MacThayer

If you're intolerant to wheat, then it's likely you're intolerant to gluten. Gluten intolerance is an inability to tolerate wheat, rye and barley. Since we don't generally have that much exposure to the last two grains, the one we notice most is wheat. Even if you're not intolerant to all three, one thing is certain: if you stick to a gluten free diet, you will not eat wheat.

The first thing to do is "google" gluten, or gluten intolerance, or Celiac disease, or gluten free, or something else you come up with on one of your searches. There is a ton of information available about this on the web.

I do like some of the commercially prepared breads, especially Udi's. They do tend to go stale quickly, so what I do is buy a loaf, break it into usable quantities for a day or so, freeze it in sections, and take it out as needed. That keeps it fresh. If you'd rather make it from scratch, King Arthur Flour has devoted an entire section of its catalog to gluten free flours and baking mixes. They also have an on-line store at: http://www.kingarthurflour.com/shop

Two of the best stores where I find gluten free products are: Whole Foods and Trader Joes. I don't know if they're in Canada, but they're all over the US. You can also find a lot of Gluten Free outlets on line. Remember, organic does not mean gluten free. Organic contains a lot of whole wheat.

Be careful of the places you can find hidden gluten. Hamburger, even turkey burgers, and similar products, can contain hidden 'binders' that contain gluten, e.g. wheat. I buy meat or turkey and grind it myself. Sausage contains breadcrumbs, e.g. wheat.
Sea food sticks, and similar products, contain binders that contain wheat. Ovaltine, Horlicks and instant coffee contain wheat. Wheat flour is often a hidden ingredient in ice cream, dairy desserts (including the kind you buy in a packet and make up at home) and even some butters. Many cheaper makes of ketchup, mayonnaise and salad dressing are thickened with flour (e.g. wheat). More expensive brands may not be immune either. That's why I stick to Olive Oil and Wine or Cider Vinegar for salad dressing. You'll often find gluten in low fat or no fat versions of products, to make them less watery. For example: yogurt, soft cheese, mayonnaise, salad dressing and margarine.
Pre-packed grated cheese is coated in flour to keep it from sticking together. Italian hard cheeses you grate yourself, like Parmesan and Romano, are usually OK. On the other hand, the mold in most types of blue cheese is started on bread, so blue cheeses, including stilton, are off-limits.

Watch out for sauces, unless you know exactly what's in them. Obviously, anything coated in batter or breadcrumbs, contains flour, e.g. wheat. Watch out for fish products! Ask how they were packaged. They are usually packaged in a sauce thickened with flour for transport. Flash frozen or packaged in water is the way you need them.

You might think potatoes are safe. A simple home baked potato is safe. But french fries and roast potatoes are usually covered by a very thin batter (flour + gluten + wheat) to improve the flavor. Other products such as wedgies, croquetes and even mashed potatoes are either coated with batter or contain flour or breadcrumbs. If you're eating out, ask. If you're buying, read the label.

Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is manufactured with gluten. Watch out for it. It may be listed on the label as merely a 'flavor enhancer'. If you go to a Chinese Restaurant, tell them, no MSG. I've had good luck with that. The Chinese are brillant at flavoring food, and can do it without MSG and soy sauce.

Soy sauce is made by fermenting soy beans and wheat together, so it's off limits. There is a gluten/wheat free brand, and it's often called Tamari Sauce. With Gluten free being so big these days, it also often says: Gluten Free right on it.

Rice Krispies are, unfortunately, flavored with malt made from barley, and are therefore not gluten free. I'll leave it up to you to decide if you want to take a chance on this one.

Malt and Malt Extract are derived from wheat. This is sometimes listed as maltase or malto-dextrin. Also avoid malt vinegar.

Any alcoholic drink is made from grain -- beer or whisky, for example, contains gluten, although they have now come out with gluten -free beers. You have to look for them. Most people can drink wine and sherry.

Many brands of makeup and toothpaste contain gluten. I just went a round with a sore mouth, and it was the gluten in my toothpaste. My pharmacist helped me pick out a brand that did not contain gluten, and I'm healing now. If your makeup isn't bothering you, don't worry about the gluten. But if your face is breaking out, or something: a rash, eczema, etc., then check into gluten free make up.

Even medicines may contain gluten, used as a thickener or a binder. Make sure you tell your doctor that you are gluten intolerant before he/she prescribes medication. They can put that right on the script, and the pharmacist will make sure you don't get anything containing gluten (or wheat, whichever you prefer).

But I think you can see why using "gluten intolerance" will keep you away from wheat while out in the world. If it ends up you are not intolerant to rye and barley, you can use those at home, perhaps in the bread you are making, and just use the substitutions for the wheat flour.

As for my eating, since I am gluten intolerant and also allergic to milk, it makes me very alert to my diet. For breakfast, I eat scrambled eggs with vegetables added. Or grilled tomatoes and mushrooms with a poached egg. Or gluten free oatmeal mixed with gluten free cereal and whetted down with a mixture of soy based vanilla yogurt and vanilla Almond milk, plus a few almonds sprinkled on top, and tea. Always tea. Earl Grey is my favorite tea. There are also breakfast bars available. I like the blueberry and the cherry. For lunch, often a salad. Or some gluten free, milk free soup, and perhaps toast. Or a sandwich -- I have a deli that promises gluten free meats. I wanted to try the vegetarian cheese, but found it contains casein, a protein in milk! Geez! So it's meat and vegetables on my bread, but mostly vegetables. Sometimes I just have vegetables for lunch. Dinner is meat/fish/some kind of protein, vegetables, and some kind of carbohydrate. So I think I eat a well balanced diet. I don't snack much, perhaps a fist ful of almonds if I'm late on a meal, but that's all.

Sorry to have nattered on so long here, but this is a subject dear to my heart, and you sounded like a newbie. Please, go out on the web and find out more. There is much more you need to know. And if you need me, just PM me. I'll be happy to tell you anything I know. Best of luck to you.