Gluten Free Frozen Meals

2011-03-28

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Celiac Disease and Gluten Sensitivity

Many people, mostly Caucasians and Europeans, suffer from a hypersensitivity to gluten, a protein found in foods like wheat, barley, rye, and oats. These in turn, are ingredients found in bread, pasta, cookies, pizza crust and many other foods.

Celiac disease or commonly known as sprue is characterized by the inability of the small intestine to absorb foods containing gluten. Eating foods containing the protein results in severe abdominal symptoms like diarrhea, abdominal pains, bloating, constipation, nausea and vomiting, lactose intolerance and weight loss. It is a chronic condition for which there is no cure. Over time, complications like delay in growth, depression and other physical manifestations related to malnutrition may occur. The only way to manage the disease is to maintain a lifelong gluten-free diet.

Fortunately there are a lot of gluten-free recipes and gluten-free foods available in the market. Gluten-free frozen meals also offer a convenient alternative for people afflicted with the disorder who have a challenging task of preparing gluten-free foods.

Gluten Free Frozen Meals

Many brands and assorted products that are gluten-free are available in groceries and over the Internet. Some of these are:

Café Steamers meal - The Cajun Chicken and Shrimp meal
AllergyFree Foods - Chicken Tenderloins, Chicken Nuggets, Chicken Tenders
Asherah’s Gourmet - Chipotle Gluten-Free Vegan Burgers
Bell & Evans - Boneless Skinless Garlic Parmesan Gluten-Free Breaded Chicken Breasts, Breaded Chicken Patties
Blackwing Products - Buffalo Meat Gluten-Free Hot Dogs
Blue Ribbon Restaurants - Gluten-Free Naked Chicken Nuggets - Not Breaded
Conte’s Pasta Co. Inc. - Cheese Gluten-Free Lasagna, Cheese Gluten-Free Ravioli
Dr. Praeger’s - Gluten-Free California Veggie Burgers, Gluten-Free Potato Littles, Potato Crusted Gluten-Free Fish Fillets
Feel Good Foods - Asian Style Chicken Gluten-Free Dumplings, Asian Style Pork Gluten-Free Dumplings
GlutenFreeda - Beef & Potato Gluten-Free Burrito, Chicken & Cheese Gluten-Free Burrito
Kettle Cuisine - Angus Beef Steak Gluten-Free Chili with Beans, Gluten-Free Chicken Chili with White Beans
Lean On Me Baking Company - Broccoli & Cheddar Gluten-Free Quiche, Mushroom & Swiss Gluten-Free Quiche
S’Better Farms - Beef Gluten-Free Corn Dogs, Gluten-Free Chicken Fingers
Starfish - Crispy Battered Cod, Italian Breaded Sole
Starlite Cuisine - Meatless Soy Beef Style Gluten-Free Taquitos, Meatless Soy Chicken Style Gluten-Free Taquitos
The Grainless Baker - Potato & Cheddar Cheese Gluten-Free Pierogies
Glutino frozen pizzas and meals – assorted pizzas, pastas, chicken meals

Note: The author has no commercial ties with these companies and recommends proper evaluation of the nutritional values of each product.

Recommendations on Frozen Gluten-Free Meals and Entrees

The following recommendations must be observed in the purchase and consumption of gluten-free commercial products:

Proper diagnosis of gluten intolerance and medical advice on proper diet choices must be sought before pursuing a gluten-free diet.
Seeking the help of a dietitian may be necessary.
Proper education on reading labels on food and medicine products must be done to be able to spot hidden sources of gluten and to be able to maintain a healthy balanced diet.
Vitamin and mineral supplements may be needed to correct nutritional deficiencies.