Okay, Had My Mini-breakdown Yesterday....

[Guest taweavmo3]

First of all....I know this is all for the health of my daughter, and I'm extremely thankful she doesn't have CF or something else that serious. I know it could be much, much worse, I've worked in pedi ICU's so I know what worse is!

Okay, after saying that......I did have my little breakdown last night. I'm better today. I am just so overwhelmed with this diet. I feel like I don't know how to cook at all. The gluten-free pancakes I made yesterday looked like the real thing, but tasted blah. I tried making our usual casserole with my homeade cream of chicken soup from the Bette Hagman cookbook.....it turned out dry and bland. The kids are quickly tiring of meat, rice and a veggie, and so am I!

This diet takes so much time in the beginning, and I don't have it! I had our menu planning down to a science before....now I feel like I have to start all over, and learn to modify everything we ate before. I'm sure this will become second nature eventually....it's just been hard starting all over, and cooking many things from scratch. I like to cook, but not this much! My salvation on those hair raising weekdays when I just can't wait for bedtime, was being able to order out for pizza, or pop in a frozen lasagne.

Okay, that's my gripe session for today. I feel better. I KNOW this will get better, this part is just so hard. It seems like all of my gluten-free food efforts so far have been snubbed by everyone but my celiac child. She's been an angel through this change, even though she's only 3, it really seems like she understands. She has loved everything I've made, and doesn't really even fuss when we tell her she can't have her brother's pretzels or goldfish. We just say it will make her tummy hurt, and she really seems to get it. Thank goodness!

Anyway, has anyone else been like this in the beginning? It was all gung ho at first, really excited that I could make my daughter better....I was going to cook fabulous cakes, make my own bread etc. Now I just feel bummed!

[jadobson]

I've so been there. What helped me is once I finally found recipes that would work I made extra and froze them for that night when I just needed to order a pizza. I also learned that it was ok to buy gluten free things pre-made occasionally. With our limited income we learned, quickly what I could make and what I could buy. If no one eats it, it's a waste to bother cooking it. We also learned that most health food stores will give you a discount if you special order a case of things, which we found out wasn't that big of an order. For example we get frozen pizza crust there is 2 crusts per box and a case is 6 boxes. I can't tell you how many times having the crust ready saved us. My son is 11 so pizza is a big deal for him. He can now cook his own pizza when ever he wants to. We also just keep looking at the stores as many of them are starting to carry gluten free foods, just this week we found gluten free cookies at Wal-mat. I have found a few books that really saved me one is Wheat-free Gluten-free cookbook for kids and working adults by Connie Sarros and Delicious gluten-free wheat free breads by LynnRae Ries. The first book has quick easy meals that everyone will eat. The second has bread that actually tastes like bread that can be made in a bread machine. I love my bread machine, it's quick and easy and alot cheaper than buying the bread at the store. Pamela's pancake mix and Deboles Shells and cheese are a few of the things we splurge on, but buy in bulk. Feel free to email me off the board and I'll share some dinner suggestions. Jadobson2001@yahoo.com

I do remember how hard it can be at first.

Julie D.

[Guest Leidenschaft]

Stir-fries were a blessing for me when I first started on this diet, yes it's still meat, veggies and rice, however the varieties are endless!

A real simple one is strips of sweet red pepper, pea pods, bean sprouts and cubed chicken, beef, pork or a personal favourite... shrimp!! On a day when you have time you can pre cut and package your meats, toss them into the freezer. Once a week, prep some veggies, or something I would NEVER do before my business became 24/7, buy the packages of fresh stir-fry veggies in the produce section! They're really not very expensive.

For sauces, VH brand makes some wonderful stir-fry sauces! Plus their soy sauce is also gluten-free. they are made by Con-Agra foods and widely available.

As you become more familiar, you can learn how to make your kid's favourites... for instance my gluten-free Chicken Strips are better than my old recipe! As Julie mentioned below, Pamela's Pancake mix is AWESOME!!! All my family enjoys them, my hubby loves them with blueberries!

For me the hardest part about my diagnosis was the grieving process about all the foods I had to give up... I enjoy cooking but have next to NO time for it. Thai Kitchen is a wonderful treat for quick snacks, their noodle bowls are very tasty!

This board is a wonderful resource, for imformation and support. I went my first year without it... don't know how or why... just wasn't really looking for anything at the time. My mom has been gluten-free for 16 years, so took her lead to begin with. Now I spend at least a few minutes a day on this site, learning and sharing. It's a great group of people and you're at the right place to have any sized breakdown!

Take care, it'll come together for the most part!

[Boojca]

You sound JUST like me (Right down to the 3 year old being the celiac...mine is too!!)

I have my little tantrums all by myself, and then move on. Just like you.

Pizza: we LOVE (and I mean LLLOOOOOVVVVEEEEE) the Namaste pizza crust mix. I can't get it locally (yet) but I order it from the Gluten Free Trading Company. The package makes 2 14-15" pizzas, but I usually make one big pizza for the family, and then make 4 mini pizzas for my son to have at daycare or us in the freezer. I bake the crusts, then I put on some sauce and shredded cheese, then I stick them in the freezer on a cookie sheet for about an hour. When they are frozen I seal them up in our vaccum sealer and walla. Frozen pizza. ;-) Takes 10 minutes to bake when I need it. And that way my husband and I can have a take out pizza and Brennan can have his pizza. YIPPEE!!!

I also make chicken nuggets en mas and freeze the suckers, again 10 minutes in the oven and boom. Meal is ready.

Pancakes, I use the Pamela's mix (after several other mixes and from scratch) and WOW. Definitely get yourself some of this!

I make french toast sticks out of his gluten-free bread and freeze those too.

Bridget

[Guest taweavmo3]

Oh man! I saw the Namaste pizza mix this morning, but I picked the gluten-free Pantry pizza mix instead. I stood there debating on which brand to pick...it seemed like forever. This was supposed to be my "quickie" grocery shop since I had the two little ones with me. But as I'm sure you all know, in the beginning there is no such thing as a quick grocery shop. Took forever to find a gluten free bbq sauce, ranch dip, etc. Before I knew it, it had been an hour and a half, the baby was screaming, Emmie was passed out in the cart, and I only had half of what I needed! Ugh.

I am very blessed that a specialty grocery store just went up a few months ago, and it's right down the street. They carry alot of Numaste stuff, and they have Pamela's pancake mix. So it looks like I'll be set now! I have some of the Arrowhead Mills pancake mix, but wasn't very impressed with it. Maybe it's just an acquired taste.

Thank you for the ideas, that really helps. Now that I know what is good, I won't have to waste money on mixes that no one will touch.

[Canadian Karen]

For bbq sauces, salad dressings, etc., Kraft is a lifesaver for us..... Kraft makes it very clear on their labels if it contains gluten. I use Kraft for all my bbq sauces, salad dressings, etc. etc. etc..... and dozens of other things they make. I feel secure knowing I am buying from a company who understands the seriousness of this disease and is willing to do everything in their power to make our life easier....

Karen

[brdbntL]

Tamara,

Oh you are so not alone. I felt the same exact way. Actually I was in on and off denial for about a year. (she had no symptoms, we only found out because of blood tests run for her Diabetes)

Bette Hagman's pancakes have(from the green cookbook, I think they are the Buttermilk ones) fooled even my gluten eating parents. Pizza had been my downfall- 4 different attempts with horrifying results. But somewhere in here someone mentioned Chebe bread mix as the crust. My 4 year old, she was dx at 3 also, was so happy with me. She told me I was the best Mom, and hey you even know how to make pizza now. Also mac and cheese- All of my attempts came out ok, but not everyone liked them. Found Amy's frozen gluten-free mac and cheese. It is expensive, but my gluten-free daughter likes it enough it doesn't bother her if I give her sister other mac and cheese.

Corn tortillas have been a savior at our house. My kids love tacos, enchiladas, and chalupas and they are super easy to make- You can even buy the prepared shells, (like Old El Paso, etc). And top them with whatever makes you and yours happy. Someone already meantioned Kraft- most of the puddings and jello I have picked up have been gluten free (my kids like choc and vanilla so not a lot of experimenting there).

I wish you the best and there are some great ideas all over this website. The problem for me is having time to read it all.