<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>> I am attempting to summarize the many e-mails I got in response to my question. I realize that this has taken a couple of weeks but I hope that those who asked for this can forgive me. I still have a bit more to go through and will attempt to get that summarized within the few days. There is a book called Living Healthy with Celiac written By Wendy Wark. It is my bible as I have only been diagnosed a short time. I suggest you get yourself a copy. The recipes are great and I couldn't live without the short shopping list in it. You can get it through Gluten Free Pantry. Hidden gluten: Hydrolyzed vegetable protien (HVP), Hydrolyzed plant protien (HPP), Glue on postage stamps that you have to lick? Anything of that type can contain gluten...., Toothpaste, Medicines and over the counter medications and supplements, Brown Rice syrup (often has a barley origin), Barbeque sauce (HVP), Tomato paste, tomato puree (in a list of ingredients they don't mention if they were GF), Some baking powder, Spelt is primitive wheat, Icing sugar, Malt - malt flavoring, malt extract, malt syrup,malted milk, Soy sauce,Chocolate and candies since many places dust them with gluten substances so they don't stick. Hershey products are GF though, French fries, if they are dipped in hot fat where breaded or battered food, is cooked. Glazed carrots or other things, Coffee and decaf, especially most instant versions. Folgers is safe for both. MEXICAN RESTAURANTS: Watch for salsa. If the salsa is in a thin transparent liquid, I don't have any problems. But if the liquid is thicker and opaque, it hits me hard: I think maybe they've used canned tomato paste or puree, and it's not likely to be GF. Enchilada sauces and other gravy like sauces often have wheat thickener. FOR EATING IN CHINESE RESTAURANTS: Here are varying opinions from different people on Chinese restaurants: When I eat in Chinese restaurants I always tell them to use only broiled chicken, no broth or flour. When I explain to them why I can not eat anything containing flour, etc. have never had a problem. When i go chinese, i ask for my food cooked in water only with fresh ginger and garlic. Soy sauce in the restaurants almost always has wheat. Don't eat the fortune cookies, and the noodles goes without saying. Despite being fairly fluent in Mandarin (and therefore able to communicate particularly well with wait staff), I won't eat in Chinese restaurants. It's been my experience that the Chinese put soy sauce everywhere and that most of their dishes are inedible without it. Following are some of the suggestions I received: (this from Dr. Mamel, very competent Tampa-area gastroenterologist) cheap brands may contain wheat flour to increase the weight - in general, be wary of anything processed places that do baking on the premises - might not matter to all of us or at all stablishments, but flour does travel in air production lines coated with flour, particularly regarding rice crackers, corn crackers, candy here are two real hidden ones... charcoal briquets can be loaded with gluten... smoked fish from the bricks and chopped garlic in a bottle has some gluten preservative... When I eat in Chinese restaurants I always tell them to use only broiled chicken, no broth or flour. Also, that I can not have any of their noodles. When I explain to them why I can not eat anything containing flour, etc. I have never had a problem in their restaurants. When i go chinese, i ask for my food cooked in water only with fresh ginger and garlic......mmmmmm. [Ed. note]: I assume this means as opposed to mixtures of ginger and garlic? One thing to beware of: manufacturers change their ingredients and/or suppliers constantly. So what is GF (gluten-free) today, may not be GF tomorrow. That is why it is difficult to have any permanent list of acceptable foods by company names. Two + years ago I was in the same boat. Now I know for sure, and have developed the habit of avoiding all sauces, gravies, salad dressings and anything that even looks like it may contain vinegar. There are some exceptions, Hellman's mayo is OK, as is Heinz ketchup. Everything else is at least suspect for me. I only eat Hillshire Farms Brown Sugar Cure hams (the only ham I can find locally that I know is GF). Coke is OK, both diet and regular. Watch toothpaste, I use Crest. Watch mouthwash, may contain alcohol derived from grain, again, some are OK because they get their alcohol from corn, but check the ingredients, and call the mfg. While eating out, always take the "plain" option when ordering meats and salads. Plain meat (Steak, chops, fish, etc.) plain salad (no croutons, dressing - lemon wedge OK), baked potato w/o sour cream - butter OK., no bacon bits. Watch out for desserts, even ice cream can contain gluten. Don't buy luncheon meats sliced on a common slicer in your grocery store - cross contamination from non-GF lunchmeats sliced before your GF lunchmeats. One thing I wish someone had advised me to do was to buy some very good, very plain rice pasta. Sounds silly, but good rice pasta is great for quick, simple meals. (For years, I thought I didn't like pasta, because my body rejected wheat pasta almost immediately -- within about 5 forkfuls, I lost my appetite. My body certainly knew what was going on, even if my doctors didn't!) Since I tend not to like brown rice pasta, I bought EnerG White Rice Vermicelli, which is very much like angel hair pasta. It's great. And it's very easy to make one's own pasta sauce. Also, all of the Newman's Own line of pasta sauces are gluten-free. I'm sure others are also; I like Newman's because all of the profits go to charity. Another thing I wish someone had encouraged me to do right away was to order the Sample Pack from Kinnikinnick Foods in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Every single thing the company makes is gluten-free, and it has a huge selection, including wonderful breads, bagels, donuts (!), and cookies. (Am I guessing correctly from your email address that you live in Canada? You can order Kinnikinnick's products through its web site; also, an increasing number of stores in Canada and the US are carrying them.) I waited a year-plus before I heard people at a support group meeting praising Kinnikinnick's products, after which I ordered the Sample Pack. And I just about danced around my apartment. Now I eat sandwiches for lunch several days per week.