We all scream for gluten-free ice cream cones

 

Summertime is the time for ice cream - even for those like myself that are really not 'ice cream people'. My husband would eat ice cream every day of the year if he was not't concerned about being healthy. Even before I had Celiac I usually ordered frozen yogurt at the ice cream parlors we frequented back then.

Like most every type of processed food on the market in the U.S., food companies have found a way to add gluten to ice cream - even to some without obvious gluten ingredients like 'cookies and cream'. So we have to read the labels of ice cream, just like everything else we buy that isn't clearly marked 'gluten-free'.

The only time I enjoy ice cream is from an ice cream parlor so I thought I'd share with others what I found in researching the largest ice cream parlor companies that are represented in Atlanta.

Baskin Robbins has an allergen statement on their website but there is nothing about gluten on it, though they do list wheat. The customer service representative I called was very well informed about gluten and interrupted me to say that NONE of their ice creams were to be considered gluten free. OK then - thanks for letting us know you are not interested in our business.

Next up is Bruster's which has a location around the corner from us. I knew that the Nathan's hot dogs they recently started serving there contained gluten but didn't know that they don't consider their ice cream gluten free either. One has to wonder if the fact that more and more Americans are being diagnosed with Celiac each month, will change the tune of some of these companies that are presently happy to tell us to avoid their products, period. Almost 1 in 100 Americans have Celiac disease but roughly 90% of them don't know they have the condition.  

Dairy Queen makes my favorite soft serve ice cream so I was glad to find out that it is gluten-free. Their website has a disclaimer about allergens, as do most websites of companies with large legal departments. I'm not really a topping person either so check their website allergen list to see if your favorite toppings are gluten-free. Don't trust the teenagers working the counter in the Dairy Queens to even know what gluten-free means.

Last up - but certainly not least - is Cold Stone Creamery. This company is the most informed ice cream parlor chain overall about gluten and cross contamination issues that I encountered in my search. They have on occasion sent memos to store managers about keeping a gluten-free list handy in case someone comes in and asks what ice creams are gluten free. So they are my 'go to' ice cream parlor these days. And before my diagnosis I'd never even been to one since Bruster's is two miles from us.

If you want to enjoy an ice cream cone with your ice cream, check out waffle cones from Barkat, or cake cones from Let's Do Organic. Here is a review of a gluten-free cone brand I've not seen here to date. Bon Bon Gazettes child seems to really like them.

For my money, I have to splurge on the Barkat waffle cones because I found the Let's Do Organic brand inedible. I'm guessing that most gluten-free kids are are not as picky as I am and for less than $3 a box, that brand is quite a bargain. If you buy any of these cones you must keep them in an airtight container as they go stale very quickly. 

UPDATE: You can check the gluten-free status of any Baskin Robbins ice creams by calling their customer service number - 800-859-5339. 

For more info: Return to Eden and Natural Foods Warehouse and some Nutrition Depots in the Metro area carry gluten free ice cream cones. Look for them in your local health food store.