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Grocery Shopping After A Celiac Diagnosis.

So, you have just been diagnosed with Celiac Disease. You are told that you can no longer eat the food that you love. You are getting ready for your first grocery shopping trip as a Celiac. As you enter the store, you may begin to feel overwhelmed, wondering if you will be able to find anything that you will be able to eat. As you skim the aisles, you see food that you love to eat, but cannot have. You may begin to feel a little sad, some may even cry a little. It's a big change.
You finally find food labeled Gluten Free. You've never had Gluten Free food before, and you wonder if it will taste good. You put it in your cart anyways, and continue your shopping.

Advice from one Celiac to another:
After I was first diagnosed with Celiac Disease, and had to go grocery shopping, I was overwhelmed. I had NO idea what I was doing, and I had no idea if I was going to even like the food. As I wandered the store for Gluten Free food, I felt a sense of sadness when I walked past food I once enjoyed. I even cried when I walked past oreos, wheat bread, pizza, and oatmeal. I was like this for weeks. Eventually, I was able to get past it, and focus on finding what Gluten Free food I liked and didn't like. Gluten Free food does have a different taste and consistency. It's not as cohesive as regular food, due to the fact that it does not contain the gluten protein that holds regular food together. Do not be afraid though. You will find Gluten Free food that does have a similar taste like regular food, some even taste BETTER than regular food.
Gluten Free Prices
You may have a mini-stroke after you see some of the prices of Gluten Free food. It is a lot more expensive than regular food. Sadly, you have to just deal with the prices. Unfortunately, there are rarely any coupons for Gluten Free products (trust me, I have been looking, I'm sort of an extreme couponer, LOL). The good news is, and I found this out recently, if you keep your grocery receipts, you can claim Gluten Free shopping on your taxes, provided you can prove that you have a Celiac Disease diagnosis. I will be writing more on this once I have researched the information.
Gluten Free Labeling
Once you are diagnosed with Celiac Disease, you need to become a ingredient expert. This will take time while you are shopping, but, it is essential that you read the labels carefully. Not all products are labeled Gluten Free, unfortunately. Most supermarkets have a natural and organic section, where you can find Gluten Free products. Manufacturers have become better at labeling items Certified Gluten Free. These are the foods that you can guarantee are safe. If the label says that the product is manufactured in a facility that shared equipment with wheat/gluten products, proceed with caution. This is the point where experimentation comes into play. You can try the product to see if you will have any reactions. Most of the time, I have not had a problem. 
Gluten Free Oats/Granola
This part isn't really talked about when you are diagnosed with Celiac Disease. There are Gluten Free oats and granola products. However, these are also "proceed with caution" products. If you are like me, and have a more severe case of Celiac Disease, stay away from these products. You will get sick. The only problem is, you don't know if you will be sick, if you do not try the products.

Celiac Disease does not have to be a jail sentence, as long as you are smart about shopping and reading labels. It may take you longer to shop, once you start reading labels, but, as you become more knowledgeable about labels, you will be able to spot keywords within seconds.
Do NOT try the product if it contains the following:
Modified Food Starch
Wheat flour
Barley
Rye
Oats
Enriched Wheat Flour
Be careful about Yeast Extract as well.

I hope this helps a new Celiac with their shopping experience. I did not really have the information on how to be a savvy shopper when I was diagnosed. It was all trial and error for me. I want to be able to help new Celiacs on their journey to becoming a smart, Gluten Free shopper.

(photo courtesy of: http://www.lifesourcenaturalfoods.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Certified-Gluten-Free.jpg)

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