<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

Hi Again to the List,

  I wrote in earlier today to the group as I have a CD local support group
function over here on the weekend that I plan on attending. We are required to
bring a GF recipe to the function and share it with the others there. I wanted
to make a new recipe which is GF( I saw it on a GF listing on a website).

   As I wrote earlier, the CSA/USA "bible" mostly mentions supermarket names,
rather than popular brand names for their gf products. This wasn't  helpful
since most of these markets are not in my region of the country. There are no
Hy-Vees or Shaws supermarkets in my area.

   I do have a Wegman's in my area, about 25 min. drive from my home. I
decided to go down there earlier this evening to do my regular shopping and the
shopping for the function on the weekend. I had heard that Wegman's has a pretty
extensive GF list, and they have color codes for their products or something
to that effect.

   I went down there after dinner and to be honest, I was disappointed with
Wegman's  too. (Sorry for all the ranting and raving tonight folks...)

   I had been to the Trader Joe's before and when you walk in the door, they
have a typed-up list of GF products in the store that one could refer to while
walking down the aisles. Thing is, Trader Joe's is 40 mi. north of my home,
and I didnt' want to make the drive tonight.

     I went up to the help desk at Wegman's, and asked if they had a
preprinted GF listing of products in their store, like Trader Joe's has. They did not.
I then mentioned to them that I had heard that they had some sort of
color-coding system that lists the GF products in their store(on Wegman's brand
products). I didn't see any color-coding, and for the packages that were
color-coded, I didn't see anything that said "gluten free" on it.   I asked the gal
behind the cust. service desk to help me in the aisles, and she couldn't figure out
the color-coding system either!!! She told me I'd have to call their 1-800
number during the day. I ended up frustrated and I left without anything GF that
I had set out to buy at the store. All my frozen products must have melted by
the time I got home! LOL

   To the store's credit, they did have a GF section, but it was mostly
cookies, GF baking flour etc. and the like. They had a few other GF things
throughout the store, but it was almost  hit-or-miss as to what you'll find that was
GF. I felt that unless you were a regular shopper at Wegman's, (or an expert
label reader-which I'm not) you will have some difficulty finding GF stuff at
the store the first time in.


    I don't know if I'm being unrealistic, or expecting "special treatment"
because I am on a "special diet." I just assumed these stores had a much better
system for helping folks with CD find what they need. Folks have been
"talking up" Wegman's, so I thought it would be a cakewalk going in there and finding
what I wanted.   I think Ill stick to my regular supermarket and health food
store next time.

    Anyway, I think I will have my mother cook something for me for the
function this weekend- she knows all about the diet, and she knows the GF products
firsthand. I'm too tired for it at the moment....

   Thanks,
   Amy Kravitz, New Jersey, [log in to unmask]

* Visit the Celiac Web Page at www.enabling.org/ia/celiac/index.html *