I was at the grocery store this past weekend and everything was going along great, until I picked up a package of Good Seasons Italian Dressing Mix. Something possessed me to read the ingredients (which I do periodically to ensure products are still GF), and listed right under the list was "Contains: Wheat". WHAT?!
I knew for certain that I had used this stuff twice in the past two months, which begged the question: "Did they just change the ingredients, or was I really that ignorant?". So for the rest of the grocery trip I read every single package I picked up wondering if I was going to have any other unpleasant surprises. Thankfully, I didn't.
The second I got home, I raced to my spice cabinet to see if the Good Seasons Italian Dressing Mix box I had at home said the same thing about containing wheat. It did. I started getting that sinking feeling knowing I had "poisoned" myself with gluten because I hadn't taken the time to simply read the package. I texted my mom because I was so upset with myself, and she was just as surprised as I was about the change.
Now that I have been able to do some research, I found others who have run into the same problem:
Turns out, yes, the product was gluten-free, but Kraft changed things and now it's not. More and more I am beginning not to trust them, but that's a whole different story. Simply: they won't label anything gluten-free because they don't specifically test it and they can't ensure that a product is GF. However, they will list wheat if it is in the ingredients or if it was used to make an ingredient. Celiacs beware I guess.
Moral of the story: Read Every Label, Every Time. Luckily, I didn't get very sick off of the glutenous dressing mix, but even a trace amount of gluten is toxic and not worth ingesting. Be diligent my friends!
If you want a good substitute, try this recipe from The Peaceful Mom:
Italian Dressing Mix
Italian Dressing Mix
You will need:
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder (not garlic salt)
1 tablespoon onion powder (not onion salt)
2 tablespoons ground dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon ground basil
1/4 teaspoon ground thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried celery flakes
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1) Mix all ingredients in a medium bowl and stir well to blend.
2) Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to six months.
To make dressing:
1) Pour 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil into a glass jar with a screw top lid.
2) Add 1/4 cup white, red, or balsamic vinegar
3) Add 2 tablespoons Italian Salad Dressing Mix
4) Screw lid on jar and shake well to combine. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator.
Or use dressing mix in recipes; here are a couple I use it in:
Creamy Italian Chicken
Chicken & Rice Casserole
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder (not garlic salt)
1 tablespoon onion powder (not onion salt)
2 tablespoons ground dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon ground basil
1/4 teaspoon ground thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried celery flakes
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1) Mix all ingredients in a medium bowl and stir well to blend.
2) Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to six months.
To make dressing:
1) Pour 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil into a glass jar with a screw top lid.
2) Add 1/4 cup white, red, or balsamic vinegar
3) Add 2 tablespoons Italian Salad Dressing Mix
4) Screw lid on jar and shake well to combine. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator.
Or use dressing mix in recipes; here are a couple I use it in:
Creamy Italian Chicken
Chicken & Rice Casserole
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