Gluten-Free Resources at Wegmans

*This post is not sponsored by Wegmans*

I was not compensated by Wegmans for my time researching and writing this post. I contacted Wegmans expressing interest in writing about their gluten-free resources because of my personal experience with the store. I was invited to tour my local store with Wegmans Nutritionist, Krystal Register, RDN, to discuss resources that are offered for gluten-free customers. All opinions expressed are my own. 

As promised in my last post (where I declared my love for Wegmans), here is the list of gluten-free resources currently available at Wegmans:

Gluten-Free Definitions

Like the FDA, Wegmans defines a “gluten-free” product as a product made without any ingredients derived from wheat, rye, or barley AND that is processed in a facility that contains no gluten. All labeled Wegmans-brand gluten-free products are sealed until purchased by customers. No product is considered truly “gluten-free” if its seal has been broken in the store because the store is not considered a gluten-free environment. If you see a gluten-free label or Wellness Key (see below), you can trust that product is gluten-free. For instance,

• The “G” Wellness Key on any Wegmans-brand product is equivalent to the “gluten-free” label and can help you quickly identify GF products while make your shopping list (see below) or shop in the store.

• Wegmans offers their own store-brand gluten-free packaged options for baking mixes, snack bars, pasta (corn-based), frozen waffles, chicken nuggets, chicken strips, and macaroni & cheese.

• Wegmans now offers ready-to-eat cookies, brownies, and sheet cakes (they are also working on cupcakes!) that are prepared in a dedicated gluten-free facility, sealed, and shipped to the store frozen before being put on the shelf in the Bakery Department. These ready-to-eat baked goods are made with the GF baking mixes also available in the store. With a week’s notice, you may be able to purchase the frozen baked goods to keep for a future event. Check with your local store!

If you see the phrase “Made With No Gluten-Containing Ingredients” on any department sign, prepared meal option, or product, it means there is no gluten ingredient(s) in that department, prepared meal option, or product—HOWEVER, there is a risk of gluten contamination due to cross-contact in its preparation or method of service. For instance,

• The Deli Department offers meat and cheese options that are all “Made With No Gluten-Containing Ingredients” because they are not made with gluten, but they are are sliced in the Wegmans store (not a gluten-free environment)—therefore, Wegmans does not classify them as “gluten-free.”

• All sushi combinations in the Sushi Department are “Made With No Gluten-Containing Ingredients,” but they are prepared in the Wegmans store (not a gluten-free environment)—therefore, Wegmans does not classify its sushi as “gluten-free.”

• There are a variety of (unsealed) options in the Prepared Foods Department/Fresh Foods Bar (buffet) that are made without gluten ingredients, but are prepared in the Wegmans store (not a gluten-free environment) AND may come in contact with gluten because they are placed next to options that do contain gluten ingredients.*

*These departments will be discussed in more detail in next week’s post.

If a product does not contain a gluten-free label or Wellness Key, it may still be safe for you to consume. Wegmans encourages you to contact them to inquire about any product’s GF status:

“There are various reasons why this may be and can vary depending on what the item is.  To help answer this question for a specific product, please contact our Consumer Affairs department at 1-800-WEGMANS ext. 4760 or email us.”

Staff

In addition to its team of dietitians who serve as advocates for people with special dietary needs, Wegmans has several resources that allow you to speak one-on-one with a person about your specific needs, which can be especially helpful when you are brand-new to living gluten-free.

Nature’s Marketplace is where you will find the dedicated gluten-free aisle as well as the staff who has been trained to assist gluten-free customers. Ask your local store’s Nature’s Marketplace Manager your GF questions and request information about new GF products, popular GF products, and upcoming GF events.

You can also stop by the Customer Service desk to make requests for your favorite GF products at your local Wegmans. They cannot guarantee that they can get that product in your store, but I can promise you they will do their very best!

If you have specific questions about a product or its GF status (or really anything), contact the Consumer Affairs Deparment via telephone at 1-800-WEGMANS, ext. 4760 (open Monday-Friday 8 AM – 5 PM), or via email. (Note: That’s how I contacted Wegmans to request information for this post, and they went out of their way to respond quickly and enthusiastically.)

Print Resources

There are three different print resources available for gluten-free customers at Wegmans. The Living Gluten-Free with Wegmans brochure, which has just been updated, can be found in Nature’s Marketplace. It contains helpful information for anyone interested in learning more about gluten-free living as well as a brief snapshot of the GF resources at Wegmans.

Menu Magazine, the “seasonal playbook” for all customers is mailed to customers each season and is also available in-store. It includes recipes and meal ideas based on that particular season. On the very last page of this magazine, there is a helpful breakdown of all recipes by Wellness Key. Look for the orange “G” for all gluten-free options. There are many more gluten-free recipes online (see below).

Nature’s Marketplace Magazine is free and available in Nature’s Marketplace. It offers specialty coupons for Nature’s Marketplace items (including the GF aisle), more recipes and meal ideas, as well information about new/notable products within Nature’s Marketplace.

Online Resources

From the home page, there are four basic categories of online resources. For your convenience, I will include only a small selection of GF-relevant resources. Please browse the Wegmans site for many more options.

1) Recipes

• Customize search by:*
  • Ingredient: vegetables, chicken, beef, pork, seafood, pasta, gluten-free
  • Cooking technique: stir-frying, pan-searing seafood, pan-searing meat, blanching & shocking, roasting veggies

*You can continue revising search by rating, wellness key, course, technique, main ingredient, active time, total time, occasion, season, calories, fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium, carbohydrates, and protein.

2) Shopping

• Create shopping list:*
  • Browse products
    • Search by “G” Wellness Key (online only, but you can search the phrase “gluten-free” on the app)
  • Check sales flyer
  • Save previous lists
  • Printable, available with product images and store map
  • Linked to app, so you can reference it in-store

*Will be discussed in more detail in future posts.           

3) Eat Well Live Well

• Nutrition Information (by department)
  • Bakery
  • Cheese Shop/Olive Bar
  • Deli
  • Kosher
  • Meat
  • Prepared Foods
  • Produce
  • Seafood
• Special Diets:
  • Blood Pressure
  • Diabetes
  • Food Allergies
  • Living Gluten-Free
  • Heart Health
  • Lactose Intolerance
  • Vegetarian Guide

4) Stores

• Store Locator

The Wegmans App

Don’t have it yet? Download the app here! In addition to the recipes, products, and store information you can also find online, the mobile app offers:

• A tool to scan nutrition facts for all products with a barcode
• A copy of your Shopper’s Club card
• A real-time version of your shopping list so you can check off items as you put them in your cart
• Up-to-date information for the store you are currently visiting (great if you shop at multiple stores!)

As a Wegmans customer, it was incredibly helpful for me to tour the store with Wegmans Nutritionist, Krystal Register, RDN. By learning about the various GF resources at Wegmans (many more than I was aware of!), I have been able to save even more time, money, and unnecessary GF-related anxiety since my visit with Krystal about a month ago. Thank you again, Krystal!

Next week’s post, Gluten-Free at Wegmans: How to Save Time & Money, will review tips and tricks for maximizing the value of your shopping trip at Wegmans. Feel free to email me if you have any tips you’d like me to include!

There are currently 88 Wegmans stores in six states (Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia). Find your nearest Wegmans.

Don’t have a Wegmans near you? Contact them about future expansion plans.