Ingredients

I'm going to keep a list of ingredients here. I'll update it as often as I can and give more information about ingredients. If you haven't used an ingredient before, it might be a good idea to google the ingredient name and "gluten-free". For instance, "chicken broth gluten free". I cannot stress enough that things change. I have found sometimes the labeling changes to something like "Made in a facility that also handles wheat" I'm not sure if the facilities have changed or the labeling practices. So, every time you buy your products, quickly check the ingredients to verify they are still gluten-free.

bouillon powder -- I used to use a powdered brand from the health food store, but I've been using the Organic Chicken Bouillon from Better than Bouillon that I found at Costco. I don't use it very often so I'm not sure if I like it better yet or not.

buttermilk powder -- I really like this stuff. It actually has less junk in it than the liquid buttermilk you find at the store. I have been able to find it at most stores in the baking aisle, even Walmart. It is anywhere from about $3.50-5. Here's some information and a picture so you know what to look for. I've always found it in the baking supplies aisle.

cheese -- It's generally gluten-free (basic types such as mozarella, cheddar, swiss, etc. are). However, I have heard blue cheese is made by using gluten during the processing. (I don't use it, so I've never really verified this.) So check to make sure your more exotic cheeses are okay.

chicken broth -- I found a blog post that went into some description of brands here. Remember ingredients change, so always check the can. I use the Natural Goodness Swanson's Chicken Broth.

egg replacer -- I buy Ener-G egg replacer from a health food store or in the health food section of a store. It is anywhere from $5-7. It aids in having better texture and in getting the baked item to rise.

gelatin -- This is just basic plain gelatin. It helps the texture as well as holding things together better. You can usually buy a big box full of packets for about $8-10 at a regular grocery store.

green chilies -- as far as I know, these are gluten-free across brands but always check

potato starch flour -- This is different than potato flour. However, potato starch and potato starch flour are the same thing. It can be found in health food stores (bulk sections often are cheapest, though may have contamination issues) or Asian food markets. I've found Asian food markets to be cheaper in most places I've lived, but where I live now I don't think they are.

Rice Chex -- General mills worked with one of the celiac organizations to create a dedicated facility to make their GF chex line. Generic chex is going to have malt flavoring (filled with gluten) or is going to be made on the same lines as non-GF cereal.

sandwich meat -- There is a great line out by Hormel called Natural Choice. It has no, or few, preservatives and is more natural. It also says it is gluten-free.

spices -- When I first went gluten-free, people talked about how some companies used fillers, like flour, in their spices. Since then, labeling laws require that major allergens, including wheat, have to be listed.  McCormick's and Schilling have always guaranteed their spices were 100% spice so I have tended to go with them.

sour cream -- A lot of sour creams have all sorts of processed icky stuff in them. I've never seen gluten though. I use the Daisy brand because the ingredients are so much nicer.

sweet rice flour -- This is different than rice flour. I believe it's a little sweeter and heavier. Some recipes call for it. It's good for thickening soups and other things.

tapioca starch -- This can be found in health food stores (bulk bins are usually cheaper though sometimes cross contamination might be an issue), but Asian food markets often carry it and it's usually cheaper. Tapioca flour and tapioca starch are the same thing.

tortilla chips -- I have found some tortilla chips which actually have flour in them, so check the ingredients. Also, there could be cross-contamination. Lately I've been using the Costco organic ones. I was using the Costco organic ones and then I recently checked the label to see that it is made in a facility that also uses wheat. That wasn't on the label before. Now I use the regular Kirkland Signature ones. This is why you check the brand every time you buy it. Things change on you.

xanthan gum -- This needs to be added to hold together baked goods because gluten is what holds things together normally. Use 1/2-1 t per cup of flour. It can be found with gluten-free flours usually. It is about $10-12 for 8 oz, however it lasts a long time. I recently found (here in Utah) that a local coop -- The Blue Chip Group-- has put together some supplies and mixes and Walmart was carrying them. The xanthan gum from them was $8 for 14 oz! They only carried it for a little while so I'm back to buying it at the health food store. Some stores with natural health sections might also carry it there. One brand is Bob's Red Mill so wherever the store sells the flour, they might also have xanthan gum.