Gluten free diet

[AmandaLynn]

I've been gluten free for about 3 months. I've been eating mostly pre-packaged gluten free meals. I found it yesterday that my insurance won't cover a dietitian. Can someone help me figure out how to stay gluten free without pre-packaged meals? I try to read labels but I'm not entirely sure what to look for. 

[Wheatwacked]

If it doesn't come in a box or bag it is probably gluten free.

 

[KHL]

What kind of meals are you looking to eat? Veg focused, meaty, carb focused? I use a few good recipe websites Minimalist Baker (search for the gluten-free recipes), The Gluten Free Blogger, Iowa Girl Eats (search for the gluten-free recipes). 

I think the best trick is to write down all the meals you ate before your diagnoses and find a suitable gluten free version. Some ideas (this list is certainly not exhaustive): 

• Replace soy sauce with tamari.
• Check all of your salad dressings and pick a couple good gluten free versions or learn how to make a quick one using oil + vinegar + spices. 
• Find a good gluten free bread and pasta - there are lots out there these days. I love chickpea pastas for the protein and keep a few different types of gluten-free breads and rolls in my freezer.
• Check all of the sauces you use for meat and be careful of meat that has been pre-marinated. 
• Replace your stock with gluten free version.
• Check your morning cereals, and if you use oats switch to certified gluten free oats or buckwheat. 
• Avoid seitan if you're vegetarian

I generally try to eat a lot of bowls - base of carbs (rice, rice noodles, quinoa or potatoes), protein (tofu, chicken, salmon, eggs), veggies (roasted, diced, grated, pickled, anything works) and a tasty sauce of some kind. I can pre-prepare plenty of the ingredients and have a quick bowl when I'm hungry. It's healthy, gluten-free and allows me to eat a variety of foods. 

But at the end of the day learning how to read labels is key, and makes all of this much easier. 

You can google "celiac label reading guide" but make sure you find one from the country you live in... Canada and the US have slightly different labelling requirements. Here's some useful information for Canadians: https://theceliacscene.com/label-reading-canadian-celiac-podcast/