# Coved 19= death of gluten free craze?



## foodpump (Oct 10, 2005)

I braved the long line ups of my large supermarket yesterday and couldn’t help notice that there was no yeast in the baking section., not even a torn up 3 pack envelope. 0, zilch, nada, and not much in the way of flour either. Apparently this is pretty much the same all over the city, people are baking bread at home now—or at least stocking up/hoarding yeast and flour.

Is this finally the kick-in-the-crotch for the gluten free diet? Or will people be demand8ng gluten free bread again when things go back to normal?


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## halb (May 25, 2015)

I don't know what it is, it seems to be the same all over. I can't believe that everybody decided en-masse that they needed to bake bread. First off, most of them around here at least don't cook to begin with. And bread is readily available, maybe not the type they usually buy but they aren't going to duplicate that anyway. 

I had the impression that it was mothers baking cakes and cookies with their kids to keep them busy. Or just plain hording.


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## foodpump (Oct 10, 2005)

Yeah...hoarding, as with the toilet paper situation...

If there’s one good thing this pandemic could do it would be to make people see how really stupid this gluten free diet is...


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## fatcook (Apr 25, 2017)

Maybe for the people for whom it was just a fad. As someone with a medically diagnosed celiac family member, both camps - "gluten free is only a fad" and "I can't eat gluten (but really can)" irritate me.

We offer a handful of Gluten Friendly baked goods (things that don't have wheat as an ingredient, not things made with GF flour). We do make those first on the day they are made so there is minimal cross contamination, which makes them safe for most celiac folks. They are popular with everyone, but we do have a handful of regulars who need to avoid (vs want to) gluten and are grateful for the GF option.

The everyone is baking thing is definitely increased here as well. I think it is a combination of staying busy, learning something new, and trying something they've wanted to do but not had time for before now. We are selling sourdough starters from our mother, and they are very popular at the moment.


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## Seoul Food (Sep 17, 2018)

Interesting, a friend of mine said he could not find yeast at the store the other day and I didn't think anything of it, and we're in NY.


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## fatcook (Apr 25, 2017)

We are also hearing that people are having trouble finding flour and yeast. The problem is the supply chain was more heavily weighted to bulk purchases as, naturally, the majority of flour and yeast is bought by commercial users. Now, out of the blue, more people are baking at home and the ready store of smaller packages has been depleted. 

Since we buy bulk and have plenty, we are contemplating repackaging AP flour into 5 lb packages and weighing out small jars of yeast.


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## Asjimenez510 (Apr 14, 2020)

Hi before coronavirus I’ve been trying to learn how to bake.
Now I can’t find all purpose flour anywhere online or in stores(California)
But I did find some Wondra Flour and rice flour, which I have no idea how to use. All my Google Searches give me results that have nothing to do with my question.

my question is : “how to make Wondra / rice flour work like all purpose flour ?*
do I add in more sugar or cornstarch ? 
I am trying to make cakes and pies and pizza crust etc
Thanks


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## chefross (May 5, 2010)

foodpump said:


> Yeah...hoarding, as with the toilet paper situation...
> 
> If there's one good thing this pandemic could do it would be to make people see how really stupid this gluten free diet is...


The number of people who actually have issues with gluten are so very small compared to the population. I too hope the fad goes away and leaves only those with this serious condition.


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## chefwriter (Oct 31, 2012)

I wouldn't be surprised to see many of the popular food issues become minimized. In my opinion, many are first world problems. You can make such dietary choices because you have choices. As my father used to tell me, "Hunger is the world's best condiment." So while people with actual food related health concerns will unfortunately continue to have those issues, many others may find that it is better to keep their options open than voluntarily restrict them. If the situation continues for much longer, it will be interesting to see what gets hoarded next.


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## jcakes (Feb 18, 2007)

We are hearing the same thing from consumers - no yeast, little to no flour (all purpose, bread and whole wheat) and eggs keep jumping in and out of circulation at grocery stores. Two weeks ago, my distributor wanted $114 for a 30 dz case of shell eggs (large) and now they are back down to $45, while the 15 dz cases are hovering around $20-25. In fact, I am buying a case of dry yeast this week specifically to send to friends across the country who can't find yeast in their stores. 

I am wondering about the possibility that as the virus continues to affect the population, more issues like at the Smithfield pork processing plant; and the inability to pivot from commercial to consumer quickly (I don't mean to say that these processors should be able to pivot quickly) and dumping eggs and milk will have an effect on the food supply in a month or two.


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## ShelteredBugg1 (May 1, 2019)

foodpump said:


> I braved the long line ups of my large supermarket yesterday and couldn't help notice that there was no yeast in the baking section., not even a torn up 3 pack envelope. 0, zilch, nada, and not much in the way of flour either. Apparently this is pretty much the same all over the city, people are baking bread at home now-or at least stocking up/hoarding yeast and flour.
> 
> Is this finally the kick-in-the-crotch for the gluten free diet? Or will people be demand8ng gluten free bread again when things go back to normal?


I do gluten absolutely wrecks my stomach. Makes me feel like I'm milling out broken glass


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## ShelteredBugg1 (May 1, 2019)

halb said:


> I don't know what it is, it seems to be the same all over. I can't believe that everybody decided en-masse that they needed to bake bread. First off, most of them around here at least don't cook to begin with. And bread is readily available, maybe not the type they usually buy but they aren't going to duplicate that anyway.
> 
> I had the impression that it was mothers baking cakes and cookies with their kids to keep them busy. Or just plain hording.


It is indeed hoarding inflicted by fear of starvation


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## phaedrus (Dec 23, 2004)

I haven't ever had a bag of flour since I moved into my current place a year and a half ago. I could eat gluten but I eat a keto diet so no real use for anything with wheat flour. Maybe everyone that watched Oprah and came to think gluten was gonna kill them will realize that compared to something like SARS CoV-2 that really can kill them, the gluten free stuff is not a thing. Except of course for those that really can't eat it.


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## halb (May 25, 2015)

ShelteredBugg1 said:


> It is indeed hoarding inflicted by fear of starvation


If that were the case people would be stocking up on anything non-perishable like canned goods and things that are or can be frozen. To an extent I see that happening with chicken and meats but flour I can't figure out.


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## halb (May 25, 2015)

Just heard today that potato growers in Idaho are dumping their crops because nobody is buying them. If you're anywhere near them they are giving them away. 

Whoever caused the flour and toilet paper panic never thought of potatoes. 

-Hal


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## katbalou (Nov 21, 2001)

seeing as i have celiac disease and my sons do to, i seriously hope i still have the choices available to me now. 15 years ago gf food was nasty, it was a good thing i had my training to fall back on. it's only in about 1% of the population and growing so i guess it doesn't really affect that many.


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## foodpump (Oct 10, 2005)

katbalou said:


> seeing as i have celiac disease and my sons do to, i seriously hope i still have the choices available to me now. 15 years ago gf food was nasty, it was a good thing i had my training to fall back on. it's only in about 1% of the population and growing so i guess it doesn't really affect that many.


Them's the magic words: only about 1% of the population has celiac's.

Don't get me wrong, you have a genuine medical condition and I will do everything in my power ( and my employees...) to inform you of anything that might remotely affect you . This is only the right thing to do, same goes for peanut or tree nut allergies, or any other GENUINE allergy or medical condition.

That being said....

To the 99% of the rest of youze who think you're going to turn into super-model skinny if you avoid gluten for two weeks, or you read "Wheatbelly" and yet can't quite grasp the concept of bromated flours used in mass produced baked items, crappy flour ( Gmo, round-up ready, other nasty stuff) that are typically NOT USED in small scale bakeries and kitchens, ( coma, sigh...) and still figure it's your right as a customer to pretend you have a medical condition, ( coma, again..) then I laugh in your face, insist your mother was a hamster and your father smells of elderberries, and I fart in your general direction. Oh, and I hope that if there's one good that comes out of this covid19 thingee is that you realize a few things about yourself and your behaviour as a customer/ consumers.

BUt once again, if you have a genuine allergy or medical condition, I respect this, sympathize with you, empathize you, and will do everything in my power to ensure your well being.

Force shields are up, shelteredbug, let 'er rip....


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## Chef Navy (Aug 19, 2019)

foodpump said:


> I braved the long line ups of my large supermarket yesterday and couldn't help notice that there was no yeast in the baking section., not even a torn up 3 pack envelope. 0, zilch, nada, and not much in the way of flour either. Apparently this is pretty much the same all over the city, people are baking bread at home now-or at least stocking up/hoarding yeast and flour.
> 
> Is this finally the kick-in-the-crotch for the gluten free diet? Or will people be demand8ng gluten free bread again when things go back to normal?


No yeast, no corn starch. Un @#$^*& believable.


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## fatcook (Apr 25, 2017)

halb said:


> Just heard today that potato growers in Idaho are dumping their crops because nobody is buying them. If you're anywhere near them they are giving them away.
> 
> Whoever caused the flour and toilet paper panic never thought of potatoes.
> 
> -Hal


Those potatoes were destined to be processed for restaurant supply, I guess the end purchaser found it easier to not take them than to try to re-route them to the grocery supply line. I was glad to see at least some farmers were giving them away rather than trashing them.


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## pete (Oct 7, 2001)

foodpump said:


> I braved the long line ups of my large supermarket yesterday and couldn't help notice that there was no yeast in the baking section., not even a torn up 3 pack envelope. 0, zilch, nada, and not much in the way of flour either. Apparently this is pretty much the same all over the city, people are baking bread at home now-or at least stocking up/hoarding yeast and flour.
> 
> Is this finally the kick-in-the-crotch for the gluten free diet? Or will people be demand8ng gluten free bread again when things go back to normal?


We can hope!!!!!!!!


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