A gluten free grocery starter list for the week ahead

Pasta night, breakfast before work, snacks for the cupboard. There are lots of gluten-free finds on our shelves for the food you already love to eat.

We’ve pulled together a grocery list with a few of those finds, from rolled oats to penne and baking flour. Have a look through your cupboard, add what you need, and leave a little room for a new favourite.

Your gluten-free grocery checklist

Here’s a list to bring along on your next shop. Pick the meals you have in mind and work from there.

• Breakfast: gluten-free oats, if you eat them, plus fruit and suitable toppings. Our One Degree sprouted rolled oats are one packaged option.
• Meal bases: rice, potatoes or labelled gluten-free pasta, such as Bio Italia penne. Choose one or two bases you can use more than once.
• Protein: beans, lentils, eggs or another familiar choice. Read the label on prepared, seasoned or packaged versions.
• Fruit and vegetables: a few favourites for breakfast, dinners and snacks. Plain fresh produce keeps this part of the list straightforward.
• Sauces and pantry extras: cooking oil, a tomato sauce, seasonings and any toppings you need. Check each packaged item separately.
• Snacks: fruit and one or two labelled packaged favourites. Check other dietary requirements as well as gluten.
• Optional baking: the flour blend and binder your chosen recipe calls for. Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free All-Purpose Flour doesn't include xanthan or guar gum; it isn't the same blend as every cup-for-cup flour.

Plain fruit, vegetables, eggs and rice can go in the basket too. Packaged foods, sauces and seasonings need their own label check. If bread or frozen foods are on your list, check their storage instructions and the pickup or delivery options.

First a little label reading

A little label reading comes with a gluten-free shop. For packaged foods, look for a gluten-free claim and read the ingredients, “contains” statement and any precautionary allergen wording. Wheat, barley and rye are gluten sources; oats and foods made with oats need specific gluten-free labelling. Celiac Canada’s food labelling guide is a useful reference.

Wheat-free, organic and gluten-free mean different things. Our store filters can help you browse, but they aren’t independent certification. Check the package for any certification you need. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency explains the rules for gluten-free and other allergen claims.

Read familiar labels each time, too, as ingredients and handling can change. Celiac Canada recommends avoiding products with a “may contain” statement for gluten sources because of possible cross-contact. If something is unclear, check with the manufacturer.

Breakfast you can come back to

If gluten-free oats are part of your usual diet, we carry One Degree Organics Gluten-Free Sprouted Rolled Oats, 680 g. Cook them according to the bag, then add your fruit and toppings.

Sliced apple, a handful of berries, or banana. Breakfast can be that simple. Check packaged toppings for your requirements as well.

Pasta night is still on the list

Pasta night is very much on the menu. Bio Italia Organic Gluten-Free Penne, 340 g is made with corn, rice, buckwheat and quinoa flours. Add a tomato sauce with suitable labelling and some vegetables, and dinner is coming together.

Keep the bag nearby for the cooking time, especially when you’re trying a new pasta.

You’ll find more meal bases in pasta, rice and grains. That section includes gluten-containing products as well, so check the individual item.

A short list of useful extras

A good sauce earns its space in the cupboard. Add one you enjoy, some cooking oil, beans or lentils, and the seasonings you use most. Read the labels on prepared sauces and seasoning blends.

The same vegetables can go into pasta one night and a rice bowl the next. Handy when you’re trying to use up what’s in the fridge.

Baking starts with the recipe

Baking this week? Bring the recipe when you shop. Gluten-free flour blends vary, and the one you need will depend on what you’re making.

We carry Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free All-Purpose Flour, 624 g. This blend has no xanthan or guar gum, according to the maker, so follow your recipe’s binder guidance. Bob’s Red Mill has more on using this flour.

Have a browse through baking and sweeteners for the rest of your ingredients. It’s a mixed section with gluten-free and gluten-containing products, so check each one.

Three ways to use your groceries

A few easy combinations for the week, using the cooking directions and portions on your packages:

1. Oatmeal and fruit. Prepare gluten-free oats, then add fruit and a topping that suits your needs. Keep it simple on a busy morning.
2. Penne with tomato sauce and vegetables. Use your labelled pasta and sauce, with vegetables prepared the way you like them.
3. A rice bowl. Add vegetables and beans, eggs or another protein you already use. Finish with a sauce that meets your requirements.

Remember the snack cupboard

And yes, leave room for snacks. Fruit, crackers or another labelled favourite can round out the shop. Check dairy, nuts and any other dietary requirements separately; gluten-free only answers the gluten question.

Check the storage directions for bread, frozen foods and larger packs before buying. Freezer space has a way of disappearing.

Bring your list and come see us

Bring your list and come see us at 486 Starboard Drive in Bedford or 590 Portland Street in Dartmouth, or browse our gluten-free groceries online. Check with the store before a special trip for a particular item. If cross-contact is a concern, ask about that product’s handling and packaging. For delivery, see our shipping and returns information and the options for your basket, especially for fresh or frozen foods.