Gluten free, from me to you!

Welcome!
My name is Laura Hill, I was diagnosed with celiac disease ten years ago. Like many others, it was like pulling teeth to get a diagnosis! When my doctor had performed numerous tests and prescribed a vareity of medication with no cure, I requested he test me for celiac disease by the recommendation of a friend and he refused. He told me I could not live the rest of my life without gluten. He also suggested I was making myself sick. I finally decided to seek a second opinion. The next doctor performed the blood work and the results came back confirmed celiac disease. Starting the gluten free diet totally changed my life. The condition I was in before the diagnosis was scary, without the gluten free diet I am not sure I would be here today! From my experience with celiac disease over the years, I have a desire to help others with the condition.

It can be daunting starting the diet and changing over to the gluten free lifestyle. This inspired me to become a dietitian, in order to help those make dietary changes. I just graduated with a B.S. in Nutrition and I am currently a dietetic intern. I enjoy researching celiac disease, recipes, and the correlation between diet and disease. In this blog I want to share recipes and general information to help you navigate the gluten free diet, in the gluten filled world.


Saturday, March 26, 2011

Gluten free finds at Costco and Big Lots



The gluten free diet can be pricey, but there are ways to cut cost.  Some surprising places you might not think to shop are Costco and Big Lots which offer great prices. I make about 2 Costco trips a month to stock up on some staples. Here is the loot from my last trip, including Cashew Nut Clusters (im addicted), Chobani Yogurt for 12 pack , Healthy Gatherings Crunch Master crackers, organic spring mix lettuce, Maranatha's almond butter, and peach and mango salsa.

Some other gluten free options at costco include fresh meat, hummus, fresh produce, canned chicken, canned tuna, frozen fish fillets, Larabars, Riceworks rice chips, and nuts.


Big Lots is another store that I was surprised to find low prices on great organic gluten free cereal. They have Nature's Path crispy rice, mesa sunrise, corn flakes, and envirokidz cereals for $2 a box, with a retail price of $4.99 a box. So I would recommend checking warehouse and discount stores for great deals like this to help stretch the gluten free budget.