Buddy Fruits - 100% Fruit (and nothing else.) Really???

I have seen the Buddy Fruit products at various stores. They state they are "100% Fruit and nothing else." I had looked at the fruit squeezes and saw they were labeled "no gluten" so I decided to try the fruit bites for Gracie. Honestly - I didn't look that closely at the ingredients because it stated 100% fruit (nothing else) - that was my fault and I own it.

Got home and handed them to Gracie - she opened them and started to eat one when she checked the back of the package where it states "May contain wheat starch." WHEAT STARCH?? How did that get in a 100% fruit (nothing else) fruit snack??

Their web site even states "No Gluten" on their product page. I sent them an email asking them to explain themselves - I am interested to see their response. I find their advertising to be confusing and/or deceiving and that really troubles me. It could be the difference between a nice snack for some and food poisoning to others.

Lets talk about "normal" foods for kids

I LOVE that there are so many gluten free choices these days. Gracie has been gluten free for 2.5 years and the amount of "Gluten Free" foods that actually state it on the label is amazing! The items that you used to could find only at a health food store (Udi's, Glutino, Pamela's, Amy's etc.) are now found at local grocery stores - it really is exciting to see!

That said... Gracie wants to be normal. She wants to have "normal" foods in her lunches, normal foods at parties, normal foods at restaurants. She is going into Middle School this fall which is hell enough - lets add not being "normal" to the mix! So - lets talk about "normal food." Of course fruits and veggies are obviously gluten free (least you think we just eat junk all of the time :)

Snacks:

- Fruity or Cocoa Pebble Treats! They are like Rice Crispy Treats (except RC's are not GF), individually packaged and perfect for lunches, on the go snacks or parties!

- A lot of the Frito Lay chips! Gracie especially loves the Cool Ranch Dorito's. The Nacho Cheese Dorito's are sadly not gluten free. Lay's Stax are our go to favorite for travel! It is not a car trip if we don't have Lay's Stax (it is like Pringles - but Pringles are not GF.)

- Hunt's Snack Pack puddings are gluten free!

- String Cheese, cheese cubes, cheese, cheese, cheese! We do love us some cheese around here (except for Sam who can't have it :(

- Jif To Go! This is our go to protein that we take with us when we are unsure about what there will be for Gracie to eat. Lunch, parties, snack, restaurant - you name it. They are little 1.5 oz individual cups of peanut butter just begging to be dipped with apples, crackers, Frito's, celery or just with a spoon.

Restaurants:

Let me say that we no longer blindly trust gluten free menus. I have become one of "those Mothers" when we dine out. Even places who state they have procedures in place and have advertised as being safe for those needing to be gluten free - I have found them to have become lazy with their "protocols." Ask for a manager to be sure.

- Taco Bell. They are really good at covering themselves on their web site by stating "Prepared in common equipment." I like that - it is good to know. That said - we have never had a problem with their basic foods - Chips and cheese, taco shells with lettuce and cheese. Needless to say their meat has gluten in it.

- Subway!!! Our new go to favorite! They are testing Subway Gluten Free Sandwiches/buns in their North Texas stores (and possibly elsewhere - but I can't find specifics on this.) I know at our subway it states it flat on the door! They have specific protocol for making the sandwiches (changing gloves, wiping down the counter, etc.) and will get fresh meat, cheese etc. if you ask. I am on them like a hawk! while making Gracie's sandwich since there are so many bread crumbs floating around but thankfully they have always been nice and helpful and we haven't had any problems as of yet.

- Pei Wei. We loves us some Pei Wei!! It is our favorite dining place. Gracie "deconstructs" her Pei Wei Spicy where everything is on the side (chicken, veggies, rice, sauce.) She eats every bite of chicken! That said - we have to be on the ball when we go there - we have had a couple of hick ups and now I immediately ask for a manager.

- CiCi's Pizza. Or should we say Cici's Crustless pizza. They will make a "pizza" in a foil pan with sauce, pizza and GF toppings (veggies, etc.) Gracie brings her Glutino Cheese Crackers and eats it as a pizza dip. She has also started doing something similar at home - She gets the Ragu Pizza Sauce, cover the bottom of a cereal bowl and top with some good mozzarella cheese and microwave for 1 minute. She LOVES this!

- Boston's Pizza has a gluten free pizza - it is very, very yummy!

- Uno Chicago Grill - we can't decide whose pizza we like better - Boston's or Uno's! Either way she eats EVERY bite!

- Grilled Chicken or grilled Salmon. We have had great success w/various restaurants getting simply grilled chicken or salmon - most restaurants have this - check with the manager - they are usually very helpful!

- Chili's has a great gluten free menu. Gracie likes the grilled chicken but she LOVES the Original Memphis Dry Rubbed Ribs - they will also do those on the children's menu. Skip the Chips - they are not gluten free (we learned the hard way :(

Breakfast:

- Fruity Pebbles and Cocoa Pebbles! These are our current go to favorites for breakfast. I LOVE that they have stated "Gluten Free" right on the front of the box.

- Chex Cereals. I have written about the first time I went to the store to look for something gluten free for Gracie and Rice Chex was right there w/the words "Gluten Free" right on the front! I have loved them ever since. Chex has been the leader in "main stream" cereals becoming gluten free - I am glad others are following!

- Fruity Dino Bites is also a great kids cereal. They are in a bag instead of a box. The Fruity Dino Bites is the only cereal stated GF on the Malt O Meal site.

- Eggs and Bacon! Did I say BACON!! Gracie LOVES bacon (really - who doesn't??) It doesn't matter if it is breakfast, lunch or dinner we can almost always get an egg over medium and some bacon on the side. (As long and they keep the stupid biscuit or toast off of the stinking plate!! Even after asked not to put it on...) this is a perfect easy to get meal.

I am sure there are many more - but goodness this is a long list! I have always said it is a blessing that if Gracie "had" to get Celiac then we are thankful we have so many choices to choose from.

Does anyone have favorites to add? I would love to hear from you.

I just "glutened" Gracie

Ugh, ick, ugh. It just makes me sick.

We have LOVED the Ian's Gluten Free Cookie Buttons. Not only did they taste good they also come in individual packages - perfect for lunches, travel etc.

Earlier in the week I made a quick stop at Sprouts to pick up some snacks. I grabbed come crackers and Ian's Cookie buttons (Chocolate Chip.) Came home - put them in her designated "Gluten Free Snack Bucket" and called it good.

This afternoon she went to get a snack, opened a package and ate a cookie. She noticed they tasted a little different (like coconut) and decided to check the ingredients - it said "Contains wheat! She screamed "It has WHEAT!" We jumped up, ran to the bathroom when she spit out what she could, washed her mouth out and brushed her teeth. I pray she doesn't get sick tonight.

I looked up the package online - they are IDENTICAL!! The graphic at least. One says "Organic" and the other says "Gluten Free" but other than that they are pretty much the same. Check for yourself above.

I called the company - left a message and took full responsibility for not reading the ingredients but am hoping they will consider changing their packaging - I left my phone number and will report back if there is anything to report. I also called Sprouts (the cookies were in the "gluten free area.") The man I spoke w/was VERY nice - said that he also had gotten confused and put the organic cookies in the GF spot because they look so much alike and said he would go to check the shelf.

I accept full responsibility for buying it w/o double checking the package. That said - what a horrible marketing job. If I want Coke I look for the familiar red bottle/can. Diet coke has a silver bottle/can. Lays Potato Chips has different colors for different flavors etc.

I will probably continue to buy the cookies - but w/a cautious eye.

I hope she doesn't get sick - and I hope no one else makes the same mistake.

Update - 7/9/10

We made it through the night - thank goodness! She dodged the bullet this time. The crazy thing about Gracie's Celiac is before she was diagnosed she would get sick about 3 days a week - but she ate gluten daily. It was hit or miss - but when it hit it was HORRIBLE! I am so thankful she is fine. She was so upset and worried - I was as well.

I got a call from Ian's this afternoon. The lady said they have had this complaint before. She did say to always look for the red "Gluten Free" banner. I asked if they were going to be having any other items that were in Organic and GF in similar packages and she said she wasn't sure - and again said to check the red banner. Um - no doubt.

She also said they are discontinuing the "Organic" Cookie buttons and are just going to be making the Gluten free ones - that said the organic ones will still be on the shelf for a while.

She also said they were going to be making a 7 oz. version of the cookie buttons that would be out soon.

So - lesson learned - the hard way. I will be double checking next time before putting items in my basket.

Update 7/10/10

Well - apparently it took some time. Yesterday afternoon Gracie had a bad case of sour stomach that lasted all night. About 2 am she woke us up saying she thought she was going to throw up (she didn't.) Thankfully she went back to sleep and was ok in the morning. She was pretty uncomfortable until it passed.

I am glad it wasn't worse than that - we all were.

Glutino Pretzles

We went to Central Market last night and as always we looked around to see what we could find that might be new. When Gracie was first diagnosed we tried the Glutino Pretzels - but we tried the braided ones - she didn't like them. I always hoped she might try them again but was never interested. Well... last night she decided she would. The helpful "Foodie" opened a bag of pretzel sticks and said that kids usually prefer these to the braided type. She LOVED them!

We ended up getting a big bag and when she woke up this morning she wanted to have some. We decided they would be really good with peanut butter (her staple protein.) I tried them and they were really good! If they were not so expensive I would get them as a snack for everyone - however at $5 a bag they are a Gracie treat alone.