Ghost Gluten: Why Gluten-Free Restaurant Menus Put You at Risk

Gluten-free has gone mainstream. You can now walk into nearly every restaurant and find a menu marked with symbols for gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, keto—even “paleo-flex” in most metropolitan areas.   From airport food courts to trendy ghost kitchens, there’s never been more choice for people who eat gluten-free. But if you live with Celiac Disease or severe gluten intolerance, that “choice to trust everywhere” can come at a cost: your health.

We’re not just talking about hidden ingredients. We’re talking about ghost gluten—microscopic cross-contact that hides behind shared prep spaces, careless training, and a dangerous overconfidence in vague menu claims. And if you have Celiac Disease, you already know: it only takes one crumb.

The Rise of "Convenient Gluten Friendly"—But Not "Celiac Safe Gluten-Free"

You’ve seen it: a restaurant slaps a “GF” next to a pasta dish, pho, or adds a cauliflower crust and suddenly markets itself as gluten-free friendly. But here's the harsh truth:

A gluten-free menu item is not the same as a gluten-free kitchen.

• Ghost kitchens (shared facilities preparing food for multiple brands)

• Third-party delivery (UberEats, Grubhub, DoorDash drivers with no allergy training)

• Food halls and quick-serve spots using common fryers and cutting boards

This convenience-focused system makes it nearly impossible to guarantee a product hasn’t come into contact with gluten—even if the ingredients themselves are GF. And for Celiacs, cross-contact is contamination, period.

"Gluten-Friendly" ≠ Gluten-Free

Gluten Free Risk In Everyday Life

Those who know me, love or hate me. I say that jokingly, but it's true. My life is very difficult as I'm very serious to strive for ultimate gluten-free health and protecting our legit gluten-free movement. As an ambassador for gluten-free transparency, heck, call me a trail blazer or whichever word you decide, gluten-free living is as serious as a heart attack.

If anyone tells you that adhering to any level of gluten-free lifestyle is easy or simple, they're lying and probably secretly very ill without people knowing.  If they're telling you it's an everyday challenge, but accept the lifestyle and take the bull by it's horns give them a high five and support them! I have lived it, seen it, heard it and here to help by overcoming my own demons of over 20 years of being a diagnosed Celiac. 

Gluten Free Cheerios Evil Joke On Celiac Disease

What is with Gluten Free Cheerios evil joke on Celiac Disease? First, in 2015 Cheerios launch resulted in a recall of 1.8 million boxes. Two years later in late 2017, Canada rejects gluten-free Cheerios uncommitted attempt at legit gluten-free cross contaminated product safety and removes it from the country. Zoinks! Advocates from Canada our northern neighbor of USA deem Cheerios from parent company General Mills not suitable for gluten-free consumption.  Still eating fake GF Cheerios? Too many gluten-free consumers either don't know this news exists, aren't showing symptoms or living ill and in denial of gluten-free issues. Who can we jump on to blame?

No Definition or Standard For Gluten-Free Exists

Cross Contamination Is A Secret Killer

Stop using the phrase "Gluten-Free" 

and start using "Reduced Gluten"

In over 20+ years of managing Celiac Disease, I proclaim to you from the top of my lungs and bottom of my heart that gluten cross contamination is the #1 health issue facing gluten-free consumers today. Yet majority of gluten-free consumers do not take gluten seriously and lack a huge education to eat safely.  Most have either no idea of the phrase "cross contamination" or simply don't care how dangerous it is to consume a little bit of gluten in a public kitchen which scares me even more! It's my belief that these everyday cross contamination risks are damaging the entire gluten-free movement and keeping people secretly sick while they carry out their "normal" fake health focussed lives.

Have you worked at a restaurant or at least peeked inside a busy restaurant kitchen? It's a mad house of mastery with multiple chefs, cooks and runners on the line slicing, dicing, sautéing, baking and preparing dishes. In fact, it's quite beautiful at a nice restaurant to watch this unfold. You probably have at least seen it on TV or online cooking shows. However, when any gluten ingredients are involved, especially, wheat flour, an entire kitchen becomes cross contaminated and risks go up for you and me.

Gluten Free Experts

Who gives you advice about living strictly gluten-free? Some random gluten free expert on Instagram with tons of followers, a blogger with gluten sensitivity, a yogi mom with a few auto-immune children living a strict paleo diet, a fellow Celiac with a ton of Twitter followers, but why? 

I ask myself the same question over and over and do not understand why any of them have authority over another. If their pretty food posts, creative recipes and stories of restaurant socializing are inspiring you then it's important to find out who is not living symptom free, and if you're finding yourself often ill when you're supposed to be committed to healthier and smarter gluten free choices. 

Gluten Free Menus And Their Risky Disclaimers

Living with a gluten related auto-immune disease, wheat allergy, or gluten intolerance can be extremely difficult. None of these are the same though yet that have a lot in common. From Celiac Disease to a wheat allergy we all decide on different lifestyle choices. Some illnesses can be life threatening and others are not because you can treat yourself and remove risks. A very common everyday risk remains though, when you dine in at a restaurant and order from a gluten-free menu or from a server explaining their GF options, there is little to no chance you're receiving a 100% gluten-free meal. In turn, you have accepted the responsibility for potential G.I. intestinal trauma, diarrhea, exhaustion, or another delayed auto immune reaction. A restaurant may provide you with a degree of 1-on-1 attention to make you feel safe, warm and fuzzy, but the risk is real, every time, you're taking a conscious risk of cross contamination in the kitchen. These decisions are very risky!

Example of a gluten-free menu & disclaimer... a complete contradiction of gluten-free definition.

Valentine's Day With Celiac Disease Is Rough

One, two or three bars of chocolate, that is an important question of many for today's purchases on Valentine's Day. 

Then I would get a pit in my stomach and think about where would I search for safe gluten-free chocolate, knowing it's not commonly available at most stores. 

Epic Acquisition by General Mills Big Food

Has the small guy taught the big bully how to be nice? Only time will tell, but how much time and how much change? 

Hooray or Hmmm?

Have you ever eaten one of these delicious Epic Bars? You can find Epic at nearly every natural food market and grocery, along with some of the local stores and big food chains. They're amazing, any flavor actually (beef, chicken, bison and bacon). Epic products are gluten free, paleo friendly, low in sugar and scream about their grass fed animals and epic changes of land regeneration, sourcing and certifying humane treatments of animals. As of today, Epic Provisions is now part of the General Mills family of brands. Are we excited?

Everbest Bakery and Pastry Shoppe Gluten Free Fail

 

Interesting photo to asses here. Why? We have a traditional bakery and a uniquely dedicated gluten free retail store, side by side, in East Northport, Long Island. Although it may be difficult to see from a distance, on the right is the "Strictly Gluten Free" retailer and "Everbest Bakery & Pastry Shoppe" (couldn't find their website) on the left. Yet these opposite businesses are both promising gluten free products. Hmm mm m, this is going to end bad unfortunately for one of them, can you guess who? 

Going Grainless Is Gluten Free

Is grain free healthy, what is the truth?

If you're reading here then you're already a step ahead in health conscious behaviors. Which ones you decide to abide by and where you cross the line if you do, is up to you and your choices. So you're probably not surprised about grainless (paleo) lifestyles and how they've trended fast and furious to the mainstream. And when I say trend I mean it, because it's a proven, conscious, educated way of living that's not based on a false claim or a silly spokesperson like in the past fad diets of old. Grain free is gluten free and it's a real lifestyle based on our ancestors from thousands of years ago who were hunters and gatherers. 

Cheerios Fails Gluten Free Launch With Recall of 1.8 million

Cheerios Recalls 1.8 million Boxes of Their Cheerios

I'm somewhat speechless yet I have so much disappointment and rage. I'll leave it for what it is because if you've done your research and live a risk-free life as a Celiac Disease consumer, or wise gluten-free shopper, you wouldn't have bought "gluten-free Cheerios"...

Expo East 2015 Gluten Free Findings

Gluten Free Food Trends

It was another successful natural products expo east in Baltimore, MD this year. Crowds of business pros united conducting meetings, showcasing new offerings and opportunities, that one day may result in new product launches for the rest of the shopping world. I set out on the show floor, and I'm here now to report on trends, unique findings, see if GMOs are here (hope not) and educate to you our natural and gluten free community.

Natural Products Expo East 2015

Education & Events 

September 16–19, 2015

Trade Show

September 17–19, 2015

Location

Baltimore Convention Center, MD USA

It's one of the most important occasions of the year for natural products. The "natural" here is legit and that term cannot be used loosely anymore. The Natural Products Expo East show is striving for supporting the increase of organic, non GMO (genetically modified organisms) and sustainable industry! Manufacturers, distributors, brokers, retailers, suppliers, services, speakers, leaders and agents of change connect to uplift the natural industry to continue it's acceleration into overtaking the new mainstream way of living. Why? Because most produce in the grocery store is GMO and the packaged goods also use a lot of low quality ingredients :( 

Do You Bag Your Own Groceries?

Are you the type of shopper who helps bag your own groceries or stands there watching? Bagging groceries is not a new concept at the grocery store. It doesn't matter where you shop: Whole Foods, HEB, Sprouts, Wegmans, Public, Shoprite, Stop N Shop, etc. standing at the cashier and watching people bag for you instead of lifting your hands is not acceptable. This is a problem for you, as other people watch with disbelief. I've gone to the grocery store multiple times over the last month observing shopper's behavior. Here are my findings, they're quite simple. Where do you belong in this analysis?

70% of Customers Don't Bag Groceries

-Trader Joe's Cashier-

Gluten Free Cheerios Are Disappointing, I Say

The efforts put forth by General Mills Cheerios to be gluten free safe for the community in my opinion are only rated: C. Would I eat a product and trust it because they received a C, the answer is probably NO. I've read the stories and interviews and analysis and they do a good job of trying to remove gluten contamination and ensure a safe product, but is it perfect, no. And is the company a good one, I'm sorry but from a food industry perspective, the answer is No.  Is Cheerios ideal for someone with Celiac Disease according to the FDA regulations, yes, but not according to someone who has higher standards than the, FDA, a corrupted organization in the food industry known to have ties to Monsanto and GMOs which makes them untrustworthy. As a Celiac my interests are health and safety for you. The reason gluten free Cheerios are far from perfect is because General Mills is lazy and non-committed in my personal opinion to truly participate in the gluten free mission. You must higher your health standards.

General Mills Uses GMOs (Cheerios are not clean food)

Gluten Free Bakery Items Will Make You Sick

CAN YOU SPOT THE GLUTEN FREE FAIL?

Introducing

 Mountain Oven 

Crested Butte, Colorado 

Gluten Is Everywhere Including Probiotics

More than half of the top-selling probiotic supplements analyzed in a study contained gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley and rye that is harmful to people with Celiac Disease.Credit Hiroko Masuike/The New York Times

I have to say that I'm not surprised, were you? Trusting in the free world has gone way out the door.  Vitamins and supplements are not regulated by the FDA and probiotic supplements, albeit are vital to your gut health, are just not being watched enough. Gluten can be used as fillers, coating, and simply all over the tools and machinery in a  manufacturing facility. Therefore,  foods of all sorts are being contaminated even with some form of "gluten-free" claim. Small and large companies are likely, all culprits according to the NY TIMES article via Many Probiotics Taken For Celiac Disease Contain Gluten from Wed, May 19th. 

Gluten & Allergen Free Marketplace

Finally, a trusted gluten free marketplace!

I've been searching high and low for a place to easily find gluten-free trusted and credible products. Sure, there are websites out there that sell gluten free products, but many of them lack transparency behind the gluten free claims, lack detailed information about the products, also these sites may even sell gluten containing products or are just confusing to navigate and that's frustrating to actually buy effectively. If I can't find a product online, understand the price and shipping information then I leave. Or I'll simply drive to Whole Foods, Sprouts, or local healthy natural market where I can speak to educated staff to find, learn and buy. The problem is that driving is a waste of time to go wait in lines and search forever in a store that carries limited gluten-free products when a lot of the good gluten-free products are available online at Strictly Gluten Free. 

Udis & Smashburger Unite To Devastate Gluten-Free Safety

I can't tell you how upset I was after reading about Gluten Free Dude's finding that Smashburger used Udi's Gluten Free Bread (a once gluten-free leader) and failed an obvious cross contamination gluten-free test with a gluten free customer.   

Let's be very clear to those who manage a restaurant, servers and chefs along with those who are responsible at home to cook for gluten free family and friends:

1. It's not okay to serve gluten free products in a cross contaminated area so wash, clean and/or separate all utensils and food much better.
2. It's not okay to pretend you're promoting gluten-free options but exclude those with actual gluten related illnesses. Duh!

Natural Products Expo West 2015 Hosts 70K Smilers

Attending Expo West was a highly awaited year long promoted event. Therefore, you don't just stroll through without a plan at a massive industry natural products trade show such as Expo West. This year it held over 70,000 attendees whom all seek the same mission - introducing, seeking or analyzing manufacturers, services and/or networking with leading natural industry professionals.