[skichikk18]

I am just 6 weeks (almost 7 weeks pregnant). I have been gluten free since January and it has changed my life. I am currently stuggling with what to eat. I was probably not eating enough before i got pregnant but felt fine. I am struggling with breakfast and lunches. I am eating a lot of eggs, cheese and sugar snap peas, weird I know. I need suggestions for ways to eat more carbs. I can't stand most gluten free bread and used to like rice cakes but now since being pregnant they turn me off. Any suggestions would be great.

[smiles]

You can try adding potatoes (sweet or regular) if tolerated to your breakfast. If time is an issue, certain frozen brands are gluten free and can be made by just popping in the oven or toaster.

For other snacks, I have been on to blue diamond nut thins (found at whole foods), but they are not very filling and they are still made with rice....does have a different taste though. I know you are looking for carbs, but you can also try making a protein shake when the hunger gets real bad and you just can't wait. Another snack idea is corn tortilla chips with healthy homemade salsa or guacamole. Hope this helps. I am still very new to this too.

[crunchy_mama]

Here is a favorite of mine- lots of calories here, nice fat, carbs and protein- and yummy!

Egg Custard
preheat to 350
Beat together in a bowl:
3 eggs
1 c milk(I use full fat coconut- I would make sure whatever you use it is not low fat)
generous sprinkle of cinnamon
pinch of salt
4 T of honey
Mix until smooth. Put 2 custard bowls in a larger pan which has about 1 in water or so in it. Put fruit in the bottom of the bowls- I love blueberries and sliced strawberries. Pour mix over the fruit and bake for 40-45 min or so! I like this best cooled down. Tastes like pudding. 1 of these is supposed to be a serving, but I always eat 2- could probably eat 3 at a time if I was prego!


Oh, and another thought- if you are feeling the need for more carbs it could be that you are needing more fat and/or protein- just a thought-

[Rya]

It's easy to get bogged down by carbs on the gluten-free diet, they still give me trouble. You of course have rice and potatoes to choose from.
Any corn products - corn bread (homemade, that is), corn tortillas, corn itself are carbs.
Beans of any kind - pinto, black, refried - go great with tacos or nachos or in homemade chili
Hummus, which is good with corn tortillas and/or veggies. (use homemade hummus or check labels carefully)
Peas are carbs.
Milk and yogurt (yoplait is gluten-free, dannon has an all-natural yogurt that's delicious)
Milk and yogurt and fruit smoothie...mmm with honey..(4-6oz milk, 3/4c yogurt, 1 banana, 1 fruit of choice, dash of honey, ice, and blend)
Any kind of fruit or fruit juice
Lentils.
Alternative grains: quinoa (goes great with grilled vegetables...has a very very mild flavor like rice), buckwheat (I've used it in soups with great success - sausage, chicken, milk, whatever veggies and spices you like, plus buckwheat), amaranth (can't say I've used it in cooking, but like the cereals made out of it)
Pumpkin...fall is coming!
Popcorn (air-popping is a safer endeavor)
Polenta

Gluten-free: pasta, waffles, cereal, crackers, cookies, (I love this name) Bob's Red Mill Mighty Tasty gluten-free Hot Cereal - you can make 4 servings on Sunday night and have breakfast waiting for you in the morning. I like to add brown sugar and fruit.

that's all I've got...

[blonde1]

Well I love Nature's Path Homestyle Waffles (Original) with Trader Joe's 100% Pure Maple Syrup. And the "I Can't Believe It's Not Butter" (Original) is gluten free. ...Well the one in the tub is anyway, so I'd assume that the spray butter would be too (but definitely check the labels).

And I love to devour chocolate chip quinoa cookies by Andean Dream. They are individually wrapped so I can throw some in my purse when I'm on the run.
I like them as a midnite snack with Silk's Chocolate Soy Milk. But I'm still wondering if the Silk brand soy milks are gluten free. My friend who is also Celiac told me it was safe.
Does anyone else know about the Silk brands?

Also, I buy the chocolate (high protein) Ensure drinks. They are gluten free. I drink them in between meals to fufill me. Check out Target for those.

Congrats on your pregnancy! I'm trying to get as healthy as possible for when I try to conceive in the next couple of years. Patiently waiting. That's what keeps me from cheating. I want to be as healthy as possible.

Hope those snack/breakfast ideas helped!

[L Hamel]

I was diagnosed with celiac disease as a newborn and I'm also severely lactose intolerant (and a few weeks pregnant--1st appt. on Tuesday), so I can fully understand the pains of a restrictive diet.

While I hated gluten-free breads as a child, I've found that certain varieties are actually quite good. Specifically, I've learned two things--brown-rice bread has significantly better texture & consistency than white bread, and ALL gluten-free breads taste better when toasted. Even if I'm eating it plain, I still toast it first.

We rely heavily on the variety of gluten-free breads offered at out local Sunflower Market (if you have one nearby, check it out), specifically those created by "Food For Life." Raisin Pecan is my favorite, and it's is delicious on its own or with just a little butter.

Also, check out LARA bars for a reasonable (about a buck each on sale/in value packs) alternative to ingredient-laden power bars. All LARA bars have fewer ingredients than we have fingers, are gluten free, soy free, lactose free, and all-natural. They aren't grain-based, but they do offer a decent balance of protein and carbs, since they consist mainly of dried fruits and nuts. My local Cosco sells them in a large value-pack, and many health food stores sell them individually as well.

Another great snack to try is Glutino brand gluten-free pretzels and pretzel sticks (also sold at Sunflower market). I've had several non-celiacs try them, and they say there's hardly any difference in taste, texture, or appearance.

STAY POSITIVE : ) The longer you're gluten-free, the better gluten-free foods taste, believe me--I cheated for 20 years, and now I'm never going back.

Sorry about the length of my response--I'm an English teacher, so it comes with the territory.

[Candy]

Eat Meat.Turkey, beef,chicken. As long as it's not too full of excess fat it's OK.And oatmeal,mashed potatoes.I use real butter when it's on sale.Get a hunk of meat when it's on sale and cook it just for yourself eat several slices of it,and freeze any left over for later.You can cook it in the oven,microwave,crockpot,or these new convection type toaster ovens they sell now.Eat any frozen veggies you like and fresh ones too . Eat Beans I like Kidney Beans,but you should eat your favorite...grains that are safe for Celiacs,quinoa,brown rice,brown rice bread.Nut butters if you aren't allergic to nut.

[mymagicalchild]

My funnybone is really being tickled by this Topic. Here we are, all challenged to be particular in what we eat, and EVERYONE has so many delicious suggestions. When the human brain and the human stomach communicate, food choices flourish.

Gluten-free bread is WONDERFUL toasted, covered with 1/2 an avocado seriously mashed and spread on the toast, sprinkled with seasalt and pepper. A cup of coffee and you've got breakfast,

and WONDERFUL toasted and generously slathered with almond butter and apricot jam. (cup of coffee?)

and WONDERFUL fried in coconut oil and drenched in dark, organic maple syrup, covered in chopped fresh fruit. (cup of coffee?)

and WONDERFUL toasted and covered with thick pieces of my favorite cheese, slightly melted under the broiler, and served with a nectarine or banana or a peach or sliced tomato or whatever other fruit is in season. (cup of coffee?)

My blood type is A, so I'm the original vegetarian. I never eat meat, fish, chicken at night because I'm digestively challenged. I do, however, have beans as a mainstay of my diet. I melt coconut oil and mash beans in it every night. Add a little broth, garlic powder, whatever is needed to make it taste great. Serve it with a fresh salad.

And then I have a cup of fresh carrot juice mixed with goat milk whey before bedtime.

Maybe tomorrow that won't work. So, I'll make adjustments.

[Mina]

I totally feel your pain! I'm almost 10 weeks pregnant and so hungry and nauseous! We've been on vacation for the last two weeks in Hawaii and San Diego thinking the sun would do me some good during this early, nauseous phase of pregnancy. Unfortunately I'm so hungry I've been feeling awful. gluten-free bread is a major turn-off right now, as are all carbs like potatoes, pasta, crackers and bananas. I've been eating a lot of rice cakes in the morning just to settle my stomach (even though I can barely stand them!), and most morings I drink a Boost with a plate of fresh fruit. I'm also allergic to eggs, so there arent many breakfast options for me right now. The fruit seems to fill me up for a bit.

My biggest challenge is that I get hungry every 2 hours since I cant handle large meals. I eat lots of carrot sticks with Ranch, and fruit all day just to try and stay full. I just realised today that Yoplait is gluten free so I'm going to head out and stockpile some yogurt since i cant handle the taste of milk or cheese right now.

Maybe try Boost, the chocolate flavor is actually pretty good. Try blending it with ice-cream, and have a plate of fruit with it. I've also enjoyed Kozy Shak rice pudding with fruit. I love grilled cheese sandwiches, but the only way i can stomach them right now is to toast the bread really crispy, then melt a Kraft single inside the two pieces. Real cheese is just too greasy for me to stomach right now.

I'll be sure to post more ideas as I come up with them. Good luck!

[myammer]

I'm currently 14 weeks pregnant wtih my second child. My experience has been eat protein! I have a hard boiled egg for breakfast, tofu for dinner, beans for lunch, and a spoonfull of peanutbutter i need. i make sure nto to go too crazy with the proten ( i don't really eat all of that in one day) but i make sure i get at least 2 servings of protein, which helps me stay full, and sooths some of my cravings that i can't fill with carbs.

I've recently started buying GLutino bagels, which are amazing and fill the carb void. Also, brining around gorilla munch cereal is a great way to sooth your stomach and carb cravings. Good luck and eat well!

[sdore]

I am 2 month postpardum and when I was pregnant I loved yougart and fruit. I hardly could eat meat so I made sure I ate peanuts or peanut butter. The gluten-free bread that I really like is Energ light tapioca. Some people hate this bread, but if you toast it it tastes pretty good.

[buffettbride]

We're big into Mission corn tortillas for Quesadillas right now. We toss in some Hormel Natural Choice chicken chunks and some spicy ranch dressing and that is good, too.

If you can get yourself some Kinnickinnick pizza crust, it makes delicious cheese bread. I've even coated it in butter cooking spray and cinnamon/sugar mixture and cooked for about 15 mins at 400 degrees and it was super good.

[MinRalph]

Hello there! I have been gluten-free for 5 years and have definitely found staples. I try to find "normal" things I can get anywhere b/c there isn't a health food store in my town.

I, personally, love LUNA bars. They don't say they're gluten free, but they are 100% wheat free, and don't contain any gluten products (except for oats, which can be iffy). They don't bother me at all and I'm very sensitive. Some of the CLIFF bars Are ok too, you just have to read those carefully b/c not all of them are.
I also love yogurt (yo-plait is fine), frozen yogurt, many of the Quaker rice cakes are ok, too.

I'm about 5 weeks pregnant right now and was living on dark chocolate, bananas, and LUNA bars for the majority of the last two weeks but now want everything in sight! Cranberry sauce, carrots w/ BBQ sauce ( I know it's weird), meat, cheese.... It goes on and on!

Also, if you're craving pizza Amy's brand has glutem free one that's really good. An amazing brand that I actually order online and have shipped to me is Sami's Bakery. They have the best gluten free breads, wraps, etc. And they're very reasonably priced. Google Sami's Bakery and it should pop right up. Not everything they have is gluten free though, so sift through it.

ope that helps some

[Aren]

skichikk18, on Aug 29 2008, 12:54 PM, said:

I am just 6 weeks (almost 7 weeks pregnant). I have been gluten free since January and it has changed my life. I am currently stuggling with what to eat. I was probably not eating enough before i got pregnant but felt fine. I am struggling with breakfast and lunches. I am eating a lot of eggs, cheese and sugar snap peas, weird I know. I need suggestions for ways to eat more carbs. I can't stand most gluten free bread and used to like rice cakes but now since being pregnant they turn me off. Any suggestions would be great.

I am three months pregnant and have found Vans Gluten Free Waffles very helpful for breakfast. For lunch I have recently really appreciated brown rice pasta plain with butter and salt. Filling, simple, yet yummy. Both of these can be found at most regular grocery stores.

[tarnalberry]

2 things I learned in my prenatal/postnatal yoga teacher training:

EAT PROTEIN! Your body - by week 26, has to produce 50% more blood volume than you usually have; that requires a lot of protein.

EAT LIKE A HYPOGLYCEMIC! Your energy needs are higher, and your blood sugar is wonky due to that, and the hormones. Simple carbs aren't so good. Root veggies, a bit of fruits, and complex grains are great, but keep them balanced (at each meal) with protein and fat.