OMG! We recommend them all the time to family and friends and my pantry is stocked full of their products. Grrrrr.

1-877-505-2267

Jessica, what number did you call?

I just use the Campbell's healthy version of cream of mushroom in my green bean casserole.  I've been using it for years and DD, who is EA, PA and TNA, has not had any issues.

I don't even want to have to boil it. I just want something I can throw in the recipe and not worry about it and not worry about dirtying another pan. So I guess I'll keep using the GV and call for every can.

I freeze my homemade cream of ___ soups, and while it's not exactly the same, it's good reheated. I just make sure to boil it so it all comes back together.
I don't use a recipe. Just equal parts butter/olive oil and flour. Wisk in a hot pan and let it cook for a minute or two. Then I very slowly add milk and keep wisking and wisking. I do replace part of the milk with water to make it lower in calories. I typically cook whatever I am adding in a separate pan. Mushrooms sauteed in butter or celery in butter or olive oil, usually. I season with salt and pepper and sometimes garlic or onion powder. I combine it all and let it simmer for a bit. Then I cool it and freeze it in quart-sized ziplock bags, which I lay flat in the freezer so they stack neatly and are easy to reheat.

Quote from: Jessica on March 31, 2014, 02:07:43 PM
I've looked at diy recipes but I'll be honest-when I'm making a recipe that uses a cream soup it's because the recipe is quick and easy on a day when I don't have much time. If I have to take the time to make the ingredients first, I probably won't bother. HOWEVER, if I can find a freezable substitute I wouldn't be above making a batch and freezing it for future uses. I'll have to look for an option like that.

I totally understand that and I know on one of the frugal living posts they mentioned freezing it as well as making said meals using cream of ahead and freezing. 

I only use once in a blue moon these days - have learned to work around them because it took me awhile to find a recipe that worked with all of our allergens, tasted decent and didn't cost me an arm and a leg due to specialized ingredients, kwim?  Cream of soups are supposed to be a frugal staple and frankly, for us because of allergies they are added cost. 

I've looked at diy recipes but I'll be honest-when I'm making a recipe that uses a cream soup it's because the recipe is quick and easy on a day when I don't have much time. If I have to take the time to make the ingredients first, I probably won't bother. HOWEVER, if I can find a freezable substitute I wouldn't be above making a batch and freezing it for future uses. I'll have to look for an option like that.

I have lots of words not fit for public consumption to put in here.

We don't do much in the way of GV but I have to say it was eye opening and lots of aha moments in regards to mystery reactions DS1 has had over the years because when labels read exactly the same as a name brands (GV broth vs Swanson) but one has a may contain wheat warning it's like ding, ding, ding.  I am not crazy.

Jessica - there are lots of recipes out there to make your own cream of soups.  I have yet to find one that works for both kids because of the allergy differences (and I would post ours but pretty sure you don't need a GF version).  I usually start at Allrecipes though others on a discount board said they found theirs through Pinterest.

Thanks TT. I emailed them to make sure-I think I've seen it at Walmart.

Can you sub Better than Bouillon? They have milk in many of their bases. I know because they're safe for my PA kid but deadly for the other. I think there's a creamy mushroom one I seem to remember out of sheer fright for horrifically low threshold MA child. I digress. BTB should he safe for nut, plain ingredients, concentrate lasts a while so not so bad once price is aggregated.

Quote from: momma2boys on March 29, 2014, 11:48:05 AM
Hmmm, and I always thought they over labeled.

Me too. And that's the problem-on some products they do over label and on some they don't. And there's no way to distinguish between them.

The way this whole thing started was that someone on the FB group found Great Value ice cream with no warning. So they called and were told that the ice cream was made on shared lines with nuts. Then another person called and was told that some of their manufacturers label and some do not. And that was when I called. 

Quote from: twinturbo on March 29, 2014, 10:54:22 AM
What did the rep say after she saw it with her own eyes? Thanks for taking that time out to call and verify everything first hand. I count on GV for my PA child. Guess that was too good to be true.

After each item that was incorrectly labeled I said "that wasn't on the label" and she said she would note that and let the appropriate department know. She seemed surprised about the first item (which, at the time, was the maple syrup). I told her the inconsistency was the worst part. A lot of the allergic community is trusting their labeling unconditionally. At least with companies like Cambpell's or Kraft we know their overall policy but if a brand labels only for allergens in the actual ingredients sometimes, and shared lines or facilities sometimes, and not at all sometimes, that is a serious problem.

One Great Value thing that I use and have no other brand substitute that I trust for right now is cream soups. I don't use them much though, and it won't be a big deal to call each time, but I can't usually call from the store due to the hour, and don't like the idea of buying and having to return food items. I don't want to get numbers, go home and call, and then go back and buy because what if the supplier number changes-then I have to call again anyway.

For oats I emailed Mom's Best and was told they don't have nuts in the facility where the oats are made/packaged.

Hmmm, and I always thought they over labeled.

What did the rep say after she saw it with her own eyes? Thanks for taking that time out to call and verify everything first hand. I count on GV for my PA child. Guess that was too good to be true.