If you are unsure of an ingredient, please ask me or look at the links on the What to Avoid page for lists of all of the ingredients that can be derived from wheat, corn, dairy, soy, nuts, and egg.
Cooking Ingredients and Condiments:
The following foods are free of wheat, corn, dairy, soy (except for the soy sauce) and egg (except for the mayonnaise).
- Alcohol: Wine is always safe to use. Avoid cooking with beer. Some other forms of alcohol contain wheat or corn, so please ask us before using.
- Baking Soda: regular baking soda is fine
- Baking Powder: Do not use store-bought baking powder. Instead, make it from scratch. To make 1 tsp. of baking powder, combine 1/4 tsp. baking soda and 1/2 tsp. cream of tartar.
- Broth: Imagine Organic Free Range chicken broth is the best tasting broth without wheat or corn. If you can't find it, you can also use Kitchen Basics Original chicken cooking stock. The only two beef broths I have found that Michael doesn't react to are Pacific beef broth (but not the organic version!) and Kitchen Basics Original beef flavor cooking stock. All other store-bought ones contain caramel color, which comes from corn. Homemade broth is also great.
- Fish sauce: pure fish sauce. Thai Kitchen Premium fish sauce is labeled gluten-free. Do not use oyster sauce or sauce from shrimp or other shellfish.
- Flour: Bob's Red Mill Gluten-free flour for most purposes.
- Honey: 100% pure honey, product of the USA (because other countries may add corn to their honey).
- Jam and Jelly: ones without corn syrup and preferably without citric acid. Our favorite is Bonne Maman Preserves.
- Ketchup: Heinz Organic ketchup or Annie's Naturals Organic ketchup
- Maple syrup: 100% pure maple syrup
- Mayonnaise: Kraft Real Mayonnaise. It has vinegar in it, but Michael doesn't seem to react. Don't use low-fat mayonnaise, which contains corn. If you need to avoid soybean oil completely, I recommend Naturally Delicious Real Mayonnaise.
- Mirin: The only mirin (rice cooking wine) I have found that does not contain corn products is Eden Organic mirin.
- Molasses: Molasses is okay if it is unsulfered, does not contain any additional ingredients, and is labeled gluten-free. I use Grandma's Original Unsulfered molasses.
- Mustard: Dry mustard is fine. Yellow mustard and Dijon mustard are okay in small quantities, but avoid using a lot because most contain distilled vinegar that could come from corn. It's best but not essential to find mustard labeled gluten-free. Check to make sure there is no corn syrup added. I use Shaw's Wild Harvest organic yellow mustard and Dijon mustard, but in small quantities French's yellow mustard and Grey Poupon Dijon mustard are okay. Annie's Naturals organic honey mustard and Nature's Place organic spicy brown deli mustard are great because they use apple cider vinegar.
- Nuts: Pecans and blanched almonds are the only nuts that all four of us can eat. Check to make sure that the nuts are not roasted in corn or vegetable oil.
- Nut Butters: Michael, Sabrina, and I use Natural Jif Creamy peanut butter, but any natural peanut butter is fine. Naomi is allergic to peanuts, so I obviously don't give it to her. We all can eat almond butter.
- Oil: acceptable oils include canola, coconut, grape seed, olive, safflower, and sunflower. If using a lot of canola oil, it's best to get an expeller-pressed canola oil, like the one at Trader Joe's, that does not have any added solvents or additives, which often come from corn. Do not use corn, peanut, soybean, or vegetable oil.
- Salt: sea salt or kosher salt. Check to make sure that no anti-caking agents have been added since they often come from corn.
- Shortening: Spectrum Organic All Vegetable Shortening, made from palm oil. You can also use coconut oil, which is solid at room temperature. Do not use regular vegetable shortening, which is made from soybean oil.
- Soy sauce: Eden Organic Imported Tamari sauce is the only wheat-free and corn-free soy sauce. Some other ones may be wheat-free, but they are not corn-free. Since we are all sensitive to or allergic to soy, try to use even the Eden Organic tamari sauce sparingly.
- Spices: Most spices are fine. I try to use McCormick brand because they advertise their spices as gluten-free. Do not use spice packets or mixes without first checking to make sure that they do not have cornstarch, lactic acid, whey, other additives.
- Starch: Potato starch and tapioca starch. If a recipe calls for cornstarch, use half as much potato starch or tapioca starch. Tapioca starch thickens quickly in a sauce that is warm or hot, but the sauce will become runny again if you keep it on the heat too long.
- Sugar: Brown sugar (without molasses added), natural cane turbinado sugar, superfine granulated sugar, and granulated sugar. Do not use confectioner's or powdered sugar unless you buy a brand, such as Trader Joe's or Whole Foods, that does not contain cornstarch. You can make homemade powdered sugar using potato starch.
- Vanilla extract: Use a vanilla extract without corn syrup and preferably without alcohol, since the alcohol could come from corn. Recently I have been using Rodelle Vanilla Flavor alcohol free all natural extract, which I found at Stop and Shop. Trader's Joe's alcohol free vanilla extract is also okay. If you plan ahead, you can also make vanilla-flavored sugar instead of using vanilla extract. Or you can make vanilla extract using vodka, but make sure the vodka comes from potatoes or apples and does not contain any corn.
- Vinegar: apple cider vinegar, balsamic vinegar, rice vinegar, red wine vinegar (Cook's Illustrated recommends Pompeian and Holland House), white wine vinegar (Cook's Illustrated recommends Acetaia Bellei white wine vinegar, as well as Four Monks, Maille, Colavita, and Spectrum Naturals). Do not use distilled white vinegar, which comes from corn. Some seasoned rice vinegars are not safe, so read the label.
Some dairy products contain added corn, so I have listed which dairy products are safe for Michael to eat. Michael can eat dairy products in moderation. The girls and I can have small amounts of dairy products occasionally, but we need avoid anything with a lot of dairy in it.
- Butter: Very small amounts of butter are okay. For the girls it's even better if you clarify the butter, which removes the lactose and whey. However, if you can, it's best to substitute an oil or shortening for the butter. The girls and I can have Earth Balance buttery spread, but Michael can't because it contains corn.
- Cheese: Cheese is also okay in small quantities. Hard cheeses (such as aged Cheddar, aged Gouda, Parmesan, and Swiss) are best because they contain the least amount of lactose and whey. Goat cheese is also good for me and the girls. Do not buy pre-shredded, pre-grated, or pre-crumbled cheese because these usually contain an anti-caking agent that comes from corn. Do not use ricotta, which contains vinegar that comes from corn.
- Cream: The lactose in cream is not great for the girls, but a small amount is okay. Check to make sure the cream does not contain any corn products. I prefer to use organic cream without any additives.
- Cream Cheese: Cream cheese is okay in small quantities. Only buy regular cream cheese, not low-fat, which contains corn.
- Ice Cream: Breyers All Natural vanilla ice cream, or another brand that doesn't contain much more than milk, cream, sugar, eggs, and vanilla flavor is fine for Michael and me. For something frozen for all of us, buy either coconut-milk "ice cream" or a dairy-free, soy-free, and corn-free gelato.
- Margarine: Canoleo 100% Canola margarine is the only dairy-free, corn-free, and mostly soy-free margarine I have found.
- Milk: I give the girls vanilla rice milk to drink -- either Trader Joe's Vanilla Rice Drink or vanilla flavored Rice Dream -- but don't try to make a bechamel sauce with it because it doesn't thicken properly. For drinking and baking I also use Blue Diamond almond milk, which is fine for all of us. You could also try using a drinkable coconut milk. (I've been told that Trader Joe's brand tastes the best.) Some recipes work well with canned coconut milk. When buying coconut milk, look for a brand like Trader Joe's that doesn't contain any additives, except perhaps guar gum.
- Sour cream: It is okay to use sour cream, but do not buy low-fat, which contains corn. Check even the regular-fat sour cream to make sure it does not contain corn products like dextrose. I recommend Daisy brand. You could also use cultured sour cream or crème fraiche, which contains less lactose. In addition, you could try substituting the sour cream with plain Greek-style yogurt.
- Yogurt: I rarely cook with yogurt. If you have a recipe that requires yogurt, use Greek-style yogurt, which contains less lactose than regular American yogurt. Check to make sure the one you pick doesn't have any additives or corn products. I have used the plain Greek-style yogurt from Chobani and Trader Joe's.
The girls and I have no restrictions on the fruits and vegetables we can eat. However, many fruit and vegetable products have ingredients derived from corn, so please check this list if cooking for Michael. Michael also reacts to a few fresh fruits and vegetables, which I've listed below.
- Applesauce: Buy only unsweetened applesauce. We eat Mott's No Sugar Added natural applesauce and Mott's Healthy Harvest applesauce cups.
- Coconut: Check the can of coconut milk to make sure it doesn't contain any additives that could come from corn. (Guar gum is okay.) I recommend Trader Joe's brand. Unsweetened shredded coconut is fine, but do not use sweetened shredded coconut, which Michael has reacted to.
- Canned fruits: Canned fruits, including peaches, are safe as long as they are canned only in water or fruit juice with no artificial sweeteners or added sugar that might come from corn syrup.
- Dried fruits: Craisins, raisins, and most other dried fruits are fine as long as they are not coated in a product containing corn.
- Fresh fruits: We can eat bananas, any kind of berry, any kind of citrus fruit, any kind of melon, red grapes, kiwi, and pears. Do not use fresh avocado or cherries, which some of us react to. You can use fresh apples, peaches, apricots, and plums if you peel them. Thoroughly rinse all fresh fruit since it might have been sprayed with citric acid.
- Frozen fruit: Any frozen fruit is fine as long as it does not contain added sugar coming from corn syrup.
- Fruit juice: Any fruit juices should be 100% juice without any added sugar that could come from corn syrup. Also avoid the juices that have added vitamins because these can contain traces of corn.
- Olives: Most canned olives contain ferrous gluconate, which could come from corn. Look for a brand of canned or jarred olives that does not contain this. I buy Lindsay Naturals olives, which contain only water, olives, and salt.
- Pickles: All store-bought pickles that I have looked at contain distilled vinegar, which probably comes from corn, so I try to limit our consumption of pickles. However, homemade pickles using apple cider vinegar or perhaps white wine vinegar would be great.
- Canned tomato products: Buy tomato products (such as tomato paste, diced tomatoes, and tomato puree) that contain only tomatoes, water, and salt. Avoid products containing citric acid, because it probably comes from corn. The brands that I recommend are Pomi (which comes in a carton), Nature's Promise Organics (which you can find at Stop and Shop and Giant supermarkets on the East Coast), and Cento (at least their crushed tomatoes contain only tomato, but I'm not sure about their other products.)
- Tomato and marinara sauce: Look for a jar that contains no corn oil, soybean oil, or corn syrup. Try to find a jar that also contains no citric acid, since that probably comes from corn. Trader Joe's Marinara Sauce in a 28-ounce can and Bertolli (either the Vineyard Premium Collection marinara with Burgundy wine or the Tomato and Basil sauce) are the two I have found so far that meet all of the criteria.
- Canned vegetables: Canned vegetables are safe as long as they are canned in water without any mysterious additives.
- Fresh vegetables: Any fresh vegetable is fine except for corn and squash. Thoroughly wash all fresh vegetables since they may have been sprayed with citric acid.
- Frozen vegetables: Any frozen vegetable or vegetable medley is fine as long as it does not contain corn, or additives or a sauce that has wheat or corn.
This list is to avoid foods containing corn (for Michael's allergy) and foods containing shellfish (for my allergy).
- Bacon: Look for a bacon that has just these ingredients: pork, salt, sugar, celery powder, and spices. Be sure that the bacon you use does not have any dextrose, sodium erythorbate, sodium lactate, or lactic acid starter culture. I recommend either Applegate Naturals Sunday Bacon or a bacon I find at Trader Joe's called Classic Sliced Dry Rubbed All Natural Uncured Bacon. Another corn-free bacon is Hormel Natural Choice 100% Natural Original Uncured Bacon.
- Beans: Most dried beans are fine, but you should check the label. I recently saw a bag of Goya split peas that contained corn. Throughly rinse all dried beans before using. Canned beans are fine as long as they contain only beans, water, and salt. Any additives could come from corn.
- Beef: Ground beef and fresh cuts of beef are fine. Avoid buying beef that has been marinated or seasoned.
- Chicken: Recently Michael has starting reacting to chicken, probably due to residual corn in the skin or to the chicken's corn diet. Michael is more likely to react to a whole cooked chicken than to chicken pieces, so I've stopped making whole roasted chicken. He doesn't seem to react to kosher, organic, and all-natural chicken, though, so please try to purchase one of those kinds of chicken if you can. Regardless of what kind you buy, rinse it really well before cooking.
- Cold Cuts: It is very difficult to find cold cuts that do not contain corn. We use Applegate Farms Smoked Turkey Breast, which contains turkey, water, sodium lactate (from beets), salt, and carrageenan. I buy it at Trader Joe's, but I think it's available at other stores as well. Whole Foods also has corn-free turkey for cold cuts at their deli counter. When buying turkey cold cuts, make sure that they don't contain any sodium erythorbate, dextrose, sodium lactate (if it doesn't say it comes from beets, it comes from corn), or any other corn product.
- Eggs: Fresh eggs and pasteurized eggs are fine for all of us except for Sabrina. Avoid cooking with eggs for Sabrina except for egg baked in foods (like one egg in a cake or meatloaf).
- Fish: Fresh fish without any breading or seasoning is fine, although fish in general isn't Michael's favorite. If you use fish, I would recommend a mild one like flounder or tilapia. The girls and I like lox and smoked salmon. For canned tuna, do not buy the tuna in "water," which is not really water and contains corn in most all brands that I have seen. Instead, buy a canned tuna that contains just tuna, olive oil, and salt. The one tuna in water I have found that is safe for us is Stop and Shop's Nature's Promise natural chunk light tuna. Trader Joe's may have a safe tuna in water as well.
- Ham: Ham very often contains corn products (including lactid acid starter culture), so I would recommend avoiding it.
- Hot Dogs: The only brand I have found so far that is safe for all of us is Applegate Farms Organic Uncured beef hot dogs. They contain beef, water, sea salt, sodium lactate (from beets), celery powder, onion powder, spices, and paprika.
- Nut Butters: Michael and I use Natural Jif Creamy peanut butter, but any natural peanut butter is fine as long as it doesn't contain corn-derived ingredients. Naomi is allergic to peanuts, so I give her almond butter.
- Pork: Ground pork and fresh cuts of pork are fine. Avoid buying pork that has been marinated, seasoned, smoked, or injected with anything. Avoid buying pork hocks, which contain sodium erythorbate.
- Prosciutto: I have found prosciutto that does not contain dextrose or other corn products, but check the ingredient label carefully because many brands do contain corn products.
- Sausage: Do not use chicken sausage. Michael seems to react to even the brands that are gluten-free and appear to be free of corn. However, I have found pork sausage without any corn products that Michael can eat. One brand of breakfast sausage is Jimmy Dean All-Natural regular pork sausage, which contains pork, water, salt, sugar, black pepper, sage, red pepper, and spice extractives. Aidells Cajun Style Andouille smoked pork sausage is also fine.
- Shellfish: Please avoid cooking with shellfish because I am allergic and Sabrina might be as well. This includes lobster, crabs, clams, shrimp, etc.
- Tofu: Do not use tofu because it is made from soy.
- Turkey: Ground turkey and boneless skinless turkey breasts are fine. I also use pre-cooked boneless skinless turkey breast. The brand I have used is Jennie-O Turkey Store All Natural Golden Roast premium turkey breast. The ingredient list should be very basic and not contain much more than turkey breast, turkey broth, sugar, and salt.
This list is primarily for Michael, to avoid foods with wheat and corn. However, since the girls need to avoid dairy, soy, and egg (for Sabrina), the following foods do not have those ingredients as well.
- Bread: Ener-G Tapioca Loaf. It's not great by itself, but Michael and the girls like it if it's toasted and used to make sandwiches. I like Udi's gluten-free whole grain bread.
- Bread crumbs: Gillian's Foods bread crumbs, or another brand which contains similar ingredients (white rice flour, water, yeast, salt, and raw cane sugar). You can also make breadcrumbs by toasting a piece of the Ener-G Tapioca bread, letting it cool off, and then putting it in a food chopper.
- Buns/Rolls: Gillian's French rolls, which I've found at Shaw's, work great as hamburger buns and as rolls. Trader Joe's also has Gluten-free French rolls that work well, although they are a little more crumbly.
- Cereal: Rice Chex is gluten-free, and the girls like to eat it for snack. Erewhon Organic Gluten-free Crispy Brown Rice cereal works well to make rice krispy bars, but make sure you get the one that says gluten-free on the box.
- Cookies: Enjoy Life chocolate chip and double chocolate chip cookies, KinniKritters Animal Cookies, Barbara's Oatmeal Wheat Free Snackimals animal cookies, Pamela's Simplebites mini cookies, which come in chocolate chip, extreme chocolate, and ginger "snapz"
- Crackers: Sesmark Rice Thins, Brown Rice Snaps in vegetable flavor
- Flour: Bob's Red Mill gluten-free flour
- Oats: The oats need to be certified gluten-free. The brands I have bought are Cream Hill Estates Lara's Rolled Oats, Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Rolled Oats, and Trader Joe's gluten-free rolled oats.
- Pancake mix: Pamela's Baking and Pancake Mix (however, this contains a bit of dairy)
- Pasta: rice pasta. We usually buy Trader Joe's brown rice pasta because it is the least expensive. The key with rice pasta is, after cooking it, to put it in a colander and rinse it in a lot of water. If you don't, it has a tendency to stick together.
- Pizza dough: Gillian's frozen pizza dough or Bob's Red Mill Gluten-free pizza flour mix.
- Potatoes: any kind of raw potato, but not boxed instant mashed potatoes or any other kind of pre-made potato.
- Potato chips: Check to make sure the potato chips are not roasted in corn oil or soybean oil. I recommend Utz, Lay's Natural, and Ruffles Natural potato chips.
- Quinoa: Some quinoa can be contaminated with wheat. Try to buy Trader Joe's or Ancient Harvest quinoa, or another brand that is gluten-free and kosher certified. Soak the quinoa for 5 minutes and then rinse thoroughly before cooking. Here is a link on how to cook quinoa.
- Rice: Use brown rice or wild rice. Do not buy white rice or instant rice because Michael reacts to these. Do not buy rice that has been fortified or enriched because the coating contains wheat and/or corn. Also avoid rice that is in a mix with other ingredients. Be sure to rinse the rice thoroughly in a colander before cooking it because otherwise Michael sometimes seems to react to it. It's even better if you can soak the rice in water for 5 minutes and then rinse it thoroughly before cooking.
- Tortillas: Trader Joe's has brown rice tortillas.
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