60 Easy Ways to Raise Celiac Awareness

Join me in celebrating Celiac Awareness Month this May. Beyond Celiac, formerly known as the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness, has put together a super list of 60 ways to raise celiac awareness. This year’s campaign is focused on raising awareness in 60 seconds (#60forCeliac), and I’m happy to be part of their blogger force. Here are five of my favorite ideas from the campaign. 

1. Watch and share this one minute video.

2. Tell a restaurant worker you have celiac disease instead of only asking for the gluten-free menu. 

3. Talk to one new person about celiac disease. 

4. Help someone in the gluten-free aisle at the grocery store. 

5. Ask your grocery store or supermarket to add gluten-free products.

Visit Beyond Celiac to see all 60 ways! What will you do to spread celiac awareness this May and all year?

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!

Review: New Gluten-Free Cheerios

For the last few months, I have been walking down the cereal aisle every week in hopes of spotting the new gluten-free Cheerios. Last night, I finally found them at Giant! In fact, I almost missed them since the front of the new gluten-free boxes is almost identical to the old ones, except for the gluten-free stamp on the bottom right. Plus, there were many old boxes mixed with the new ones. 

For the majority of my life before celiac disease, one of my favorite things to eat for breakfast was a bowl of Cheerios mixed with Rice Krispies. When I heard last spring that Kellogg’s was discontinuing gluten-free Rice Krispies, I immediately stocked up and set aside several boxes to enjoy with the new gluten-free Cheerios. So last night for dinner, I enjoyed a bowl of gluten-free Rice Krispies mixed with the gluten-free Cheerios! 

When I opened the yellow Cheerios box, I instantly recognized its distinct aroma. The Cheerios were delicious! It is funny that I don’t remember them becoming so soggy in milk. I guess that really stood out to me since the texture is unlike any gluten-free cereal I have eaten in the last eight years, but in a good way. This morning for breakfast, I had a bowl of the gluten-free Multigrain Cheerios, which I loved! Wheat and barley were removed from the Multigrain Cheerios, and they added sorghum and millet instead. All the other Cheerios have the exact same taste as before. 

Instead of using certified gluten-free oats, General Mills has come up with “a way to sort the other grains out of our oats.” Part of this process is explained on the back of the new box. I must admit it is odd to buy a product that shows a pile of oats as “what we put in” and then three piles of what is removed: wheat, rye, and barley. However, I trust General Mills when it comes to gluten-free, and I didn’t have any problems from eating the Cheerios. For more about their process, watch this video. I read on the Cheerios website that “every batch of gluten-free oats is tested to make sure it has less than 20 parts per million of other grains.”

Now, if Kellogg’s would bring back gluten-free Rice Krispies, it would be gluten-free cereal nirvana for all! I look forward to trying gluten-free Honey Nut Cheerios next. They are also available in gluten-free Apple Cinnamon Cheerios and Frosted Cheerios. I am excited to stock up the next time there is a Cheerios sale!

Update August 14, 2015: The Gluten-Free Watchdog has expressed significant concerns over the safety of gluten-free Cheerios for people with celiac disease. Please read her position, so you can make an informed decision for yourself. At the time of my review, I was unaware of these concerns. I ate many bowls, especially of Multigrain Cheerios, and did not experience any problems.

The Best Gluten-Free Waffles

I have tried nearly every brand of frozen gluten-free waffles, including the new gluten-free Kellogg's Eggo waffles. The texture of some brands leaves a lot to be desired. Sometimes, frozen waffles don’t hold up to spreading toppings or eating them as sandwiches. I regularly buy Van’s gluten-free waffles simply because they are sold at my local grocery store, but have been disappointed with their lack of consistency. Occasionally, I purchase Nature’s Path gluten-free waffles.

The best frozen gluten-free waffles are definitely Wegmans brand, and they are also the cheapest! For only $1.79, you can enjoy a box of eight waffles in comparison to other gluten-free brands that cost significantly more and contain only six waffles. While the Homestyle flavor is good, I absolutely love the Wegmans blueberry waffles! With Wegmans vegan and gluten-free waffles, you know you will get a delicious waffle that comes out toasted perfectly each time – no inconsistency! They are slightly sweet, and hold up perfectly to spreading cream cheese or butter.

It is well worth the 30-minute drive each way to Wegmans just for their waffles! My teen daughter, who isn’t gluten-free, loves them too and is always asking for them for lunch. I must admit I am not a fair sharer when it comes to these. I stock up when I go to Wegmans every few months and save them mostly for myself. That is the true measure of a great product – when you need to hide them for yourself instead of sharing!

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My Top 5 Celiac Disease Facts

Share these facts for Celiac Disease Awareness Month this May, and leave a comment with what facts you would add to this list. Let’s fight the countless gluten-free myths and insensitive jokes by sharing the facts! 

1. I have an autoimmune disease, not a food allergy.

2. A 100% gluten-free diet is medically necessary for me. It is not a fad, weight loss diet, celebrity trend, or a joke. 

3. Please get tested for celiac disease before experimenting with eating gluten-free.

4. If “gluten-free” food comes in any contact with gluten while cooking or serving, it is not safe for me to eat. 

5. I love that there are tons of delicious certified gluten-free products. I am not deprived or suffering!