The Gluten Free Path

Posts Tagged ‘Gluten Free Grocery Shopping’

So you have decided to go gluten free, either because of doctor’s orders or as an experiment. Now what? Panic? No, well maybe. I think I felt nervous. Let me tell you, after a few weeks it feels less like a complication and more like a lifestyle routine. It’s getting there that is the challenge.

The first place you want to start is at your favorite store. Ask someone who works there if they have gluten free products. Fred Meyer has a whole “health food” area, which is beginning to include gluten free items. Keep your eyes out for Bob’s Red Mills gluten free products. They are great when you are still in mourning over bread, brownies or cornbread.
Safeway is starting to carry gluten free products, as well as QFC. Albertson’s is slow to make most changes, such as gluten free or organic. I’ve never shopped at Top Foods, but I hear they are fairly good for a chain grocery store. If you are lucky enough to have a Trader Joe’s nearby, check out their gluten free brownie mix. Yup, Trader Joe’s is a great place to ease into going gluten free, things are clearly labeled and staff is usually knowledgeable.
Central Markets in Washington state are great places to look as well. I found a site that has a bunch listed in Texas, I don’t think they are related, but check it out, see what they have!

But of course, my favorite places are community food co-ops. Many community food co-ops are not for profit. They are essentially there for you. They exist to give people healthier more ethical options whether it be gluten free, organic, or free trade.
So in that case, since you are already reading this you are at your computer or on your smart phone. Google food co-ops. Then google farmer’s markets, these places are where the changes take place, before they hit the big stores.
For a place to be more specific, try Local Harvest. I’ve run into their site many times in my google searching.
Once you are done searching online, hop in the car with your directions to stores, or just drive around and start stopping in grocery or health food stores that look interesting(if you haven’t already done this that is). I know, sounds simple, but sometimes just plodding along through your neighborhood’s strip malls can result in great surprises.

Now that I’ve given you ideas go out there and do it! It’s an adventure! You can find amazing things if you only go out beyond your comfort zone. It’s not scary, there are no gluten free nazis preparing to yell at you. And yes, you’ll probably buy something with gluten in it by accident, but that’s what happens when you learn a new skill.

Good luck! Happy gluten free shopping!

THC Organic Market - Long Beach WA

Rick and I had a mini-break or mini-vacation recently. We went down to the Long Beach peninsula to visit his dad and step-mom. We had not been since going gluten free(preservative and other nasty things free as well). I admit I was a little nervous. Though we were bringing most of our own food, what happened if we ran out of something? Or had a terrible craving. I know, it sounds melodramatic, but it’s a concern sometimes. Eating gluten free, organic, preservative free, no artificial anything can be challenging. Once out of my safety element, I felt a bit vulnerable, though I had no reason to. I knew what to do. Never the less I did. So I did a little searching.

I googled, as I usually do, for stuff gluten free in or near Long Beach. Exact phrasing I can’t remember. But I did come across a nifty little website, for what appeared to be a store, a natural, organic, hippy dare I say, grocery store. It was called THC Organic Market. Being a bit of a nerd, and I feel I can say this now after almost two years(check out where it all started), a blogger, I felt it my duty to check out this mythical place called THC Organic Market. Could it be true that an alternative grocery store existed outside of north western Washington? It seemed too good to be true. I was chasing the veritable gluten free rainbow, looking for a pot of gluten free gold. Enough cliches for you? hehe

Well I can say with total satisfaction, and confidence, that it was worth checking out, and going to twice in two days. It was awesome. It carried many, if not most of the important gluten free options I can find at our local co-op and other health food stores. There were Tinkyada noodles, a couple of different gluten free breads, cereals, crackers, really whatever you could imagine. The store was packed with tall shelves in a nice, neat tidy manner, with whatever I could desire.
I did a much more wordy review, and description of our shopping adventure at my other site, The Modern Hippy. But for this more specific site, I’m sparing you the time.

If you end up on the Long Beach Peninsula you have a resource for gluten free foods, prepared in the deli or found in the store. Just make sure that you don’t use Google directions, as they didn’t send us where we needed to end up.
Check out their site and facebook pages at the following links:

Website: THC Organic Market
Facebook: THC Organic Market Facebook Page

THC Organic Market - Resource for all things gluten free - Long Beach WA

Please excuse the slightly blurry photos, I just got a new camera and it was only my second day using it. They will get better and be clear and colorful very soon!