Naturally Free vs. Labeled Free

The first distinction to make is between foods that never contained an allergen and foods that were made to exclude one.

Fresh fruit, vegetables, plain rice, dried beans, eggs, plain meat and fish, and most unprocessed foods are naturally gluten-free and dairy-free. They do not need a special label because nothing was added.

Packaged and processed foods are different. Bread, pasta, crackers, sauces, seasonings, prepared meals, and many snacks may contain wheat, milk, or other allergens as ingredients or may have been made on shared equipment. These are the products where a label, a certification, or a question to staff matters.

How to Read a Gluten-Free Label

In the United States, a food labeled "gluten-free" must contain less than 20 parts per million of gluten under FDA rules. That standard applies to the words "gluten-free," "no gluten," "free of gluten," and "without gluten."

Two points follow from that:

• The claim is regulated but voluntary. A product can be free of gluten ingredients without carrying the label. Read the ingredient list either way.
• "Wheat-free" is not the same as "gluten-free." Barley, rye, and some oats also contain or carry gluten. A wheat-free product may still contain gluten from another source.

Oats deserve a specific mention. Oats are naturally gluten-free but are often grown and processed alongside wheat. Look for oats specifically labeled gluten-free if cross-contact is a concern.

Third-party certification marks, such as those from independent gluten-free certification organizations, indicate that a product was tested to a standard set by that organization. Certification requirements vary, so check what a given mark actually means if it matters to you.

How to Read a Dairy-Free Label

Milk is one of the major food allergens that must be declared on packaged food labels in the United States. If a product contains milk as an ingredient, the label must say so, either in the ingredient list or in a "Contains" statement.

Some terms to know:

• "Non-dairy" is not the same as "dairy-free." Some products labeled non-dairy contain milk-derived ingredients such as casein. Read the ingredient list.
• "Lactose-free" milk is still dairy. It is suitable for lactose intolerance, not for a milk allergy.
• Plant-based milks, yogurts, and cheeses are typically made from oats, almonds, soy, coconut, cashews, or peas. Each has its own allergen profile, so a person avoiding tree nuts or soy needs to check the base ingredient as well as the dairy-free claim.

The Nine Major Allergens

Federal labeling rules require packaged foods to declare nine major allergens: milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soybeans, and sesame. Sesame was added to the required list in 2023.

These allergens must be listed in plain language, either in the ingredient list or in a separate "Contains" statement below it.

Two limits of that rule matter when shopping:

• Advisory statements are voluntary. Phrases such as "may contain," "processed in a facility that also handles," or "made on shared equipment with" are not required by law. A product without an advisory statement has not necessarily been made in an allergen-free facility.
• Allergens outside the nine are not required to be called out. Someone avoiding corn, mustard, gluten from barley, or another ingredient outside the regulated list needs to read the full ingredient list every time.

Manufacturers change formulations. A product that was safe last month may have a different ingredient list this month. Re-read labels on repeat purchases.

Shopping the Café With an Allergy or Intolerance

Nature's Café serves a menu that includes vegan and vegetarian options, which by definition contain no dairy. Vegan does not mean gluten-free or nut-free, however, and a café kitchen is a shared space.

Before ordering, tell staff what you are avoiding and ask how the item is prepared. Staff can explain ingredients and preparation, but no restaurant kitchen can guarantee zero cross-contact with an allergen that is used elsewhere in the same space. Decide based on your own level of sensitivity.

For the current menu, see the Nature's Café page.

Practical Tips for Allergen-Friendly Shopping

• Read the label every time. Formulations change, and packaging can look identical before and after.
• Ask about new arrivals. Staff often know which recent products carry certification marks or fit a specific diet.
• Start with whole foods. Produce, eggs, plain grains, and legumes need no special label and usually cost less than specialty products.
• Keep a short list of trusted products. Once a product has been checked and works, buying it again is faster than re-evaluating every option on the shelf.
• Use frozen and shelf-stable specialty items in rotation. Gluten-free bread and dairy-free alternatives often keep better frozen, which reduces waste when a household uses them slowly.

Making Allergen-Friendly Shopping More Affordable

Specialty products usually cost more than their conventional counterparts. Several ways to reduce the difference apply at Nature's Storehouse:

• Naturally free whole foods, including seasonal local produce, are the lowest-cost part of any allergen-friendly diet.
• Case and bulk orders receive 10% off, which helps for a household that goes through a lot of a single specialty item.
• Seniors receive 10% off on Wednesdays, and active and retired military receive 10% off every day.
• Reward-Up, the store's free loyalty program, earns rewards on purchases in the store and the café.
• Nature's accepts SNAP/EBT and participates in Double Up Food Bucks New York on qualifying fruits and vegetables. See the store's food assistance page for details.

Discount terms and program rules can change. Confirm current details in the store.

For more ways to stretch a grocery budget, read our guide on how to build a healthy pantry on a budget.