Not sure if that tuna mornay really is gluten free? Swinburne University student, Alexandra Gray, has developed an electronic touchscreen device that could let you know. Read the rest of this entry »
I love a gluten free trade show and last year was a good year for them. Residents of the larger capital cities were treated to two apiece. Life was good.
Apparently, however, the gluten free show business is a tough one. Some rationalisation has taken place. The result? Just one show each this year in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth and a new show in Canberra. Read the rest of this entry »
Melinda Trembath, founder of Melinda's gluten free pre-mix products.
If you are looking for an excuse to celebrate coeliac awareness week on March 13 – 20, Melinda, the pink lady behind Gluten Free Goodies, is running a competition this month to give away a hamper worth over $100 stuffed with 18 of her sweet and savoury gluten free pre-mix products. UPDATE: COMPETITION NOW CLOSED
You have probably seen Melinda’s products in the health food section of the supermarkets, so here’s her gluten-free story. Read the rest of this entry »
I tend to get one of two reactions when I tell medical professionals that members of my family and I have benefited from cutting out gluten: They either start talking colonoscopies (yikes!) – or they smile knowingly and change the subject.
Well I’m hoping that might soon change thanks to Australian research just published in The American Journal of Gastroenterology that shows (drum roll…) that gluten intolerance is a real condition and that you can have it without having coeliac disease!
The researchers fed two slices of bread and a muffin (half with and half without gluten) to 34 people every day for six weeks. Read the rest of this entry »
Simplywize bread mix
Looking back over last year, there have been so many changes in the gluten free world.
Tons of new products arrived on supermarket shelves to improve our gluten-free lifestyles (gluten free frozen pizzas, nuggets, cake and bread mixes just to name a few) and the march of the gluten free bakeries continued with Choices opening up new shops around Sydney, and a few new outfits turning up in convenient locations like Leichardt.
Co-blogger Mandy and I were wondering with such a broad range of gluten free foods now so easily accessible – is there really still a purpose for the Gluten Free Family blog?
Then we caught a headline in Australian Doctor magazine last week saying new research had discovered a non-coeliac gluten trigger and we decided there is still a lot to be said about the problems associated with gluten intolerance – from medical, dietary, and culinary perspectives. Read the rest of this entry »
Want to know the best way to sniff out the gluten content in food? Check out the label. If no gluten is listed, “no news is good news” says dietician Kim Menzies who presented her tips and tricks for reading gluten free packaging labels at the recent Gluten Free Show.
All potential allergens must be listed on the food label, so if gluten or a gluten containing product like wheat, barley or malt is not listed on the label, it is gluten free, she says.
That includes products that use compound ingredients like mayonaise. If one of these makes up less than 5 per cent of a product, the ingredients that went into it need not be disclosed – but the allergens must. Read the rest of this entry »
Imagine my surprise when I found a box of gluten free Blissful Berry bikkies tucked into the conference bag on a recent work trip to Melbourne.
Of course this is not typical. The gluten free thing usually puts a bit of a dampener on trips away. My co-blogger Lucy has even vowed self-catering is the only way for her family.
The hospitality industry does seem to seriously lag behind the growing demand for these types of services.
But with food intolerances on the rise, this may soon be set to change. We received a media release recently about a Paris holiday package for families with special dietary needs. Read the rest of this entry »
... or would bread be better?
I’m glad to see those brainy folk at the CSIRO have got their priorities right. They are developing a gluten free barley strain with one particular end product in mind….beer!
In case you were wondering, yes it is a gluten free bloke at the head of this project.
Now it’s not that I am averse to a tipple. No indeed. But it does make me wonder if perhaps he doesn’t have gluten free kids like we do here at GFF.
If he did I reckon we might soon be looking forward to munching into a lovely gluten free barley loaf instead. 
Read the rest of this entry »
found at Aldi
Price is always an issue when it comes to gluten free goods so it would be pretty great news if discount supermarket chain Aldi picked up some gluten free product lines in a serious way.
With this in mind I had a search around Aldi at Top Ryde last weekend but all I turned up were a couple of Freedom-brand cereals.
However the good news is that a friend of Lucy’s (my co-blogger) has had more luck. The products in the picture were found in an Aldi in Sydney’s inner west.
According to the person who found them, this gravy mix and tin of spagetti were the only gluten free products in the store – but the unique packaging of these products leads me to wonder if there may be more to come… Read the rest of this entry »
Psssst, all you gluten free folks in Melbourne busily planning your day out at the Irrisistable Gluten Free show on October 2-3, we have some free double passes to give away (value of $40 – so a decent saving). [UPDATE: COMPETITION NOW CLOSED]
For the unitiated, the show is being held at the Melbourne Convention Centre and will feature loads of food stands, educational sessions and live gluten free cooking demos.
I think we have made it pretty clear how much we love gluten free food fests here on the GFF blog. They are where we catch up on all the hot new products and sample fairly large quantities of cake. We also try to sit in on the many interesting talks from nutrition and lifestyle experts.
Grownups will have to pay $20 for entry to the show and it will cost $15 for kids aged 12-16. Family tickets are also available for $50 – that is unless you enter our competition and win a free double pass.
All you have to do is email us at mail@glutenfreefamily.com.au with the name of the show in the subject bar. The first five replies will win a double pass each which we will post out to you.
Don’t be jealous Sydneysiders. On November 20 – 21 the Irresistible Gluten Free Food Show will take the floor at the Royal Hall of Industies, Moore Park. the Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre in Darling Harbour.
LH
