This article is for those living or needing to live a gluten-free lifestyle, but still also appreciate a good guide for the grocery store too. Up to 15 percent of Western countries avoid gluten. By the year 2030 there could be up to 600 million people worldwide avoiding gluten, and those numbers could influence a buyers market of a whopping $13.67 billion.

So what is gluten in a nutshell? It’s a protein found in many grains like wheat, barley, and rye. Many people assume gluten is only in breads and pastries, but that is far from the truth. The scary truth is tens of thousands of products can contain gluten.

There are several testing options (both conventional and functional) to find out if you are allergic or sensitive to gluten. I personally have been gluten-free for almost ten years. I found out I was reactive to gluten through functional medicine testing when I sought the advice of a functional medicine practitioner after having been diagnosed with granulomatous mastitis and was struggling to get answers.

Some people may not experience symptoms which can be the tricky part, and oftentimes by the time they do damage to the GI tract has likely already occurred. Some symptoms might include abdominal pain, bloating, brain fog, constipation, cramping, diarrhea, headaches, joint pain, nausea, nutrient deficiencies, tiredness, vomiting, and weight loss. These symptoms can easily be dismissed as something else sometimes making getting a gluten sensitivity, allergy or celiac disease diagnosis a little tricky sometimes.

Imagine how someone needing or wanting to live a gluten-free lifestyle could see that as very intimidating. Gluten can be a little sneaky lurking in your favorite dressing, sauces, candies, and even your favorite personal care items. One of my favorite places to shop for gluten-free finds is Trader Joe’s. When I walk into my local Trader Joe’s I instantly feel like a kid in a candy store as when you are on a limited diet knowing you have many options to chose from can feel very reassuring. My mom has even said my eyes literally light up having joined me on several shopping trips after I turned her into a fan too.

I’m not affiliated with Trader Joe’s in any way, but I am certainly a fan of the plentiful options available there if you follow a gluten-free diet. If you have never been to a Trader Joe’s it’s a small but might grocery store operating like a well-oiled machine where customer service is never absent. There are no self-checkout lanes so you always get the interpersonal feel. The grocery product selections are strategically placed throughout the store to maximize the less than mighty square footage, but it sure makes getting through the store quick and easy. It’s often busy, so be careful navigating your grocery cart. My only complaint is the often limited parking that can sometimes be a bit challenging.

I wasn’t always gluten-free so when I had to make that lifestyle change I was certainly overwhelmed at first as I’d have a lot of learning to do. Though now I can practically look at an item in a grocery store, and without reading labels know if it likely contains gluten or not. There are also apps that can help gluten-free shoppers too. I thought I would feel deprived with my new limitations, but Trader Joe’s makes living a gluten-free lifestyle not only easy, but their gluten-free items don’t taste gluten-free at all. If you know, you know. Some items may not say gluten-free if they are not certified, but they may not contain ingredients that contain gluten either. Some people with celiac disease may want to look for a gluten-free label. Trader Joe’s will also have gluten-free notations on the pricing labels with a different color to make shopping a little easier.

After years of being a gluten-free shopper at Trader Joe’s, and to help take the guesswork out of your shopping trip, I thought I would share my personal favorite gluten-free and gluten-friendly finds (though not limited to all of their many options throughout the store).

Here are my favorite picks at Trader Joe’s:

Bakery, produce, and refrigerated sections

• Gluten-free baguette (great on French onion soup, sandwiches, or grilled cheese)
• Gluten-free vegan almond flour tortillas (I love these for making enchiladas)
• Gluten-free muffins in many varieties
• Gluten-free chocolate chunk cookies
• ABC bars (almond butter cocoa bars)
• Soups, like hearty minestrone and lemon chicken orzo
• Salad kits, like the Dill-icious chopped salad kit
• Protein pancakes
• Whipped feta
• Vegan basil pesto

Dry goods section

• Everything But the Bagel Sesame Seasoning
• Crunchy Chili Onion (in oil)
• Sriracha sauce
• Tagliatelle pasta
• Power of Seven purple organic juice blend (I serve this in a wine glass)
• Kettle cooked olive oil potato chips

Frozen section

• Spicy Mexican style riced cauliflower (great on its own or as a side dish)
• Fiery chicken vindaloo
• Japchae (I toss in extra frozen veggies)
• Hashbrowns
• In my local location you’ll find the chocolate pistachios in this section too

Cleaning and personal care

• Liquid laundry detergent free and clear
• Marula oil
• Shea butter and coconut oil hair mask

Even if you don’t have a Trader Joe’s close to where you live it can be worth the drive, and bringing coolers with ice packs can help. I’m not a social media content creator, but if you like Trader Joe’s and you’re gluten-free then follow @traderjoeslist on Instagram. If you are a gluten-free shopper at Trader Joe’s, or elsewhere, or know someone who follows a gluten-free diet then make sure to forward or share this KevinMD article.

Tami Burdick is a patient advocate.