Review: Wegmans Gluten-Free Crispy Rice Cereal

Ever since Kellogg’s discontinued gluten-free Rice Krispies in 2015, I haven’t had any luck finding a good replacement. Recently, I heard in social media that Wegmans Crispy Rice cereal is now gluten-free. I was very excited to try it and hoped I wouldn’t be disappointed.

Not only does Wegmans gluten-free Crispy Rice cereal taste very similar to Kellogg’s, but it is actually even better! The oven toasted rice is a bit fluffier and airier, giving it even more of a Snap, Krackle, and Pop. Not to mention the incredibly cheap price for a 12 ounce box of gluten-free and lactose-free enriched cereal – only $1.99! 

If I hadn’t heard in social media that it was gluten-free, I would have completely missed it at Wegmans. It is in the regular cereal aisle on the bottom shelf, and the only indication that it is gluten-free is the tiny orange circle with the letter G on the front of the box. I highly recommend that they also put this cereal in the gluten-free section. Wegmans has succeeded in creating the best tasting gluten-free Crispy Rice cereal. Now, they just need to make sure people with celiac disease can find it!

Gluten-Free Chex Launching in Canada

Here is some great news for gluten-free Canadians. Two varieties of gluten-free Chex will be coming to Canada in summer 2011. Below is the message that was shared on the Gluten Freely Facebook page.

"General Mills is excited to announce that we are bringing two varieties of gluten free CHEX cereal to Canada! Great tasting Honey Nut Chex and Rice Chex will be available in the cereal aisle at national retailers across the country by the end of June."

Sign up here to receive more information.

New Gluten-Free Rice Krispies Confirmed by Kellogg's

After reading an unofficial report on Gluten-Free Appetite that Kellogg's will be releasing gluten-free Rice Krispies, I contacted Kellogg's for more information. Here is the email reply I received last night.

"Thank you for contacting us regarding our cereal products.


We are excited to tell you that we will have a Rice Krispies Gluten Free cereal launching late May 2011. Although we do not have a lot of information to share with you at this time, we encourage you to look for this product on your stores shelves in a few months.


We appreciate your interest in our company and products.


Sincerely,

Natalie Felix
Consumer Specialist
Consumer Affairs
TLXNXF01/cl
021586750AA"

This is very exciting news! Snap, Crackle, and Pop for everyone!

Gluten-Free News: Dumplings, Hotels, Vending Machines, a Dog, and More

It is only the second week of the New Year, and there is already lots of gluten-free news. The most exciting news is about the first gluten-free Asian dumplings. A luxury hotel chain, Fairmont, introduced gluten-free options at all of its locations. Organic vending machines with gluten-free snacks are making their way across the country. For a truly fascinating story, read this article about a woman who trained her dog to sniff her food for gluten. 

Elisabeth Hasselbeck launched a new line of high protein bars made in a shared facility with wheat, and there is no information about testing for gluten. She has several upcoming television appearances promoting her book, now available in paperback. While I do not recommend her book and am concerned about the spreading of inaccurate gluten-free information, I hope the appearances will encourage viewers to Google gluten-free and get tested for celiac disease.

In addition to two certified gluten-free cereals, Pebbles now makes two gluten-free treat bars. The Gluten-Free Travel Site launched a new mobile version and named the DC area as the winner of their annual contest to choose the “World’s Most Celiac-Friendly Destination.” It has certainly been a great week for gluten-free news!

Important Update: Are Blistex Products Gluten-Free?

In February 2010, I posted an email I received from Blistex stating that all of their products are gluten-free. Today, I almost purchased the new Blistex Five Star Lip Protection, but fortunately I read the label and discovered it contains wheat germ oil! So, clearly all Blistex products are not gluten-free. It is frustrating to see companies adding gluten to products, especially when all of their products used to be gluten-free!

Video: Dr. Fasano Receives $45 Million

The University of Maryland Center for Celiac Research received an astonishing $45 million donation to create a special institute!  The detailed EurekAlert provided information about the donation from "a grateful patient," her husband, and their foundation.

"Forty million dollars of the donation is coming from a private foundation in which the Caffertys are key stakeholders. The remaining $5 million comes to the School of Medicine directly from the Caffertys, and will fund an endowed distinguished professorship that supports a director position in perpetuity for the research enterprise."

Watch this video to hear Dr. Fasano's comments about the donation.  For more details, read this article in The Baltimore Sun.

"Fasano said the money will be used to create a first-of-its-kind institute that could eventually employ up to 200 doctors and researchers. They will not only study the often-misdiagnosed celiac disease but use it as a model to study other related diseases, including diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis."

My 200th Blog Post: Looking Back, New Favorite Foods, and an Important Jennie-O Alert

I can’t believe this is my 200th blog post, and it has been almost 2 years since I started blogging in December 2008! It is amazing how much has changed in the gluten-free world in the past two years. If you also count my DC Gluten-Free Examiner articles and my Gluten-Free Social Media Tips blog posts, that adds up to over 360 gluten-free articles! So, what gluten-free news did I blog about in December 2008?

• Chicago Tribune investigation found high amounts of gluten in "gluten-free" Wellshire Farms chicken bites & corn dogs.

• Emeril Green aired three gluten-free episodes in Fall 2008 on Planet Green.

• The regular price of Rice Chex at Target was only $1.67.

• Gluten-Free Fox, the first gluten-free search engine, was launched.

One of my first blog posts was a funny one: My own “You know you have celiac disease if…” list. Some of the items are a little outdated now, but I hope some of them are still funny.

In January 2011, it will be four years since I was diagnosed with celiac disease. I definitely have a more positive outlook about gluten-free and life in general than when I first started blogging and a big part of that is the amazing online gluten-free community!

My list of favorite foods that I first posted in December 2008 and last updated in October 2009 is also outdated. Here are some of my new favorite foods.

• Udi’s Gluten-Free whole grain bread

• Udi’s granola

• Deboles corn pasta

• Nature’s Path Sunrise Cereals

• Chobani Greek Yogurt

• Larabar Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

• KIND Pomegranate Blueberry Pistachio plus Antioxidants

• Gluten-Free Café Pasta Primavera

• Food Should Taste Good Cheddar Chips

Sadly, one item that I intended to include on this list was Jennie-O Turkey Meatballs Italian Style, which used be clearly marked on the website with the no gluten icon. When I went to the website today to link to it, I discovered the new red packaging and that the no gluten icon had been removed. I called and it turns out that the new bags have new ingredients that now include oat bran. They aren’t gluten-free and have been removed from the Hormel gluten-free list. I really hope I can still find some of the old bags that are gluten-free.


As some things change over the years in the gluten-free world, some things remain the same. It is essential to always keep reading labels each time you purchase a product!

Watch the Celiac Disease Foundation on Lifetime Television

On Monday, October 25 at 7 am ET/PT (6 am CT/MT), watch The Balancing Act on Lifetime. The show will feature Phyllis Kessler, President of the Celiac Disease Foundation South Florida Chapter and a doctor. They will discuss awareness efforts and celiac resources.

Read the press release and watch the preview video. If you miss the celiac segment, it will probably be added to their YouTube channel next week.

Top 10 Gluten-Free Blogs for News

There is so much gluten-free and celiac disease news each week that it is hard for any one blogger to keep up with it all. While I hope you will continue to rely on the Gluten-Free Optimist for gluten-free news as well as my tweets, these blogs do a fantastic job of covering news, including information about new products.

1. The Savvy Celiac

2. Celiac-Disease.com

3. Gluten-Free Living blog

4. About.com Celiac Disease

5. Celiac Princess

6. Gluten-Free Is Life

7. Gluten-Free Works

8. Gluten-Free Fun

9. Sure Foods Living

10.  Gluten-Free Philly

With hundreds of gluten-free blogs, I am sure there are some blogs that I missed that do a great job blogging about news. Thanks to the above blogs, gluten-free Examiners, and the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness for keeping us informed of the latest gluten-free news.

Ibuprofen: Cheap, Generic, and Gluten-Free

Look what I found today! The regular price is only $1.77 for 50 tablets, and it is now labeled gluten-free!

After making this discovery at Target, I quickly checked other up & up (Target brand) over-the-counter products for gluten-free labels. While I couldn’t find any other products for adults labeled gluten-free, not even the up & up ibuprofen soft gels, I did find children’s oral suspensions in both ibuprofen and acetaminophen that were clearly labeled gluten-free in large letters on the side that match the colors on the packaging.

Keep checking over-the-counter generic drugs for gluten-free labels. Soon more will be labeled gluten-free, thanks to Perrigo. I am so happy that I never again need to pay substantially more to buy Advil! This is a great discovery to make today on National Celiac Awareness Day.

Who Do You Want to See Oprah Interview?

Since it is the farewell season of The Oprah Show, the show is asking for viewer ideas on who Oprah should interview. Submit your request to The Oprah Show for a show about celiac disease. Here is my submission to give you some ideas. There is a limit of 2,000 characters. Now is our chance to finally see celiac disease on The Oprah Show!

My Oprah Submission:

Over the years, the show has covered many health topics, but one that has never been discussed is celiac disease. Heidi Collins, former CNN news anchor, has celiac disease and would be a fantastic guest to have along with Dr. Alessio Fasano of the University of Maryland Center for Celiac Disease Research. Alice Bast, founder of the National Foundation for Celiac Disease Awareness (NFCA), would also be an excellent guest to have on this celiac disease show. Both Alice and Heidi suffered through devastating miscarriages and other health problems for years before finally being diagnosed with celiac disease. In fact, it took 22 doctors to diagnose Alice!

As a gluten-free blogger and freelance writer living with celiac disease, I am passionate about increasing celiac disease awareness and spreading accurate information. Unfortunately, there is so much inaccurate information about celiac disease and the gluten-free diet, making it difficult to even get a safe meal in some restaurants. 

Oprah, you have the unique power and ability to help the millions of Americans living undiagnosed with celiac disease and prevent them from experiencing the dangerous complications of untreated celiac disease. Please take a moment to read these startling stats about celiac disease. A show about celiac disease could save lives!  

Bill Clinton is Allergic to Wheat and Dairy

Apparently, back in 2007, Bill Clinton's allergies were discussed on some television shows, including the Rachael Ray Show and The Today Show.  After a lot of Googling, I found an article in the USA Today from 2007 which confirms his allergies. 

"Cooking for Clinton was often a challenge because he had allergies to chocolate, dairy and wheat flour, the chef says. But Clinton could be voracious when it came to desserts."

Chelsea's wedding cake contained both butter and chocolate, so it is unlikely that Bill Clinton was able to enjoy a slice.  For more details about Chelsea's gluten-free wedding cake, view the cake photos, and watch these Access Hollywood videos. 

View Photos of Chelsea Clinton's Wedding Cake

Entertainment Tonight has several photos of Chelsea's enormous and elegant wedding cake.  The cake was indeed gluten-free, but it was not vegan!  That is very unfortunate considering that there are bakeries in New York, like Babycakes, that can make a yummy cake that is both gluten-free and vegan.  Is it a new wedding trend to match the cake to the dress?

"The sweet treat was reported to have sat four feet tall and was made with 360 organic eggs, 50 pounds of sugar, 45 pounds of gluten-free flour, 30 pounds of butter and bittersweet chocolate, and was decorated with about 1000 sugar flowers!"

Access Hollywood Videos: Bill Clinton’s Gluten-Free Lunch and Inside La Tulipe Desserts

Bill Clinton had lunch on Friday, July 30 at Gigi Trattoria, where he enjoyed a flavorful gluten-free buckwheat gnocchetti pasta. The pasta dish is shown at the end of this Access Hollywood video.

Bill Clinton reportedly lost 30 pounds and it is not clear whether his diet included gluten-free items. However, a gluten-free diet is not a weight loss diet or a trend. It is the only treatment for celiac disease, an autoimmune disease.





Watch this video about the making of Chelsea Clinton’s wedding cake. Although a photo of the cake isn’t in the video, La Tulipe Desserts shares more details about the all-natural gluten-free cake that was nine tiers and four feet tall! In an article in The New York Times, the wedding planner talked about the other gluten-free items, but didn't mention who made them.

"The wedding cake was gluten-free, as was the bread. So were the chocolate-chip cookies in the straw welcome bags in the guests’ hotel rooms."

Update from People on August 4, 2010: 

"As for the food, the cake was a four-foot, nine-tier masterpiece of vanilla sponge cake, layered with dark chocolate mousse. It was gluten free, and the chefs Maarten and Frances Steenman, owners of La Tulipe Desserts, gave PEOPLE an exclusive look of their creation.

For many more inside details of Chelsea Clinton's lavish wedding, pick up this week's issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands Friday"

Who Made Chelsea Clinton's Gluten-Free Wedding Cake?

The media has been buzzing about Chelsea Clinton's vegan gluten-free wedding cake, which is estimated to be $11,000.  She has a "gluten allergy" and has been vegan since she was a teen. According to The New York Times, La Tulipe Desserts in Mount Kisco, New York, made Chelsea's gluten-free wedding cake.  The reception was catered by St. Regis Hotel and included vegan and gluten-free items. 

La Tulipe Desserts, a European patisserie, is not a dedicated gluten-free bakery, but they do sell some gluten-free products, including award-winning macaroons. Here is some information from their website.

"We can create any custom size, flavors, and style for your special day. Anything is possible. Imagine it and it is yours..."

"Our flavorful ingredients are almost all organic and come directly from original sources around the world — vanilla beans from Haiti, pure lemon and orange essences from Italy, Marcona almonds from Spain, chocolate from France, Lubecker marzipan from Germany.


And that’s just what we import. We buy fresh, seasonal organic produce and honey from local farmers, and we choose it ourselves. Those fruits in your dessert taste fresh – picked because they are fresh – picked.


From start to finish, every creation at La Tulipe Desserts is an individual work of art. No mass production, no prepackaging, no artificial anything. Just premium, hand-selected ingredients prepared by artisans. We invite you to taste the difference."

A photo of Chelsea's cake hasn't been released yet, but some photos from the wedding can be viewed here and in this AP video, which mentions the vegan gluten-free wedding cake. She was a beautiful bride in her Vera Wang dress!

Recall: Deboles Kids Only Gluten-Free Pasta

This recall is for a new gluten-free pasta, DeBoles Kids Only! Gluten Free Tubettini Corn Pasta, which I just purchased at Whole Foods this week. The box I purchased is not part of the recall.

The recalled lot code is 30JUN11D1 and was sold in stores nationwide and online.  It may have undeclared whole wheat alphabet pasta, which is noticeably different from the yellow tube shaped pasta.  No other lots are affected. For more information, read this press release.

Scientists Discover Molecular Triggers of Celiac Disease

The results of a celiac disease study conducted in Australia are published in Science Translational Medicine (July 21, 2010 issue). The researchers collected blood samples from over 200 celiac patients after they ate gluten. They found three peptides, protein fragments, that appear to be causing the immune response to gluten in people with a genetic predisposition to celiac disease.  The T cell was also found to be the primary cell involved in the immune response.

Here is a quote from Dr. Fasano, which was found in the U.S. News and World Report article about this study.

"According to Dr. Alessio Fasano of the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore, the evidence is indeed strong that these three protein fragments trigger the celiac immune response, but 'I'm not sure that it's the end of the story,' he added. It remains possible that the screen didn't catch all the gluten components involved in the immune response, Fasano said."

In a few months, the Australian scientists expect to have results of the "phase I clinical trials on a drug based on the three gluten protein fragments they identified. The aim of the drug is to desensitize celiac patients to the offending proteins by presenting them in very controlled amounts."

Young Camp Counselor Opens Gluten-Free Bakery

A new dedicated gluten-free bakery just opened in Danville, California. The owner, Katie Alin, is 22-years-old! Her mother has celiac disease. After being a camp counselor at the celiac camp run by her family's foundation (Taylor Family Foundation), she was inspired to open her own bakery called Miglet's Cupcake Shop.

A New Gluten-Free Support Group for Teens

Teen Advocates with Gluten Sensitivities (TAGS) is a new support group, which is part of the Gluten Intolerance Group (GIG). The president of the group is 16-year-old Mari Cleven, who was diagnosed with celiac disease last year. She lives in Kitsap County in Washington and is looking to connect with other gluten-free teens, both locally and nationally. Here is more information about TAGS.

"Our Mission:
Gluten Sensitive Teens advocating for support and awareness for themselves and others.

Our Goals:
1. Provide teen support through the internet
2. Provide a model for local support groups, event planning and Gluten Free Awareness activities
3. Tags helps to fulfill GIG's mission on a local and national level through programs tailored towards teens.

Our Local Goals:
1. Provide a social outlet for teens dealing with gluten sensitivities
2. Provide safe gluten free activities for gluten sensitive teens.
3. Provide positive support for teens to advocate for themselves.
4. Share stories"

Support TAGS by buying a cool glow in the dark teen awareness bracelet for $2 from GIG. If you are interested in joining TAGS, complete this contact form. Share this article with others and help what may become the "teen version of ROCK" grow!

View the New Gluten-Free Menu at the Melting Pot

The new gluten-free menu at The Melting Pot is now available nationwide. Use the link above and select a location to view the menu. After working with the Gluten Intolerance Group (GIG), the regular menu includes GF labels and notes. The Melting Pot has 145 locations in North America and 13 new locations coming soon. According to the press release, here are some changes that were made to create the gluten-free items.

"Cheese course – Considering The Melting Pot cheese is normally floured, guests requesting the gluten-free option must request for the cheese to be made with cornstarch. Also, instead of the guest receiving bread, cauliflower, carrots and celery, he/she will receive more veggies and broccoli.

Salad course – All salads are gluten free. The only items that need to be removed are croutons.

Entrée course – Most of the items on the entrée list are gluten free. Items that need to be substituted out include the teriyaki sirloin and spring vegetable dumplings.

Dessert course – Two of the chocolate fondues contain gluten: Cookies n' Cream Marshmallow Dream and the Chocolate S'mores because of the Oreo cookies and graham crackers. A specialized dessert plate is also prepared to include strawberries, bananas, plain marshmallows and pineapple. Cheesecake, pound cake, Rice Krispie treats and brownies all contain flour and are not included on the GF menu.

Beverages – All wines and mandatory specialty drinks are gluten free. Red Bridge, a gluten-free beer by Anheuser Busch, is used as a substitution base for some of the cheeses."