For the most part, it doesn’t exactly take a rocket scientist to find out if something is gluten free or not. A scan of the ingredients usually will give you the answer.
If there are some unknown chemicals or additives or colorings or flavorings (gotta love the food industry), the next step involves going to the company’s website and crossing your fingers that they have the answers there. I’d say about half the time, they do. And the other half, you can search the rest of the web to try to find out (did I tell you that having celiac disease can be very time-consuming??)
But then you get a company like Mr. & Mrs. T and it all goes to hell.
While on vacation, Mrs. Dude and I had a craving for a bloody mary. (So what if it was noon? Did I mention I was on vacation?) While a homemade batch was preferable, we did not have the ingredients so we had to use a mix. The only mix in the house is pictured to the left. I figured this would be a no-brainer. What could possibly be in the mix and if there was uncertainty, a company as big as theirs would certainly provide a clear answer.
I’m sure you know where this is going…
Here are the ingredients:
Really?? You need high fructose corn syrup in bloody mary mix?
Anyway, there are a few yellow flags. Spices, disodium inosinate, disodium blah blah blah, natural flavors. Who the hell knows?
So I proceed to option 2 and go to their website. First I tried it on my ipad, but their website is 100% Flash so nothing came up. Note to company: this isn’t 2003 anymore.
Luckily, I had access to a computer as well. Went to the Blood Mary Mix page.
Ironically, it says they use “authentic” spices and ingredients in every bottle. Have they not looked at their own label??
But no mention of gluten. Hmmm. Let’s see…there’s an FAQ link on the bottom of the site. Maybe it will be there.
Home run! Question: Does the mix contain gluten? Answer: No.
But wait a minute…what mix are they talking about? There are 10 mixes on their website. The question wasn’t “do your mixes contain gluten?” It was singular. And it wasn’t particular to any specific product. Dang…swing and a miss.
It’s now 12:30, I’m losing my patience and I may forego the mix and go with straight vodka at this point.
My last ray of hope is searching the web and trying to find the answer.
Tell me oh wise Google. Is Mr. & Mrs. T Gluten-Free?
It turns out that many before me have had this same dilemma and have called the company directly. Here is what they were told: “All mixes EXCEPT THE BLOOD MARY MIX are gluten free.”
So here we are at 12:45 and I finally have my answer. And not the answer I was hoping for no less.
So how could the Mr. and Mrs. have made my life easier? By doing any of the following:
- Adding Gluten as an allergen right on the label.
- Being more specific on their website.
- Making a more natural mix so I don’t need to jump through hoops to drink it.
But alas, they were 0 for 3 and now have lost me as a customer and most likely many others as well.
And by the way, us celiacs are not expecting you to MAKE your mix gluten free. Would be nice, but not expecting it.
Just make it easy for us to KNOW if it’s gluten free or not.
Producers don’t make it easy at all. They are catering for the majority & making the quickest buck at the fastest time. Us Coeliac’s/Celiac’s will have to keep fighting for better labeling. Congratulations on post.
Absolutely! It’s really not that difficult to add “contains gluten” on a label. Oh, but it cuts into their obscene profits…now I understand.
The only Bloody Mary Seasoning that is gluten-free is Whodini Sisters! You mix it with Potato Vodka and tomato juice to make a Gluten-Free Cocktail! It is all natural and has no MSG unlike all the other mixes. Delicious!
I thought you were referring to THIS Mister T…
I pity the fool who puts gluten in their bloody mary mix. I pity the fool!
Why, specifically, is Mr ans Mrs T’s Bloody Mary mix not gluten free? I read the ingredients and can’t figure it out.
I wish I knew specifically, but I don’t. Maybe one of the ingredients that I don’t know how to pronounce. Or maybe the way it’s packaged. Or the facility it’s made in. Perhaps if the Mr. and Mrs. read my blog, they could let us know.
It’s probably the Worchestershire sauce. Low quality is made with wheat.
Here are three more Bloody Mary mixes that you can investigate. Looks like these have significantly better ingredients in them!
http://www.tastingtable.com/entry_detail/national/6812/The_original_Bloody_Mary_mix_has_begat_a_sea_of_followers.htm
Thanks for the info Chris.
But alas, the Zing Zang Bloody Mary mix contains gluten. It actually contains soy, wheat and gluten. Sigh. Couldn’t find the ingredients for the Fat and Juicy Mix but I’ll keep looking.
I won’t be drinking a bloody mary until first thing tomorrow morning, so I have time.
Hey Gluten Dude! I was clicking around and saw this – Fat & Juicy Bloody Mary Mix is in fact gluten free! Hope you try it sometime! Cheers!! – John
Good to know John. Will keep my eyes peeled for it. Figuratively.
The life of a Celiac: “When in doubt, go without!” boooooooo.
Got that right Sassy!
EXACTLY what we go through here. My husband is GF because of Durand’s Disease (that damn rash). This gave us booth a chuckle this evening as we’re surfing for F Bloody Mary mixes. Thanks!
Cheers!
Vinegar sometimes has gluten in it, I would bet that is the ingredient that contains gluten.
I am very sensitive and have no trouble with the Original recipe
Hey gluten dude I just looked on the website for mr and mrs t Bloody Mary mix. It seems the original and bold&spicy Bloody Mary mixes contain no allergens. The horseradish Bloody Mary mix does because it contains soy sauce in it. Here’s the website: http://www.dpsgproductfacts.com/discover/MR_MRS_T
Happy gluten-free eating (and drinking)!
Hi Gluten Free Dude & Friends!
Try Uncle Dougie’s Bloody Mary Mixes. They have three (spicy, mild, and a pom-mango). Along with these they have a variety of sauces, and rubs!
Unlike most every other competitor out there there products are 100% Natural, Gluten-Free (no wheat extenders or thickeners), no high-fructose corn syrup and chemical free. Most all of the big brands such as Zing Zang are loaded with HFCS, MSG and other multi-syllabic chemicals that the Center for Science in the Public Interest has classified as “AVOID.”
They were also stated and still operated by a local Chicago family. Check them out.
originaluncledougies.com
I was very excited when you mentioned this! I was about to order some, but then I looked on the label and seen “distilled malt vinegar”. I know distilled is “supposed” to be gluten free, but I am still skeptical 🙁
Carmel Color is a gluten ingredient.
I actually called Mr & Mrs T’s comapny line and spoke with a representative. The only bloody mary mix in their product line that contains gluten is their horseradish bloody mary mix. All other bloody mary mixes are gluten-free. They note this on their website in their FAQ as well, although they do not call out the horseradish mix.
All of “Freshie’s” mixes are certified gluten free. If you google “freshies gluten free” there is a link to the page on Freshie’s website under the FAQs about gluten free!
Pretty sure it has gluten. It was the only thing I consumed on a recent trip (Delta flight) that could possibly have caused the severe adverse reaction I had about 15 hours later. All other foods were fresh raw fruits and vegetables.