Not only is America a melting pot of culture, it’s a melting pot of gluten-laden cuisine with international influences. The United States has its own special blend of gluten-based cuisine that’s encyclopedic in scope, but following are some tips for reading menus to eliminate gluten in classic American favorites:
Avoid Why?
Barbequed meats Sauce
Beef Wellington Puff pastry/flour and baked goods
Breads Flour
Calzones Flour
Casseroles Gravy/flour and bread crumbs
Chicken a la king Flour
Chicken livers Flour/dusting Chicken pot pie crust/flour Chowder Flour
Cobbler Flour
Croutons Flour
Desserts/pies Crust and fillings/flour-based cakes
Eggs benedict Bread/English muffin
Fish fillets/Sticks Breaded/fried
French fries Cross-contaminated oil/possible wheat starch
Fried chicken Batter/flour Gravy Flour Hamburgers Buns
Meatloaf Bread crumbs and worcestershire sauce
Macaroni and cheese Pasta
Oatmeal Cross-contaminated oats
Pancakes/waffles Flour
Salad dressings Wheat flour/starch/soy sauce
Sandwiches Bread
Sauces Flour (possible) Scalloped potatoes Flour/bread crumbs Sloppy joes Buns/barbeque sauce Stromboli Flour
Stuffing Bread
Following are some suggestions where you can find gluten-free meals in American restaurants, but expect to design your own meals often by either selecting sides and putting them together for a meal or making adjustments to make them gluten-free. Of course, always keep cross-contamination issues in mind.
Gluten-free American fare:
Steak and potatoes
Grilled meats and fish without breading, dusting with flour, or dredging in flour
Vegetable and fruit salads
Rice
Salads without croutons
Steamed vegetables
