gluten free

googleeyes

found out that a lot of the super markets prices on gluten free stuff are very pricey,why would something that can save someone's life life be so expensive.what a world

dudara

It's a specialist product, and therefore, generally costs more to produce. Suppliers have to ensure that there is no cross-contamination etc. If you are a diagnosed coeliac, I think you can claim tax credits on your qualifying spend.

Moving to Food & Drink as this is not a Consumer Issue.

dudara

looksee

I eat gluten free and pretty well the only things I buy specially are lidl porridge oats, which are not expensive, Heinz gluten free pasta (the best gf pasta I have found) and odlums bread mix. Occasionally I buy a lidl gf madeira cake, also reasonably priced, and tesco finest gf black and white puddings. My local chipper does excellent gf fish and chips which I think is the same price as normal fish and chips.

I agree the ready made bread is expensive, but the bread mix I mentioned is nicer, and cheaper.

looksee

Since we are now in food and drink, can I throw out a gf biscuit recipe which is yummy.

You need 1 cup (yes I know, but it is easier to remember in cups) of ground nuts - any sort, not too finely ground, half a cup of peanut butter (great fun measuring peanut butter in cups) and a quarter cup of maple syrup. Mix ingredients together, pull off small portions and roll into balls, then squash a bit flat on your baking tray. Strongly suggest you use silicone paper, they stick somewhat. Bake at about 180 for about 15 minutes or until slightly browned round the edges - if you prefer them soft you can cook for 10 min. Leave till cool then hide them so you can eat them all yourself.

looksee

Still on Gluten free - Lidl mince pies Just Free are yummy. The salmon pate Delux Salmon Sensation is also very good. The Sri Lankan style chicken soup is also gluten free, though it is just one of the normal range.

0lddog

Y'all dont forget the great Gluten Free recipe resource over at :

http://coeliac.ie/webboards/viewforum.php?f=2&sid=df7e4f4c6fadfdeacba873359bdf5cff

rubadub

dudara wrote: »

Suppliers have to ensure that there is no cross-contamination etc.

+1, I expect nut free chocolate would cost quite a bit more too. I know people with proper nut allergies who DO eat chocolate which "may contain traces of nuts". Conversely I know people who are not coeliacs but try and follow a gluten free diet, very loosely. They spend well over the odds on the likes of gluten free oats. But AFAIK oats are already a gluten free product and would just possibly have traces of other grains in them. These people may eat the odd slice of white bread, breaded fish or nuggest etc, probably with 1000's of times more gluten than bog standard oats would.

You might see "gluten free" on things which should not even be at risk of cross contamination. Reminds me of this cartoon.

pwurple

googleeyes wrote: »

found out that a lot of the super markets prices on gluten free stuff are very pricey,why would something that can save someone's life life be so expensive.what a world

Save someone's life might be overstating it just a smidge. Coeliac disease is horribly uncomfortable, but afaik the only way to die from it is when you eat an entirely wheat based diet, and die of malnutrition because you can't digest it.

The price is a combination of two factors

1) more expensive to produce any food that has no trace whatsoever of common substances.

2) Market forces. Gluten-free is currently popular within a particular segment of buyers, mainly wealthy white women. This group is not bothered by the price, (in fact they probably think it is must be better because it is more expensive), so there is no incentive for the seller to lower the price.

Kat1170

:D

dibkins

rubadub wrote: »

+1, I expect nut free chocolate would cost quite a bit more too. I know people with proper nut allergies who DO eat chocolate which "may contain traces of nuts". Conversely I know people who are not coeliacs but try and follow a gluten free diet, very loosely. They spend well over the odds on the likes of gluten free oats. But AFAIK oats are already a gluten free product and would just possibly have traces of other grains in them. These people may eat the odd slice of white bread, breaded fish or nuggest etc, probably with 1000's of times more gluten than bog standard oats would.

My coeliac food list has Peanut Yorkie on it, but no other sort of yorkie. I'm assuming it is because the peanut one is segregated during manufacture.


Re oats: Oats and wheat are often grown in close proximity so the risk of contamination is quite high. Gluten free oats are inspected while growing and are grown in more northerly regions where wheat will not thrive. Many things which are naturally gluten free reach us in a processed from, oats included. Contamination happens in fields, factories and packing facilities and unfortunately for a coeliac such as myself "probably gf" isn't good enough:/ Believe me, i would rather not be paying through the nose for some of the stuff i get.

Edit: also, OP, as the first reply said, if you are diagnosed coeliac you can claim tax back on certified gf foodstuffs on your Med 1 form.