Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Any coeliacs here?

165 replies

StopInvolvingMe · 16/02/2023 18:32

Sorry posting for traffic

my DH has just been diagnosed so I’m on a mission to get all our groceries gluten free. Some products are clearly labelled as gluten free but I’m getting all confused with products which are not obvious, things like brown sauce, chutney or jam for example. Do I need to avoid anything containing ‘wheat’ on the ingredients list?

if anyone can offer any advice on products which are not obviously gluten free or any pearls of wisdom/ advice I’d really appreciate it as Google is now overwhelming me and I thought it may be best to ask real people!

thank you very much!

OP posts:
OwlChild · 16/02/2023 18:58

I bake everything (cakes, scones etc) using my old recipes, just substitute GF flour. GF recipes I’ve found are rarely this simple, but the way we do it is always good! It’s DP who is coeliac but we all eat the cakes, etc. Only he eats the shop bought bread, etc though as it’s so expensive!

Brown sauce was tricky as the big brand ones contain gluten, but some shop own brand ones don’t. Asda also do a GF brown sauce.

coeliacmum · 16/02/2023 19:01

My DH was diagnosed in his fifties and one of my DS in their teens. It means that I eat a lot of gluten free items for ease but I do still have my own 'wheat containing' bread and pasta as I prefer it.
My two avoid wheat, barley, spelt, rye and oats (unless specified gluten free oats) the same as the other poster but do risk 'may contain'. People object when I say this but they both are happy to eat some 'may contain' items such as chocolates.
Do not forget that many items are naturally gluten free (fish, meat, cheese/dairy, fruit, vegetables) and the labels are your friend.
Take care with frozen chips/roast potatoes as some contain flour and some don't.

Some pre-prepared foods like say dauphinoise potatoes are suitable for coeliacs in Marks and Spencer but not in Asda or Tescos. The reverse is true of other things. It is much better than it used to be, with decent sausages and burgers often now labelled as gluten free.
Don't fall into the trap of 'free from' if it is only wheat you need to avoid. Look specifically for just 'gluten free'. A lack of dairy in a cake or biscuit will mean far more sugar has been added than necessary.
If you like to bake your own just adapt your usual recipes by substituting any supermarket brand gluten free flour and add a little xanthan gum so it sticks better. There is no need for all the special gf recipes.
Get into the habit of reading labels and you will soon learn which brands work for coeliacs.
If you want a substitute for marmite, Asda has a spread which is gluten-free and tastes very similar. Most jam is gf. Good luck but it needn't be too daunting at home.

NewspaperTaxis · 16/02/2023 19:01

I was diagnosed with coeliacs and ignore it, possibly to my cost. I doesn't give me actual physical pain though I was told that in later life I might get bowel cancer doing this. The main noticeable thing is to avoid is normal bread, as it can actually make me quite depressed when I have it toasted with lashings of butter.

A diet of brown rice with say tinned mackerel or sardines with sliced red onion/ avocado/tomato/garlic and so on is very healthy anyway and I do that a fair bit. Eggs are okay I think. I was told however that it's all a bit useless unless you do it religiously so the occasional pain au chocolate isn't good.

The caveman's diet is probably okay to work with?

It's possible the really tasty stuff is only compulsive because it's addictive in some way and also, I understand, therefore allergic. So getting together a really tasty gluten-free set of meals will help in the long term with all-round diet. I do have Genius GF bread - to be honest I'm not sure it's particularly healthy however, if I don't have it for a week I do shed pounds. Don't always imagine that if it's GF it must be healthy.

coeliacmum · 16/02/2023 19:02

Owlchild you must be me on the baking lol.

Iateallthewotsits · 16/02/2023 19:02

Coeliac here.

I don’t avoid “may contain traces of”. My dietician pointed out that they have to say that incase someone at the factory looked at a loaf of bread before coming to work.

So for example I eat walkers crisps which say may contain.

Everything gluten free I cook in my kitchen would say “may contain” if I sold it on as I have non gluten free foods for everyone else in my cupboards.

Anyway, I am okay with it. I have my bloods tested yearly since I was diagnosed two years ago. When I was diagnosed my blood levels were through the roof. Last two times, they have been totally normal.

Iateallthewotsits · 16/02/2023 19:04

Oh and I don’t really have any gluten free processed food. It’s so expensive so I just don’t eat bread/pasta/cakes/biscuits etc anymore unless it’s a treat.

I lost 4 stone after being diagnosed!

I eat meat, fish, rice and veg mainly. And I love cooking curry from scratch.

OntarioBagnet · 16/02/2023 19:05

You need to make sure he avoids any may contains as well as ones with it in the actual ingredients. Like dairy milk!

also get him his own butter, jam, etc and his own toaster!

OntarioBagnet · 16/02/2023 19:08

StopInvolvingMe · 16/02/2023 18:52

He’s also a chocoholic but luckily Cadburys are gluten free, but alas he can’t have maltesers! He also loves the jelly snakes but I’ll have to check the ingredients on those!

Not all cadburys are gluten free. Dairy milk for instance isn’t because they coat the blades which make the squares in flour. Though at Xmas the individual chunks are ok and the dairy milk Easter eggs are also ok.

twirls are fine and I think wispa bars as well. Also galaxy.

coeliacmum · 16/02/2023 19:09

OntarioBagnet · 16/02/2023 19:05

You need to make sure he avoids any may contains as well as ones with it in the actual ingredients. Like dairy milk!

also get him his own butter, jam, etc and his own toaster!

This is overkill for some coeliacs...'may contain' will usually be fine and even a shared toaster might be okay but you could get a 4 slot one and allocate if you wanted.

LegoGoldenDragon · 16/02/2023 19:13

Crumble is fine. Gluten is what makes cakes stretchy and fluffy, so not needed for something you want crunch with. All you need is gf flour, butter and sugar.

Blahblahblah21 · 16/02/2023 19:15

Watch out for ready grated catering cheese when out - dh lived on jackets with cheese when out & first diagnosed - the cheese is sprinkled with flour so it doesn’t stick.

Original poster
StopInvolvingMe · 16/02/2023 19:19

OntarioBagnet · 16/02/2023 19:08

Not all cadburys are gluten free. Dairy milk for instance isn’t because they coat the blades which make the squares in flour. Though at Xmas the individual chunks are ok and the dairy milk Easter eggs are also ok.

twirls are fine and I think wispa bars as well. Also galaxy.

Show quote history

Minstrels are fine too whoop 🙌

OP posts:
coeliacmum · 16/02/2023 19:19

Marks and Spencer have some nice gf danish pastries, fresh pies and pasta ready meals. Many of their items not in the gf section are gf if you check the label.

BrutusMcDogface · 16/02/2023 19:21

I’m coeliac. Why on earth are you doing all of this thinking for him? How will he cope if he had to go out shopping on his own one day?

BrutusMcDogface · 16/02/2023 19:22

*has

Original poster
StopInvolvingMe · 16/02/2023 19:24

I’ve ordered gluten free flour so hopefully can still make Victoria sponge as I think butter, eggs, sugar & jam are all fine.

so glad some have pointed out just look at the labels as I could feel myself getting sucked into buying everything that either said ‘free from’ or ‘gluten free’ it’s so much more expensive!

also thanks for the tip about Asda brown sauce as I had googled our usual HP which does contain gluten.

we have flora which I believe is already gluten free

OP posts:
Original poster
StopInvolvingMe · 16/02/2023 19:26

BrutusMcDogface · 16/02/2023 19:21

I’m coeliac. Why on earth are you doing all of this thinking for him? How will he cope if he had to go out shopping on his own one day?

He has other health issues including fibromyalgia, anaemia and depression. I don’t mind planning and organising our food and it’s something which he struggles with.

he would cope if he had to, but I’m happy to support and help

OP posts:
StarSocks22 · 16/02/2023 19:26

Has he been referred to a dietician? We found this really helpful.
GF flour is good- can add xanthan gum. Becky Excell's recipes are good but we also adapt ordinary recipes and have had good results.
Makes good pancakes and crumble topping too.
Tesco pasta is good.
Bread is the most difficult- some of it is not nice. GF bread can often be in the yellow sticker area, which is useful as it's so expensive.

pastabest · 16/02/2023 19:27

Blahblahblah21 · 16/02/2023 19:15

Watch out for ready grated catering cheese when out - dh lived on jackets with cheese when out & first diagnosed - the cheese is sprinkled with flour so it doesn’t stick.

this is a bit of a myth sorry - one that does the rounds often.

It should be fine if it's codex compliant (and it will be in catering). It can be mixed with rice/potato starch but not wheat flour.

e.g codex for cheddar www.fao.org/input/download/standards/186/CXS_263e.pdf

Cormoransjacket · 16/02/2023 19:27

The Coeliac Sanctaury website has lists of gluten free chocolate and sweets. It also has lots of good recipes. The lady who runs it is amazing. Some Cadbury's chocolate is gluten free, but not all. Your DH is fine with buttons but not the bars of chocolate. Roses are fine, as are Heroes except for Dinky Deckers. You will both get used to checking labels.

One of my biggest tips is that you can substitute flour for gluten free flour in most recipes. However, you almost always need to add extra liquid. Also, not all GF flours contain xantham gum, so you might need to add that.

Original poster
StopInvolvingMe · 16/02/2023 19:28

Iateallthewotsits · 16/02/2023 19:04

Oh and I don’t really have any gluten free processed food. It’s so expensive so I just don’t eat bread/pasta/cakes/biscuits etc anymore unless it’s a treat.

I lost 4 stone after being diagnosed!

I eat meat, fish, rice and veg mainly. And I love cooking curry from scratch.

That’s great well done! He could lose a few pounds too hopefully 😂

OP posts:
Original poster
StopInvolvingMe · 16/02/2023 19:30

Can anyone recommend a nice gluten free bread? Prefer brown / seeded. Was going to get ‘Genius’ bread and crumpets

OP posts:
Crikeyalmighty · 16/02/2023 19:30

Marigold GF gravy is good- I prefer it to bisto GF

Most M&S sausages are GF and their GF fishfingers in the 'made without range' are I think better than their standard ones-same with the cod and salmon fishcakes

Waitrose do some ok GF wraps and some very nice GF Yorkshire puddings

You do get used to scouring labels after a while

Crikeyalmighty · 16/02/2023 19:32

M&S GF bread is good. My H actually prefers it

Their GF spaghetti is good too