. Do you know if margarine,syrup, Mars Bars and Chocolate are gluten free. As well as rice crispies?? Where could I find out?

suzy_g

mars bars are, so is marg and also ordinary chcolate not rice crispies has they hve barley malt in them

Penelope_Penguin

There's also this older thread:

- Gluten free the Old Style way

Margarine and syrup will be gluten free. Most chocolate will be (but not Smarties).

Penny. x

kaaloo

Hi there

Gluten free can be mine field to negotiate.

Just to let you know that I attended the Coeliacs Society AGM a couple of weeks back and was very surprised to learn that the 2007/08 Coeliac Soc food handbook does not include Mars Bars in it and is therefore regarded as being unsuitable for coeliacs

whizzing

Thanks for all your replies. I thought she could make Mars Bar Crispies but I see that rice crispies do include barley. So I will have to think again. I will check if she has soup in the freezer and exactly what is in it!! Failing that what about Cheese, Apples and Grapes??? Are there any biscuits you can use eg. those rice circular things? I think it is great how much help you get in these chat forums:T

suzy_g

yes rice cakes are fine

kaaloo

Sorry
I forgot to add, there are zillions of everyday products that can be eaten by coeliacs without issue.

Rice crispies and coco pops are considered fine even though they have small amounts of barley.

Big supermarkets are very inconsistent with their labelling -some items clearly say Gluten Free when others have no wording at all but can be eaten.

Iceland have one of the best labelling - if they dont mention the words "CONTAINS GLUTEN" on the pack, it is supposed to be ok (thats what their Cust Serv told me).

Avoid cakes, breads, biscuits - just stick to soups, salads, meats. fish, fruits but make sure theres no wheat, barley, rye etc hidden in the ingredients.

I just discovered M&M sweets are gluten free!

suzy_g

blimey i have been eating mars bars for months i thought i read in my hand book that they were fine?:eek: also i have avouded rice krispies as i saw malt in them, so i am pleased about that as i used to love rice krispies, i think i need to read my newer hand book