I am a finicky eater. I admit it. When I was young, I used to say I didn't like a certain type of food because I just didn't like it. When asked if I had ever tasted it before, I would say no, but even so, I still didn't like the food. (Ok, I still occasionally use this excuse, but I am getting better!) Being diagnosed with Celiac made me expand my food repertoire when dining in and out of the house.

Still, you have to admit, some of the gluten-free products out on the market are just hideous! The deceiving photos on the internet and on the consumer labels make things look oh so scrumptious, but then you stick something in your mouth and it takes all your willpower just to politely spat it back into a napkin.

But wait! Do not be discouraged! It is all about the process my friends. Trial and error. We go through this with everything else in our lives, so why not food? Yes, it may cut you down at first, swipe you at the knees. After the fifth loaf of mushy bread or crunchy mac n' cheese, you just want to throw your hands up and say "Enough!" But that would be a waste, because all the foods you have found not to eat lead you on a road to foods that actually taste good!

So, the moral of the story is, continue to explore. Do not judge a book by its cover (or in this case a picture on a box). Rather, ask around, do taste tests, and learn from the experiences. Understand that once you spit something into a napkin, or if the dog won't even touch it, that food probably won't taste good the second or third time you try it. However, when you hear the hallelujah chorus in the background, you know that food item is a keeper. Your taste buds will tell you what is tasty and what is, well, not. Gluten-free, just like any other diet on the planet, has its ups and downs, the yummy and the yucky.