Have you ever stood in the grocery store holding a package and wondered if that food truly was gluten-free? What about when you find yourself wandering around a new city enjoying the scenery, but worrying if there’s a gluten-free restaurant where you can eat? Going gluten-free does change your life. You must become a savvy label reader and researcher. You also must become someone that asks lots of questions when eating out. Fret no more; there’s an app for that. In fact, there are several apps for that.

Several developers have developed smart phone apps that help identify gluten-free foods and ingredients, along with location services to find restaurants with gluten-free menus. They can help us make safe choices and take out some of the anxiety of traveling and shopping.

Is That Gluten Free? for Groceries

Is That Gluten Free? from Midlife Crisis Apps includes more than 15,000 verified gluten-free products from more than 400 brands. The app also includes a searchable ingredients tab that designates safe, unsafe and possibly unsafe ingredients. The app costs $7.99, with free updates and no monthly fees.

Find Me Gluten-Free

Find Me Gluten-Free, a free app for both iPhone and Android that allows users to view local business reviews and look at gluten-free menus from local and chain restaurants. Users also can get directions and call businesses directly from the app.

Gluten-Free Restaurant Cards from CeliacTravel.com.

This free iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch app includes restaurant cards in more than 40 different languages that can be shown to a server, chef or manager to help ensure a safe meal.

Is That Gluten Free? Eating Out

Is That Gluten Free? Eating Out, also from Midlife Crisis Apps, covers many national and regional restaurant chains with gluten-free options. Is That Gluten Free? Eating Out, which costs $3.99, provides details on more than 2,500 menu items.

Make My Plate

Make My Plate is an iPhone app with a gluten-free menus designed by Metabolic Blueprint, allowing users to “Make Your Plate” quick and easy with visual pictures rather than scrolling through food choices. Create daily plates for a healthy diet. The app uses crowdsourcing and artificial intelligence to recommend new plates and learn your habits.

Betty Murray, CN, CHC, NAN, is a certified nutritionist, health coach, author of Cleanse: Detox Your Body, Mind and Spirit and founder of Living Well Dallas, an integrative health center in Dallas (LivingWellDallas.com). She is also the education director of the Gluten Intolerance Group of Greater Dallas.